L’aveu (1970) Director: Costa-Gavras Actors: Yves Montand, Simone Signoret, Gabriele Ferzetti Runtime: 139 min The split between Tito and Stalin (1948), in the late 1940s and early 1950s, was followed by show trials of prominent Communists all over Eastern Europe and the wave of Stalinist purges in which tens of thousands suffered or lost their …
La noche de los lápices (1986) Director: Héctor Olivera Actors: Alejo García Pintos, Vita Escardó, Pablo Novak Runtime: 105 min During the reign of the military junta in Argentina (1976-1983, a period now known as “The Dirty War“), between 17,000 and 30,000 people “disappeared”. In fact they were kidnapped by the military and the secret …
Guilty By Suspicion (1991) Director: Irwin Winkler Actors: Robert De Niro Runtime: 105 min The beginning of the Cold War brought a new wave of anti-communist hysteria and “witch hunts” in the U.S. The Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations headed by Senator McCarthy took the leading role, accompanied by the House Committee on Un-American Activities – …
Stander (2003) Director: Bronwen Hughes Actors: Thomas Jane, David O’Hara, Dexter Fletcher Runtime: 111 min Andre Stander was an officer in the South African police at the beginning of 1980s. A powerful revolt arises in him after the shock he experiences during his involvement in a police massacre of unarmed civilians at the rally of the …
Salvador (Puig Antich) (2006) Director: Manuel Huerga Actors: Daniel Brühl, Tristán Ulloa Runtime: 134 min Salvador Puig was a Spanish anarchist, member of the group MIL, which robbed banks and financed illegal political press, books and other materials, supported workers’ struggles and the fight against authoritarian regime of Francisco Franco. During the arrest, he killed …
The Pentagon Papers (2003) Director: Rod Holcomb Actors: James Spader, Claire Forlani, Paul Giamatti Runtime: 92 min The protagonist of the movie is Daniel Ellsberg, a remarkable young analyst, who is the subject of the U.S. Cold War ideology of spreading liberal-democratic values and the threat of a communist ‘domino effect’. His greatest wish is …
Some Mother’s Son (1996) Director: Terry George Actors: Helen Mirren, Aidan Gillen, John Lynch Runtime: 112 min This is story about the 1981. hunger strike of Irish political prisoners and the events that accompanied it. One of the main causes of conflict in Northern Ireland was discrimination against Catholics (Irish) by ruling Protestants (British loyalists). …
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) Director: Tomas Alfredson Actors: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy Runtime: 127 min At the very top of the British intelligence agency MI6 is a Soviet double agent. Or maybe not? Very complex and dynamic espionage thriller set in the middle of the 1970s. From the beginning of the movie, …
Walker (1987) Director: Alex Cox Actors: Ed Harris Runtime: 94 min William Walker was US adventurer and mercenary who (among other things) organized a private military expedition to Nicaragua in 1855. This expedition was funded by Cornelius Vanderbilt, a tycoon who controlled transportation in Nicaragua, since at that time the Panama Canal hasn’t been constructed …
L’ordre et la morale (2011) Director: Mathieu Kassovitz Actors: Mathieu Kassovitz Runtime: 136 min New Caledonia in 1988, group FLNKS abducted two dozen police officers and demanded independence from France. Since this happened just before the second round of presidential elections in France, the politicians decided to terminate the negotiations and resolve the hostage crisis …
