USA: Award winning filmmaker Rory Kennedy explores reasons behind abuses at Abu Graib.

"Ghosts of Abu Ghraib" documentary puts a voice behind pictures of Abu Ghraib. Among the films generating a buzz at this year's Sundance Film Festival is the documentary, "Ghosts of Abu Ghriab." Directed by Rory Kennedy, the daughter of the late Robert Kennedy, the film takes on the difficult task of exploring the events that unfolded at the Iraqi prison in the fall of 2003. "I think in many ways this was the most difficult and challenging films I've ever had to make," Kennedy explained. "I think that was the case for a number of reasons, one, emotionally it was difficult to live with these images day in and day out, to be exposed to that and why ordinary people commit horrendous acts." The documentary, is a bit of a shift for Kennedy, who told Reuters that the film is not just abut Abu Ghriab, but about America itself. She believes that the event has unfortunately redefined the post 9/11 policies of the United States. "We represented to the world what it means to believe in human rights and human dignity. I think we represented that ideal to many other countries. Yet, in the last three years we're now a country that represents just the opposite. We are now known as a country that tortures people," said Kennedy. Kennedy, who is an award winning filmmaker in her own right, says her father would have believed in the project. "You know, I think that my father fought against injustice and for justice in this country. When he saw unfairness he fought against it. I think I was certainly affected by that belief system. I think this film is in a similar vein," said Kennedy. "Ghosts of Abu Ghriab" premiered on Friday (January 20) at the festival. It will air on HBO sometime in February and is one of 42 documentaries being shown at this year's Sundance.

ITN Source | January 26, 2007

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