Brian DePalma’s “Redacted” is a montage of stories about U.S. soldiers fighting in the Iraq conflict, focusing on the modern forms of media covering the war. Primarily, “Redacted,” according to Brian DePalma, “is based the rape and murder of a 14-year old Iraqi girl and the killing of her family members by U.S. soldiers.”
Inspired by real events and the ever-emerging realities of an on-going war, “Redacted” explores the consequences of placing a group of young American soldiers into a morally ambiguous universe. Pushed to their very limits, the film portrays the tragic events surrounding a US army squad that targets and persecutes an innocent Iraqi girl and her family, culminating in a brutal rape and murder. The film addresses the innocent casualties of war and reveals the general helplessness surrounding the war in Iraq. A fictional version of the truth, “Redacted” forces the viewer to question the filters through which we see and accept events in our world. Ultimately, “Redacted” begs the question: Once we know the truth, what is the value of war and the worth of all its tragedies?
Billionaire, and Magnolia Pictures CEO Mark Cuban is planning to make Brian De Palma’s “Redacted” a “super-release.” In addition to playing in Landmark Theaters, (owned by Cuban, also), the film will hit DVD shelves and the internet all on the same day.
“2007 Venice Film Festival Award” – Brian De Palma, whose “Redacted” shocked audiences in Venice with its brutal reconstruction of the real-life rape and murder of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl by U.S. soldiers, won the Silver Lion award for Best Director.
