"War Don Don" at Facets Cinematheque October 8, 2010

In the heart of Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, United Nations soldiers guard a heavily fortified building known as the "special court." Inside, Issa Sesay awaits his trial as prosecutors argue that Sesay is a war criminal, guilty of crimes against humanity. His defenders insist that he is a reluctant fighter who protected civilians and played a crucial role in forging the peace. War Don Don tells the story of his sensational trial with unprecedented access to prosecutors, defense attorneys, victims and, from behind bars, Sesay himself. Can the trial of one man uncover the truth of a traumatic past? How does a nation rebuild after a civil war has left it in shreds? Cohen's nuanced, thought-provoking documentary -- which casts light on a part of the world that rarely makes the news -- seeks answers by posing such questions as: was he a terrorist who committed untold atrocities or a flawed general who helped bring peace to his ravaged nation when he had the chance? War Don Don puts international justice on trial for the world to see -- finding that in some cases the past is not just painful, it is also opaque.

Official Website: http://www.facets.org/pages/cinematheque/films/oct2010/wardondon.php