To do a film about an undercover FBI anti-terror sting is already tricky territory to navigate, but filmmakers Lyric Cabral and David Felix Sutcliffe infiltrated even deeper. In (T)ERROR, they gained unprecedented access to an FBI informant, for a documentary Brian Tallerico (on RogerEbert.com) called “a fascinating piece of work that approaches CITIZENFOUR in its deconstruction of governmental failure and …
Take this Quiz on the War on Terror
Everything changed in the United States on September 11, 2001. While in the aftermath of those attacks much of the focus in what President George W. Bush called the “War on Terror” was on the Middle East, the efforts to thwart terrorism on American soil were obviously stepped up to a great degree. From the controversial USA PATRIOT …
A Former FBI Agent Talks About Handling Informants
Since 2009, paid FBI informants have played a central role in nearly 50% of all domestic terrorism cases. Informants, who can earn up to $100,000 per case, are instructed to build relationships with persons of interest. The film (T)ERROR [premiering on PBS February 22; check local listings] focuses on one of these informants, operating under the pseudonym Shariff, who …
Revisiting 9/11, The Oath, and Gitmo, Ten Years On
We’re joining with ITVS & PBS NewsHour for a live chat this Monday, September 12, about the human fallout of 9/11, centered on the award-winning film The Oath. The Oath will stream live for free from September 11-13 on the ITVS 20th Anniversary Indies Showcase. The Oath, which originally aired on POV, follows the story …