LONG BEFORE FAHRENHEIT 9/11, THERE WAS PETER DAVIS’ HEARTS AND MINDS. A CONTROVERSIAL WINNER AT THE 1975 OSCARS, IT’S PERHAPS THE MOST FAMOUS ANTI-WAR DOCUMENTARY EVER MADE, EXAMINING THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL COST OF AMERICA’S INVOLVEMENT IN VIETNAM.
Viewed 30 years on, it feels horribly relevant to the current climate. We hear from a variety of commentators, ranging from American veterans and Vietnamese victims to parents and politicians, interspersed with film excerpts and newsreel footage. From the way all this raw footage is edited together, it’s often evident that Davis’ foremost target is viewers’ hearts rather than their minds. Though one could accuse the film of being heavy-handed at moments, it’s impossible not to feel its punch to the gut. And besides, for the most part the footage literally speaks for itself: We weren’t on the wrong side, offers one veteran. We were the wrong side. – Richard Boyd Barrett
THE MARCH 11 SCREENING WILL BE INTRODUCED BY A MEMBER OF THE IRISH ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT, BY THE VIETNAM VETERAN FRANK CORCORAN, AND IRAQ VETERAN HART VITES. (WWW.IRISHANTIWAR.ORG)