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Iraq movie wins top prize at Sundance Film Festival
2007-01-28
Two movies about the war in Iraq were among the winners here as the curtain came down on the 2007 Sundance Independent Film Festival. The two films, drama "Grace is Gone" and documentary "No End In Sight," received glowing reviews during the festival and are now being tipped for commerical success. "Grace is Gone," starring John Cusack, tells the story of a man whose wife is killed during her tour of duty in Iraq, leaving him with the task of explaining news of the death to the couple's children. Director James Strouse said he was constantly asked if the film was pro or anti the war in Iraq. "It's a pro-America film," he said after it scooped the audience prize and a jury prize for screenwriting. "My hope is that whatever side you find yourself on this story connects and touches your heart." Meanwhile "No End In Sight" was honoured with a special jury prize. The festival jury said film "clearly illuminates the misguided policy decisions that have led to the catastrophic quagmire of the US invasion and occupation of Iraq." Director Charles Ferguson said he had wanted to make a film about US policy in Iraq to "show what really happened to bring us to this horrific state." Sundance Film Festival chief Geoffrey Gilmore praised film-makers who had shown work at the event, saying it had been "one of our landmark years." Meanwhile the Grand Jury Prize dramatic winner went to "Padre Nuestro," a gritty story about Mexican immigrants trying to eke out an existence in New York. The documentary jury's top honors went to "Manda Bala (Send a Bullet)," an examination of corruption and kidnapping in Brazil.
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