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Interview with director of Why We Fight

Indiwire Interview Eugene Jarecki, director of award-winning documentary film Why We Fight.

By Eugene Hernandez
On the evening of January 19, 1961, Dwight D. Eisenhower spoke from the Oval Office for the last time as president. In his farewell address he warned of a "military-industrial complex" that was taking form and if not controlled could threaten democracy as we know it. At the time his remarks may have fallen on deaf ears, but forty-five years later Eisenhower's premonition has unfortunately come true.

While researching his last film, The Trials of Henry Kissinger Eugene Jarecki stumbled upon Eisenhower's speech and thought; "this cries out for a movie." Once Trials was completed Jarecki quickly began work on his next film, and using Eisenhower's phrase as a guide, investigates America's obsession with war. But what Jarecki didn't know was while he was examining war the powers-that-be were planning one.

Regardless what your political views are, with its masterful editing and chilling score, Why We Fight. (awarded the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize one year ago) is a testament to the art of non-fiction.

Recently indieWIRE contributor Jason Guerrasio talked to Jarecki about the film and why he believes democracy still has a chance.


IndieWIRE: What did you find so moving about Eisenhower's farewell address?

Eugene Jarecki: He did what I think no other president in America has done before or since, which is he told the truth to the American public about a subject of incredible importance to all of us. He did so on his last night in office and I just thought it was such a remarkable phrase this "military-industrial complex" that he warned us about. Coming from a general, a hero of World War II, a two-term Republican president, it just said to me there must be a movie in that.

iW: In fact, to show how much Eisenhower was on the ball, his original wording was "military-industrial-congressional complex."

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Posted on January 19, 2006 in News Elsewhere by Anayansi