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Director Scott Z. Burns takes infamous 6,700-page torture investigation to the big screen with political thriller The Report. Based on real-life political intrigue, the film highlights the seven year investigation led by former Senate staffer Daniel J. Jones. Samantha Johns sits down with Burns and Jones to discuss the making of the film.
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Through a series of in depth flashbacks and historical context, Burns tells the story of Jones’ experience while working on the largest investigative review in Senate history. Following the events of 9/11 the CIA had long misrepresented the success of its “enhanced-interrogation procedures” which inspired the Senate Intelligence Committee to sift through thousands of pages documenting torture and abuses of power.
The film makes the conscious choice to never show Jones outside of the basement he works in, so as to focus on his work instead of his personal life.
“IT WAS A CRAZY SEVEN YEARS MUCH OF WHICH IS DEPICTED IN A TWO-HOUR FILM BUT A LOT THAT YOU CAN’T SQUEEZE IN, IN TWO HOURS AS WELL.”
While The Report is a dramatization of Jones’s investigation, Burns says the amount of effort that went into reading all 6.2 million pages of files cannot be matched by a film.
“THIS IS A STORY OF A NARRATIVE THAT IS NOW LOOSE IN THE WORLD. AND I FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THAT.”
Despite the actual report being released a few years ago, the issues Jones once faced are still prevalent in our government today. He emphasizes the need for oversight of organizations like the CIA.
“THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH HAD REAL PRIDE IN THEIR INSTITUTIONS WHICH TOOK OVER THEIR CONNECTIONS TO THEIR PARTY AND WE KIND OF NEED THEM AT THIS MOMENT.”
With the Senate’s report on torture long removed from the public concioussness, one may wonder why a movie like The Report was produced.
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Filmed in nearly monochrome drabness as a cliché documentary, The Report looks like nostalgia and comes exclusively to Prime Video on November 29th.
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