Screened as part of NZIFF 2016

Shadow World 2016

Directed by Johan Grimonprez

Based on a behind-the-scenes exposé written by former South African politician Andrew Feinstein, this excoriating doco from Johan Grimonprez offers a superb and succinct examination of the global arms trade.

Belgium / Denmark / USA In Arabic, English and Spanish with English subtitles
90 minutes Colour and B&W / DCP

Director

Producers

Joslyn Barnes
,
Anadil Hossain

Screenplay

Johan Grimonprez
,
Andrew Feinstein. Based on the book by Feinstein

Photography

Nicole Mackinlay Hahn

Editors

Per L. Kirkegaard
,
Pedro Collantes
,
Dieter Diependaele

Music

Karsten Fundal

With

Lawrence Wilkerson
,
Franklin C. Spinney
,
Pierre Sprey
,
Clare Short
,
Riccardo Privitera
,
Andrew Feinstein
,
Vijay Prashad
,
Marta Benavides
,
Jeremy Scahill
,
Cynthia McKinney
,
Michael Hardt
,
Dames Der Derian
,
David Lawley-Wakelin
,
Chris Hedges
,
Robert Fisk
,
Montazer Al Zaidi
,
Wesley Clark
,
Trita Parsi
,
Shir Hever

Festivals

Tribeca
,
San Francisco 2016

Elsewhere

Shadow World uses vivid and haunting imagery as visual evidence of Andrew Feinstein’s frightening book on the global arms trade and the new growth industry of war. With insightful interviews, archival and found footage and a keen eye for content, director Johan Grimonprez examines the Iran-Contra scandal, the Iraq War, the dynamics of profiteering concealed within the War on Terror, weapons deals between Britain’s BAE Systems and the Saudi-Arabian government and more. Shadow World digs deeply into the corruption and conflicting interests inherent in companies that deal in arms, the privatization of war and the relationship between powerful lobbyists and politicians…” Gustavus Kundahl, San Francisco International Film Festival

“Grimonprez doesn’t want audiences to get out their handkerchiefs; he wants them to get out their protest signs, their megaphones and their voting ballots… Flawlessly juggling an impressive array of talking heads with archival footage, the director aims his disgust at politicians, from Reagan to Obama, Blair to Prince Bandar bin Sultan, and the billions invested in ensuring militarization and war never get put on ice.” Jay Weissberg, Variety