IDFA - Shadow World

A shocking analysis of the international arms trade, which shapes government policy, breeds corruption, undermines Western democracies and causes widespread human suffering. Governments, security services, research institutes and arms manufacturers are all complicit, because they all have something to gain from a permanent state of war. This essayistic film is loosely based on the book by former African National Congress parliamentarian and anti-corruption activist Andrew Feinstein. Here, his stance is corroborated by the experiences of prominent politicians, war correspondents, soldiers, academics, investigative journalists, peace activists and arms dealers.

By detailing British Aerospace cover-ups and recent wars fought by the United States in the Middle East, this documentary offers a new perspective on the “shadow world” in which we live. The film spans from World War I to present day, alternating interviews with historical footage and interweaving passages from the work of the Uruguayan author and journalist Eduardo Galeano. In addition to being an indictment of the arms trade, this revelatory film is an emphatic rallying cry for humanity, truth and love, and the courage to act against the prevailing morality.

(idfa)