Ghosts of Abu Ghraib

This documentary was the first to feature Iraqi victims (interviewed in Turkey) as well as guards who were directly involved in the torture in the prison. In the film, director Rory Kennedy examines how "ordinary soldiers" were capable of such acts. The film presents the torture as the result of military and government policies implemented in a climate of fear and chaos, inadequate training and inadequate resources.

Using these interviews, the film traces the events that led to the scandal, beginning with the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Using footage from the Milgram experiment in the 1960s at Yale, the film suggests that most people are capable of committing inhumane acts against other people when ordered to do so.

The film aired on HBO on February 22, 2007.{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/tv/shows/ghostsofabughraib |title=Ghosts Of Abu Ghraib (HBO) - Reviews from Metacritic |accessdate=September 16, 2007 |publisher=Metacritic |archive-date=September 21, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070921070159/http://www.metacritic.com/tv/shows/ghostsofabughraib |url-status=live }} It was also shown at the Human Rights Watch Film Festival on March 23, 2007, at the Cleveland International Film Festival on March 25, 2007 and at the Oslo International Film Festival on November 17, 2007.[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0912585/releaseinfo Ghosts of Abu Ghraib, Release Info] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211225123812/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0912585/releaseinfo|date=December 25, 2021}} Retrieved September 16, 2007

Working Films coordinated the US national community engagement campaign with Ghosts of Abu Ghraib.{{Cite web |title=Torture and the 2008 Elections |url=https://www.hbo.com/movies/ghosts-of-abu-ghraib |access-date=2024-11-15 |website=Working Films}} It brought together the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, the American Civil Liberties Union, faith groups, and others to end US policy sanctioning torture.{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2008/aug/06/voluntarysector | work=The Guardian | location=London | title=The real picture | date=August 6, 2008 | accessdate=May 3, 2010 | first=Daniel | last=Lee | archive-date=September 16, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150916221015/http://www.theguardian.com/society/2008/aug/06/voluntarysector | url-status=live }}

The film attracted some interest in media and was discussed extensively.{{Cite news |title=Ghosts of Abu Ghraib |last=Greenberg |first=James |date=2007-01-19 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/ghosts-abu-ghraib-159072/ |access-date=2024-11-16 |work=The Hollywood Reporter}}{{Cite news |title='Ghosts of Abu Ghraib': Abu Ghraib and Its Multiple Failures |last=Stanley |first=Alessandra |date=2007-02-22 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/22/arts/television/22stan.html |access-date=2024-11-15 |work=The New York Times}}{{Cite news |title=The Ad Hoc Behavioral Laboratory |last=Leonard |first=John |date=2007-02-14 |url=https://nymag.com/arts/tv/reviews/28108/ |access-date=2024-11-15 |work=New York Magazine}}{{Cite news |title=Inside Abu Ghraib, where souls cracked |last=Perry |first=Tony |date=2007-02-22 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-feb-22-wk-abu22-story.html |access-date=2024-11-15 |work=Los Angeles Times}}{{Cite news |title=Ghosts of Abu Ghraib |last=Ezninna |first=Wes |date=2007-02-21 |url=https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/ghosts-abu-ghraib/ |access-date=2024-11-15 |work=The Nation}}{{Cite news |title='Ghosts of Abu Ghraib' probes shameful episode in Iraq war |last=Moore |first= |date=2007-02-22 |url=https://eu.southcoasttoday.com/story/entertainment/local/2007/02/22/ghosts-abu-ghraib-probes/52964233007/ |access-date=2024-11-16 |work=SouthCoast TODAY}}{{Cite news |title=“Ghosts of Abu Ghraib” Premieres Tonight; Torture Continues |last=Kaufman |first=Anthony |date=2017-02-22 |url=https://www.indiewire.com/news/general/ghosts-of-abu-ghraib-premieres-tonight-torture-continues-134879/ |access-date=2024-11-15 |work=IndieWire}}{{Cite news |title=Rory Kennedy Reveals the Ghosts of Abu Ghraib |date=2007-06-12 |url=https://www.popmatters.com/rory-kennedy-reveals-the-ghosts-of-abu-ghraib-2496237255.html |access-date=2024-11-16 |work=PopMatters}}

The film was nominated for four Emmys at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards in the categories of Outstanding Nonfiction Special, Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming, Outstanding Picture Editing for Nonfiction Programming, and Outstanding Sound Editing for Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera).[http://www.emmys.org/awards/2007pt/59thnominations.php The 59th Primetime Emmy® Awards and Creative Arts Emmy® Awards Nominees] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090307022226/http://www.emmys.org/awards/2007pt/59thnominations.php|date=March 7, 2009}} Retrieved September 16, 2007 It won the award for Outstanding Nonfiction Special.[http://www.emmys.com/sites/default/files/d6tv/CTA59themmywinners_0.pdf ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS AND SCIENCES 59TH ANNUAL PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222131222/http://www.emmys.com/sites/default/files/d6tv/CTA59themmywinners_0.pdf|date=February 22, 2014}} Retrieved September 16, 2007

{{reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080911001953/http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/ghostsofabughraib/index.html Filminfo by HBO] (at archive.org)
• [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0912585/ Filminfo by IMDB]

• {{official website|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190118160958/http://www.ghostsofabughraib.org/}}
• [https://archive.today/20130416042100/http://www.workingfilms.org/ghostsofabughraib Ghosts of Abu Ghraib] at [http://www.workingfilms.org Working Films]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080905071500/http://www.iraqmediaactionproject.org/v2/films/goab.html Ghosts of Abu Ghraib] at the [http://www.iraqmediaactionproject.org Iraq Media Action Project]
• [http://festival.sundance.org/filmguide/popup.aspx?film=4649 Profile], from the 2007 Sundance Film Festival
• [https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/ghosts-of-abu-ghraib Ghosts of Abu Ghraib] at HBO
• {{IMDb title|id=0912585|title=Ghosts of Abu Ghraib}}
• {{rotten-tomatoes|id=1175777_ghosts_of_abu_ghraib|title=Ghosts of Abu Ghraib}}
• [http://www.metacritic.com/tv/shows/ghostsofabughraib Ghosts of Abu Ghraib] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070921070159/http://www.metacritic.com/tv/shows/ghostsofabughraib |date=September 21, 2007 }} at Metacritic
• [https://www.motherjones.com/arts/film/2007/02/Chasing_Ghosts.html Mother Jones review of Ghosts of Abu Ghraib]

{{EmmyAward Documentary Special}}

Category:American documentary films

Category:Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse

Category:Documentary films about the Iraq War

Category:2007 documentary films

Category:Documentary films about torture

Category:2000s English-language films

Category:2000s American films

Category:English-language documentary films