Political assassinations have long changed the course of world history. This collection of acclaimed documentaries looks at the best known assassinations in the region and provides little know facts and insight to help better understand the geo-political situations that led to their untimely deaths. Witness interviews, re-enactments and, in many cases, voices from the grave, help bring to light the reasons why these outspoken leaders risked their lives in the face of such extreme opposition. Collection includes: Robert F. Kennedy, The End Of An American Dream A film by Yoash TATARI It was June 1968 and senator Bobby Kennedy was running for President of the United States. The people adored him, but the political establishment and big business saw him as a threat. He had championed the poor and exploited, and wanted America out of the Vietnam War: so he had made many enemies, among them the Mafia and CIA. As he was celebrating victory in the California Presidential Primary in Los Angeles, he stopped by the kitchens of the Ambassador Hotel to thank the staff. That is where and Arab immigrant, Sirhan Sirhan, shot him down.
Martin Luther King, Death In Memphis A film by Thomas GIEFER In April 1968, Martin Luther King was at the height of his popularity. He had mobilized the back masses of America against the apartheid and won Civil Rights concessions which made Blacks and Whites equal in the eyes of the Law. With the assassination of President Kennedy, King lost a vital ally and by taking a stand against America's intervention in Vietnam, he finally lost all sympathy at the White House, turning Kennedy's successor, Lyndon B. Johnson into an enemy. On the afternoon of April 4th 1968, at his Memphis hotel, the crossed sights of a sharpshooter were centered on his head. He was assassinated with a perfect shot. The search immediately centered on James Earl Ray, an escaped prisoner convicted for armed robbery. But there are many that insist Ray was just the fall-guy.
Malcolm X And The Birth Of Afro-Americanism A film by Emmanuel TRONQUART and Michel NOLL In the opinion of some, his name still stands for violent black activism, his anti-white acid and incendiary speeches are still quoted by advocates of violence. But for most, his name has become the symbol for peaceful means to resolve racial issues, in particular for in this period of "shock of civilizations". He now represents the fraternity of all people regardless of their race, religion or belief. As in the case of Martin Luther King and of Gandhi, Malcolm X will remain in the pantheon of the civil rights movement. And like them, he will be assassinated. On the 21st of February 1965, whilst he delivers a speech in New York to mark the opening of the "National Week of Fraternity", he is shot dead in the presence of his wife and children. Malcolm X had only just turned 39. The assassins are defenders of the "Nation of Islam," but who the commissioners were, has never been established. This documentary reconstitutes the murder and looks at the serious leads casting light on his assassination. It is also the occasion to discover the key stages of the life of the fighter for the cause of the Black, and later of all oppressed people, irrespective of race and religion. It will reveal some of the important contradictions of this outstanding personality. |