Kathryn Bigelow defends "Zero Dark Thirty" torture scenes

Director/producer Kathryn Bigelow arrives at the premiere of "Zero Dark Thirty" held at the Dolby Theatre on Dec. 10, 2012, in Hollywood, Calif. / Getty

Director Kathryn Bigelow is defending the torture scenes in her Oscar-nominated film "Zero Dark Thirty," saying torture was an undeniable part of the hunt for Osama bin Laden after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

Bigelow also said critics should perhaps direct their anger at those who ordered U.S. torture policies instead.

In an essay published in the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday, Bigelow wrote, in part:

"First of all: I support every American's 1st Amendment right to create works of art and speak their conscience without government interference or harassment. As a lifelong pacifist, I support all protests against the use of torture, and, quite simply, inhumane treatment of any kind.

But I do wonder if some of the sentiments alternately expressed about the film might be more appropriately directed at those who instituted and ordered these U.S. policies, as opposed to a motion picture that brings the story to the screen.

Those of us who work in the arts know that depiction is not endorsement. If it was, no artist would be able to paint inhumane practices, no author could write about them, and no filmmaker could delve into the thorny subjects of our time.

This is an important principle to stand up for, and it bears repeating. For confusing depiction with endorsement is the first step toward chilling any American artist's ability and right to shine a light on dark deeds, especially when those deeds are cloaked in layers of secrecy and government obfuscation."

"Zero Dark Thirty" opens by declaring it is based on firsthand accounts of actual events.

But Sen. Dianne Feinstein and other lawmakers have criticized the film as misleading for suggesting that torture led to bin Laden's location. Lawmakers asked Sony Pictures to attach a disclaimer that the film is fictional.

"Experts disagree sharply on the facts and particulars of the intelligence hunt, and doubtlessly that debate will continue," Bigelow wrote in the Times.

The comments were the director's most explicit reaction to the controversy so far.

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Director talks "Zero Dark Thirty," OBL raid

"As for what I personally believe, which has been the subject of inquiries, accusations and speculation, I think Osama bin Laden was found due to ingenious detective work," she continued. "Torture was, however, as we all know, employed in the early years of the hunt. That doesn't mean it was the key to finding bin Laden. It means it is a part of the story we couldn't ignore."

She added, "War, obviously, isn't pretty, and we were not interested in portraying this military action as free of moral consequences."

Last week, Sony Pictures co-chair Amy Pascal responded forcefully to a "Zero Dark Thirty" anti-Oscar campaign waged by Ed Asner and other Hollywood actors, saying "to punish an artist's right of expression is abhorrent."

Bigelow and "Zero Dark Thirty" screenwriter Mark Boal had said previously that they "depicted a variety of controversial practices and intelligence methods that were used in the name of finding bin Laden.

"The film shows that no single method was necessarily responsible for solving the manhunt, nor can any single scene taken in isolation fairly capture the totality of efforts the film dramatizes," they said.

"Zero Dark Thirty" opened in wide release last weekend, coming in first place at the box office with $24 million. The film received five Academy Awards nominations, for best picture, best actress Jessica Chastain, screenwriter Mark Boal, film editing and sound editing. Bigelow was not nominated in the directing category.

[Jesus_to_ground_control]

Where is Ben Laden!

The following motion picture is based on fiction, although the CIA blunders are true!

[mjlewis6]

You have a pool of individuals who did suffer water torture: Korean War POW's. North Korea was not a signator to the Geneva Convention, but practiced what it wished. The US, however, is a signator, and insofar as Mr. Cheney, private citizen, now defends his policy of torture, is completely liable for his conduct and defense of water torture as used. He even claims credit for developing initial intelligence. The sheik to his credit of resistance withstood quite a bit of water torture...something like 80 times...there was no cooperation when that nasty stuff started.
Go read about it and wonder what Dick Cheney is talking about.

Please read the Geneva Convention on treatment of POWs and civilians in and from a war zone. There is no excuse for what has happened to people, PEOPLE, from Afghanistan and Iraq in US custody and sponsored custody for interrogation in other jurisdictions.

If water torture was legal, US CITIZENS would be receiving that kind of treatment at the hands of police and investigators. Thankfully, the Miranda case of the SCOTUS prevents the kinds of abuses of police interrogations that make for illegal confessions. Go read Miranda and then descriptions of what went on at Guantanamo.

Should be clear There was a reason the IRC, International Red Cross, was kept out of Guantanamo for YEARS. That alone was sufficient cause for violation of the Geneva Convensions and for prosecution of US officials.

As long as the US ignores this moral dilemma of the WAR on TERRORISM as rationale for abandoning the rule of law and NOT PROSECUTING war criminals, we shall have ambiguity in further conflict that will arise given we have so many neocons in our political system and military.

[3march]

The director is being disingenuous by claiming that torture is only being depicted. The inescapable conclusion from the torture scene is that information was obtained that led to locating bin Laden.

[KansasCity-2012]

I saw the film. I cringed during the torture scenes. I deplored the acts of torture when I learned about them 5 years ago and participated in the debates. Nothing could change what happened. President Obama has come out and spoke of his intolerance to torture.

My opinion of the film and the director are very high. I don't fear that we will see a return to torture or enhanced interrogations.

What I liked about the film was that the CIA Agent called Maya played by Jessica Chastain produced the intelligence through a brilliant series of analysis and reality test questions derived from the environment of the actual events, rather than from the environment of the USA. She focused from the opponent's perspective, rather than ours.

VP Cheney was extremely stubborn when he defended the decisions to legalize torture during wartime and ignore international treaties about handling Prisoners of War, by calling them belligerents and members of a non-nation. It was dehumanizing and most agree that no VP has the right to deligitimize the sovereignty of an existing nation, just because you are at war with them and desire a loophole to legalize and pursue torturing their citizens. Cheney and Rumsfeld will NEVER be forgiven.

Kathryn Bigelow is a great patriot and highly respected producer and director.

[DOGGYPANTS]

I do not feel that water boarding is torture. I haven't seen the movie.

But I feel that partial birth abortion is torture and murder, and that those responsible should be prosecuted.

I would think that the Obama Admn would be speaking out if they are against what happened.

[jgisme]

I went to see this movie. It's great!, and really, the "torture" scenes depicted are not torture. Not the way it was practiced by the Nazi's, by the Japanese, or by hundred's of nations over the past three or four thousand years.

This idea that tossing water on someone is torture -- well, talk to a survivor of 9/11, or maybe a surviving family member.

My opinion: The CIA delivered. And isn't that what we pay them for?, we pay taxes for a reason, and we expect to be defended and protected. Well, the CIA is composed of American's who are doing the best they can in a harsh world.

The amazing thing is that the captured terrorists talked. They must have been weak, because no, they weren't tortured.

[judymar14]

JGISME

I agree with you completely. And though I don't care to see movies with violent scenes, I will see this one.

[bobnjersey]

[This idea that tossing water on someone is torture -- well, talk to a survivor of 9/11, ...]
------------------------------------------
that's all it took to get them to talk ... tossing some water on them?

maybe your opinion would be different if you experienced it yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LPubUCJv58

[JM68]

you don't have to see it. It is doing well enough without your support.

[w_roos]

She can say what she wants about the torture scenes, but I ain't gonna go see it. Good luck.