Col. Morris "Moe" Davis, former Guantanamo Chief Prosecutor says: "I am often asked why I resigned as chief prosecutor for the military commissions at Guantanamo Bay after serving in the job for more than two years. From now on I’m going to tell people to go see “The Response” and then we’ll talk . . . . (READ MORE)"
Based on the actual transcripts
of the Guantanamo Military Tribunals
(aka the Combatant Status Review
Tribunals or CSRTs)
"A brilliant production" - NPR/PRI
"A tight, tense recreation" - The Washington Post
"This movie has achieved in 30 minutes
what I have attempted to achieve over the
last seven years" - Dahlia Lithwick, Slate & Newsweek
THE RESPONSE
. . . is a courtroom drama based on the actual transcripts of the Guantanamo Bay military tribunals [officially known as Combatant Status Review Tribunals, or CSRTs]. In the film, three military officers must decide the fate of a suspected enemy combatant. Is he guilty of providing material support to Al Qaeda and responsible for the deaths of several American soldiers? Or is he an innocent victim of circumstances as he claims?
While the officers see the classified evidence, the detainee does not. While the officers know who has accused the detainee, the detainee does not. In response, the government counters that to release such classified information could assist the terrorists and undermine U.S. national security.
For the first time ever, THE RESPONSE holds a mirror up to the tribunals and allows an audience to see and hear for themselves what went on inside Guantanamo. While the three officers and the detainee are fictionalized composite characters, the dramatic situation of the legal process is fully accurate.
Current and former members of the military (including members of the Judge Advocates General (JAG) Corps) agree that "The Response" makes you feel up close and personal the devastating consequences for a detainee . . . . (See more comments about "The Response" from experts in the military, legal, and rights communities.)
The film places the audience inside the tribunal process where they, along with the military tribunal, must decide whether the evidence presented is credible and if the detainee is, indeed, an enemy combatant.
"The Response" was completed and released in 2009.
Home Screenings of "The Response" Sponsored by Amnesty International
During the month of June, 2010, Amnesty International coordinated a campaign of screenings of "The Response" in homes across the United States. See the full description of the Amnesty International "Counter Terror With Justice" campaign of home screenings of "The Response" for details.
"The Response" Screened for Members of Congress
"The Response" was screened for members of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on June 30, 2010. An afternoon screening for members on Capitol Hill was followed by an evening screening at George Washington University, and both screenings featured discussion panels. See the full event description of the Congressional and GWU screenings of "The Response" for details.
Educational Package from Street Law
Teachers can now use a specially-developed educational package featuring "The Response" created by Street Law -- a national and international leader in teaching about law, democracy, and human rights.
