Cleveland International Film Festival } March 25 – April 5, 2020 } Tower City Cinemas

Silenced

Year: 2014
Country: USA
Run Time: 104 minutes

John Kiriakou is the only person currently in prison for the CIA’s illegal torture activities – and he didn’t torture anyone. Thomas Drake was an NSA agent who reported on the agency for illegally spying on American citizens. SILENCED is an alarming documentary that takes us behind the scenes to hear the story of how two men, heroic in their level of patriotism, became two of only 11 people ever charged under the archaic Espionage Act of 1917 (eight under the Obama administration). Proving that whistleblower protection laws are the very foundation of a free republic, this film makes the argument that since 9/11, there has been an ever-blurring line between what is right and what is treasonous. And now, in the wake of the recent release of the Senate Intelligence Committee report on the CIA’s Detention and Interrogation Program, that line has clearly been ignored under the auspices of protection. SILENCED takes an incendiary look at how the lives of two men were destroyed for trying to do the right thing and at the accountability advocate, Jesselyn Radack, who risked her own freedom to bring their cases to the public. SILENCED is another example of how the most patriotic thing an American can do is the right thing. And how doing the right thing can land you in prison. – T.W.

CIFF39 Screenings

Tower City Cinemas

Friday, March 27, 2015 at 9:05 PM

Saturday, March 28, 2015 at 11:30 AM

with FilmForum

Competition
Greg Gund Memorial Standing Up Competition

Director
James Spione

James Spione is a director and producer who graduated from the Film Directing program at SUNY Purchase. His short documentary, "Incident in New Baghdad," won several international film awards and was nominated for a 2011 Academy Award®.

Filmography
"American Farm" (2005), "Inauguration: Spirit of the Crowd" (2009), SILENCED (2014)

Producers
Daniel Chalfen, James Spione

Cinematography
John Molinelli

Editing
James Spione

Print Source

Naked Edge Films
daniel@nakededgefilms.com
nakededgefilms.com

This film is presented with the generous support of LYNN GOTTLOB.

Community Partner

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Silenced

CIFF39 Screenings