March 2008 Archives

We're thrilled to report that FBR will have its theatrical debut at New York's Film Forum, opening on July 9, 2008. We'll be posting more details soon.

Spout has posted a short interview that we taped after Sunday's American Premiere in Austin. Here's a chance to hear one of our main subjects, Col. Robert McLaughlin, talk about the film.

John Davidson of the Austin Chronicle has a short, perceptive write-up on FBR, noting:

the ability of the filmmakers to imagine more than one point of view, allowing their narrative to dictate the film's politics.

what emerges is not so much a simulated theatre of war as "one big reality TV show" - and in turn, a multi-layered allegory for the current situation in Iraq.

Monki at Aint It Cool News has a nice write-up about FBR, calling it an "excellent" film and a "documentary in the purest sense of the word." And Kevin Buist at Spout says:

The film works on many levels, but its most shining success is showing the war, and rampant militarization in general, as an extremely complicated matter, one that cannot be boiled down to sound-bites and absolutes.

By looking at a simulation of the violence and political strife, directors Tony Gerber and Jesse Moss are able to engage subjects that would otherwise be too politically divisive to find an audience on both sides of the political divide. The film is a surprising mix of what could be read as surreal and biting commentary on the American war machine on the one hand, and a loving portrait of honorable soldiers on the other.

Full Battle Rattle took home the Special Jury Award at SXSW Tuesday night. After two amazing screenings, passionate discussion and a healthy intake of BBQ we're back in NYC and looking towards upcoming screenings at Full Frame and Hot Docs. If you're still in Austin, you can check out FBR at the Alamo Ritz at 8 PM on Friday night. Stay tuned here for SXSW reviews as they come in.

John DeFore discusses FBR and other political docs at SXSW in today's Austin American Statesman. He has some interesting observations about the film and sees - in one aspect of the Army's Iraq simulation - " a problematic parallel to the way the Iraq war has developed."