(USA/2007/directed by Nina Davenport)

In the wake of the Operation Iraqi Freedom, American actor-director Liev Schreiber had an idealistic notion: to rescue an Iraqi film student from the rubble of his country and bring him to the West as an intern on a Hollywood movie (Schreiber’s own Everything is Illuminated). What should have become a heartwarming tale – a small victory plucked from a nightmarish situation – quickly evolved into something quite different. As the war itself was already demonstrating, “good intentions” can yield startlingly unexpected consequences – not always for the better. This not-to-be-missed documentary features real-life appearances by Elijah Wood and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Special Jury Prize, Chicago International Film Festival. (92 min.)

“Not since Luis Buñuel have we had such a wonderful joke on do-gooder liberalism.”    Gerald Peary, The Boston Phoenix