“The Mauritanian”: Film Tells Story of Innocent Man Held at Guantánamo for 14 Years Without Charge

A new feature film, “The Mauritanian,” tells the story of Mohamedou Ould Slahi, a Mauritanian man who was held without charge for 14 years at the U.S. military prison at Guantánamo and repeatedly tortured. We speak with Mohamedou Ould Slahi, who says the film is not just about his struggle. “This is not my movie. This is the movie of so many people,” he says. “Some of the people who were kidnapped after 9/11 were tortured to death. They did not have a chance to tell their story.” We also speak with Kevin Macdonald, director of “The Mauritanian”; Nancy Hollander, the lead lawyer for Mohamedou Ould Slahi; and actor Tahar Rahim, whose portrayal of Slahi earned him a Golden Globe nomination.
#DemocracyNow
Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs on nearly 1,400 TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch our livestream 8-9AM ET: democracynow.org
Please consider supporting independent media by making a donation to Democracy Now! today: democracynow.org/donate
FOLLOW DEMOCRACY NOW! ONLINE:
KZbin: / democracynow
Facebook: / democracynow
Twitter: / democracynow
Instagram: / democracynow
SoundCloud: / democracynow
iTunes: itunes.apple.com/podcast/demo...
Daily Email Digest: democracynow.org/subscribe

[@acebaker3623]

The power of forgiveness. A remarkable man. Thank you Amy.

[@thedavischanger]

Mohamedou's positive attitude is remarkable.

[@user-qn6yt3zx3w]

@@thedavischanger and also understandable/predictable. When you break someone down, through torture, incarceration and stripping them of their most basic human rights. It’s not uncommon for them to find another form of liberation. The liberation of the soul from hate, retribution, anger and ‘the other’.

[@thedavischanger]

@@user-qn6yt3zx3w I'm no student of psychology or torture, but his attitude strikes me as counterintuitive. I would expect someone subjected to isolation and abuse to be soft-spoken and defeated, not soft-spoken and optimistic. I wonder which is more common.

[@josephference6056]

i want to thank Democracy Now for what they do.

[@evangelineisolde]

Me as well. The things people go through. You don’t know someone’s story until you walk their journey. Empathy is needed but we live in a sinful world. Only God, only God can make all this right. I’m tired of suffering and the need for people to suffer.

[@ianaryan233]

I guess Im kinda randomly asking but does anybody know of a good site to stream newly released series online?

[@desertboy798]

Thank you democracy now from this Mauritanian ❤️

[@yarajamal1782]

Wow! Thanks! May God bless him and all of you!🙏

[@nettycharice6254]

Thank you democracy now 4 everything you do 👍🙏❤️

[@vthilton]

Sharing, Justice and Peace for All.

[@RobinHerzig]

So moving, so many emotions... We have to never stop trying to make the world a better, more sane and humane place in any way that we can. Never give up. Keep fighting the good fight.

[@PapiElric]

Thank you from France.

[@Bracero1990]

Justice for the People Everywhere beging by abolishing prisons and private prisons including military imprisonment

[@melomooooon]

Thank you democracy now and Emy

[@AudioPervert1]

Banality of Evil By Hannah Arendt. Repeats itself every day, every night, in Guantanamo. Without the extra effects and cool music off course...

[@dianesimpson5887]

Outstanding display of respect for nott only the character work but the incredibly gruelling ordeal which frames his story. I will watch this movie and of course I am propelled to get more insight into the horror of Guatemala...secrets.

[@jensonee]

the empire never stops causing pain. which means the empire must end. rivers of blood flows all around the world caused by the greed of the united states/corporate empire.

[@platosbeard4449]

Don’t forget to include the UK. A very important arm of the Empire.

[@johnpeterson8427]

Will this be nc-17 or R? I imagine it could get pretty gruesome at guantanimo.

[@johnniewalker7628]

Flip, these are the same people getting Nobel Peace prize and scream human rights on top of their lungs.

[@jminormedia1025]

Democracy Now Is The BEST!!!👍🏽

[@normanswindon518]

Wow this film looks amazing

[@deejaysexay]

Is it weird that I was kinda shocked to see what the guy actually looks like after seeing the actor playing him?! lol

[@emobloomer]

Yeah make a progressive film and whitewash the actors lol

[@Fafnd]

Yeah, I mean there are no POC actors that could have played him? I like Tahar Rahim but damn dude didn't anyone learn from Black Panther?

[@Dasstik]

You guys are ignorant. Tahir Rahim is of North African descent; Mohamedou Slahi is of Western African descent. How is this racist? They’re both from the same continent... you guys are only judging based off the color of their skins while being completely oblivious of their countries of origin. The old adage is true here: “Best be thought a fool and remain silent than open your mouth and remove all doubt...”

[@emobloomer]

@@Dasstik appreciate your perspective, being from the US can cloud my understanding.

[@lf1496]

@@Fafnd Dude he's a completely different race than the actor, that's not PC it's just a fact. Being Islamic or North African does not mean you're ONE race. The real man is a West African Berber and this actor is like an Algerian, of Mediterranean descendant like a Spaniard type. That's like doing a movie about me a black Puerto Rican Cuban and casting Jennifer Lopez😂 it's stupid casting

[@gradualuprisintheory]

1 person in power who makes a just and moral choice can save another. Those in power who run this country lack moral. May their conscious catch up to them quickly that they may save more lives rather than continue to torture and kill.

[@williamjohnson5440]

"Now streaming online..." somewhere...?

[@Rawarart]

This guy he is a big man with a big hearth, damn idk if i was him.

[@flyingsnow311]

Just would likes to know how many people have been tortured to death, we never heard of?? Guantanamo isn't the only prison which operates out or above any law by americans. In Poland in Hugary Philippines are simmilar facillities most People are not aware of. Most likely in much more countries the US operates such prisons like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Afganistan, etc etc.

[@careyostrer6193]

Guantanamo Diaries by Mohamedou Ould Slahi is incredible, redactions and all. Highly recommended

[@amanibh4025]

Best movie in 2021 ever .

[@bhunji1850]

Never forget: The US is sanctioning Russia because the US deeply cares about human rights. ;)

[@tabularasa8769]

Humans right are respected in Russia, what about USA or France nowadays ? Sad but true !

[@christiancampa5244]

@@tabularasa8769 What about homosexuals?

[@Orto-jj2di]

@Christian Campa putin uses that anti homo as war reason. Still russia is bad sure but America has no right to calk itself a perfect democratic country. It has potential to be but that's not reality.

[@paulettemaximun2505]

Jodie Foster is a gem🌴💎💎💎

[@lansanakoroma2398]

Some human beings life so strong under a country that one will hold them responsible

[@mitchellkrouth5083]

You are correct Amy what could possibly go wrong with the vessel full of venom made in USA.

[@Orto-jj2di]

At least america allowed this film out now, hopefully it saw that people SHOULD know

[@ariturbo4094]

Thats jodie foster? What the heck happen to her?

[@birgitmitchell5648]

Mohamedou Ould Salahi pronounced Moe ham due AAhh Saw lah he ----- please Dear Amy whom I love and watch nearly daily , try to get a better pronunciation of this gentleman's name, its the least we can do for him.

[@francheskavega7251]

Mohamadou is a beautiful human being,what was done to him is just pure evil

[@clownpenisfart]

I am glad ASMR is getting a major motion picture.

[@borountree4539]

I would love to watch this movie but they want $20 to stream it. 20 dollars!!! For one person to watch one movie!!! We are in a pandemic lock in our homes, some of us ALONE, with barely enough money to get by. WT actual F!!!

[@borountree4539]

@@Dnd884 For some of us Amazon prime is a luxury we can't afford.

[@tabularasa8769]

Streamio That's your solution. Thanks me later

[@countercamera]

You need "appeal" and entertainment value in other words to bother to tell a story like this?

[@countercamera]

"sensitivities a little blunted" = helps to entertain people?

[@anopinion3469]

it was evil what they did to the innocents thrown in there for no good reason

[@burjydarsalaylove4144]

I'm searching for an answer, and sorry this is off topic. As I understand we can end this pandemic in the foreseeable future if the technology in making; let's say the Pfizer vaccine become "open source" "public domain" and all labs capable start producing it. What is it that I don't understand here?

[@scientifico]

I imagine how the film would have hit if they had cast closer to Mohamedou's actual ethnicity rather than the anglicized, cleaned up actor they got. I think feelings would be quite a bit stronger.

[@desertboy798]

As a Mauritanian I agree with you, maybe because I’ve read his book and the actor Arabic/accent didn’t convince me

[@pipopipo6477]

He is a French actor with Arab roots (from Algeria)...

[@thephanphanlawoffice5548]

Shailene Woodley

[@chedangchannel7408]

Allahuakbar Allahuakbar Allahuakbar

[@neliasnaturals9849]

how did he become a white man in the film?

[@desertboy798]

The actor is not white he’s Algerian which is in North African in case you didn’t know

[@neliasnaturals9849]

In Case you didn’t know there are many white people in Africa, Algeria included. He Maybe African in terms of his nationality but his physical appearance is that of a white man and I think they could’ve found a darker skin Mauritanian or black Mauritanian or even a black Algerian to play the role. I’m not the only person to ask this question if you look down and read through the comments. But it is just so typical of how the media white washes everything and everyone.

[@desertboy798]

@@neliasnaturals9849 I get your point but Tahar is not white I can assure you he’s brown African

[@lf1496]

@@desertboy798 he doesn't look like the real guy, funny how the picked a whiter skinned actor to portray him in the film, typical🙄

[@user-kq8uv1ll6c]

@@neliasnaturals9849 The Mauritanian, Muhammadu Slahi, is a white man, so they chose a white man to embody his personality Thats all about it

[@dejayrezme8617]

They turned it into a hollywood movie... I hate these biopics :( The poor innocent outsider, the white savior and the reluctant hero. All so dramatic and heroic.

[@mustafabinsober1248]

President Obama would never allow it

[@tabularasa8769]

Hahaha you are quite a dummy ! He did allow it and did nothing against it, just lied to your face and you believed him, he is a killer just like Bush, he killed alot with drones get over it, you just got used like a toy.

[@valeriehaider3273]

United States of America/ GEORGE BUSH!! YES! YES! YES!!!