Cinematical

Meeting Resistance is not the end-all, be-all of Iraq War documentaries, nor does it pretend to be. Filmmakers Steve Connors and Molly Bingham stay tightly focused on their subjects -- members of the resistance movement in Iraq -- and get them to open up about their motivations. In doing so, they provide an invaluable window into a world that remains unknown to most foreigners.

The filmmakers don't put literal faces to the resistance; the interviewees are presented out of focus or otherwise hidden. Their words create indelible images, though. Identified by descriptors such as "The Teacher," "The Warrior" and "The Traveler," they spin tales of furious vengeance and quiet resolve, dogged determination and fierce betrayal. It's not easy to keep track of these elusive figures; while their anonymity is understandable, it's difficult to keep each one's background and perspective straight without notes. Yet they appear to be a representative cross-section, coming to the movement from a variety of backgrounds and ages. They don't all agree as to the most effective methods of resistance, but they share a fervent desire to repel what they view as the occupation of their country.

The documentary begins shortly after the war itself began. Connors and Bingham were in Iraq at the time, working as freelance photographers. They heard about resistance fighters and decided to investigate. Their investigation led them to the Adhamiya neighborhood of Baghdad, and they started talking to people. The interview subjects speak at length about their personal experiences, religious beliefs and political orientations. As they talk, a compelling portrait emerges of a nation under siege.

The testimony of the resistance fighters is sometimes chilling. One man says that he cannot wait for the Americans to increase their presence so they can be sent back in coffins. More often, though, it's sobering to consider that such a disparate group of people in a far away land have the same deep-seated resentment toward foreign invaders as your friends and neighbors.

The man identified as "The Teacher" was the filmmakers' first contact with resistance fighters. "The Warrior" relates how he was viciously tortured by his own people -- "I think I was the the most tortured man in Iraq" -- for having the audacity to survive a suicide mission. "The Imam" believes in Jihad against the occupation; he does not want to see Sunni pitted against Shi'a because that would mean half his family would be destroyed.

"The Wife" worries about being raped and knows that both her husband and son face either martyrdom or prison for their activities. "The Syrian" is a young man who had to make repeated efforts to gain the blessing of his family -- 'They cheered me on the outside but inside they were weeping' -- and his Imam. "The Local" hated Saddam Hussein and his Ba'ath Party with a passion but felt obliged to resist the coalition forces. "The Professor" studies violent conflicts from a historical perspective and is convinced that Iraqis will never stop resisting the occupation.

Historical mileposts during the ten months that the British Connors and the American Bingham spent on the project are briefly noted, providing needed context. Three years on, it would be well-nigh impossible for any foreign journalist to gain the confidence of the variety of resistance fighters captured in their footage.

The filmmakers move fluidly between a succession of quiet talking figures and b-roll footage of neighborhood scenes: teahouses, market places, residences, troops and tanks. Without lingering on it, they also include jarring material of dead and mangled bodies, as well as better-known, still-disturbing visuals from Fallujah and Abu Ghraib.

Does the world need another Iraq War documentary? Pundits have weighed in and told us that Americans are putting their heads in the sand and avoiding such films like the Plague. Personally, I think that's garbage. It's not as though millions of people had a change of heart and suddenly disengaged their interest in what's happening in Iraq. More likely, as far as films are concerned, people are interested in hearing or seeing something different rather than listening to another sermon on what they're supposed to think or feel. My feeling is, "Give me something different, something I haven't heard before, and let me make up my own mind."

Meeting Resistance doesn't preach. It assumes that you're familiar with the basics of the situation and want to know more. It assumes that you've heard the official government explanation for the increasing violence in Iraq. By sticking rigorously to the idea of presenting the viewpoints of resistance fighters in their own words, and allowing viewers to draw their own conclusions, Meeting Resistance proves to be one of the most eye-opening films on the war.

The film had its World Premiere at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham, North Carolina in April of this year and has already played a number of festivals and theatrical engagements. More screenings are lined up through January 2008; check the film's official site for dates and locations.