In Search of International Justice 2006
Distributed by Bullfrog Films, PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547; 800-543-FROG (3764)
Produced by Judy Films
Directed by Judy Jackson
DVD, color, 66 min.
Sr. High - Adult
African Studies, Anthropology, Canadian Studies, Ethics, European Studies, History, Holocaust/Genocide Studies, Human Rights, International Relations, Law, Middle Eastern Studies, Political Science, Sociology
Date Entered: 12/12/2006
Reviewed by Douglas Reed, Department of Political Science, Ouachita Baptist University, Arkadelphia, ARIn Search of International Justice makes a compelling case for the International Criminal Court, a tribunal founded in 2002 to prosecute the most heinous acts against humanity.
Independent filmmaker Judy Jackson reminds viewers of the failure at Nuremberg to deliver on its “never again” promise. She then builds a case for the ICC through the eyes of those ravaged by war in three regions – the Balkans, Central Africa, and the Middle East. Eye witness accounts and gripping archival footage clearly illustrate why the international community must respond to those who suffer at the hands of tyrannical leadership.
The film captures the pervasive problem of human rights violations. It shows that the creation of the ICC is part of a broader international effort in this arena. Earlier, the United Nations created criminal tribunals to address genocide in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. The weaknesses of these tribunals provided the foundation for the creation of the ICC. The film also underscores the United States’ failure to support and join the ICC. However, no credible U.S. administrative spokesperson is interviewed in the film. Nevertheless, the consequences of not joining the ICC are most apparent in the case of Sudan and its ongoing turmoil in Darfur.
Highly recommended for law, political science, and contemporary issues courses.