Independent Film News

Giuliani Doc Doesn't Play Nice

There's a lot of news lately about 9/11-related films. I recently recommended United 93, and it's been the subject of much debate recently. Now, a film is set for limited release that approaches the heroics of the day from a decidedly different angle. Kevin Keating's first documentary, Giuliani Time, doesn't highlight heroics at all, in fact.

The New York Times (free registration required) wrote up the movie yesterday, and it seems Keating's film paints a rather unsavory picture of the former mayor, one whom a country lauded in the days following September 11. The documentary started as a look at the man who made it his mission to make New York City livable again, at whatever cost; filming began back in 1999. After September 11, however, Keeting set out to expose the sometimes less-than-honorable side of Giuliani's campaign to rebuild.

From the article:

If the film does not take a wrecking ball to Mr. Giuliani's pedestal, it at least serves as a reminder of all the controversy, all the fighting and all the dirty laundry that defined him before the halo effect set in after the terrorist attacks. If nothing else, the filmmakers say they want to define his public image for voters and the news media before he can define himself as a possible presidential candidate...

It's true that anyone with a camera and slick editing software can create an impressive (and biased) documentary (see Michael Moore); what seems to set Keating's film apart are the issues that would likely come up anyways should Giuliani in fact campaign for the presidency. They'd come to light eventually. Keating's just doing us a favor.

The film is screening in NYC now and will release in LA, San Francisco and Seattle; it's distributed by Cinema Libre Studio.

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Tags: Giuliani Keating documentary september 11 New York City

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Posted by Lisa on April 13, 2006 09:15 AM
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