AREA 51: I Was There(2011)

American Coup(en)

AMERICAN COUP tells the story of the first coup ever carried out by the CIA - Iran, 1953. Explores the blowback from this seminal event, as well as the coup's lingering effects on the present US-Iranian relationship. Includes a segment on the 1979 Iranian Hostage Crisis and its relation to the 1953 coup. Concludes with a section on the recent Iranian presidential election. Contains interviews with noted Middle East experts and historians and prominent public figures such as Stephen Kinzer (author, All The Shah's Men), Prof. Ervand Abrahamian, Trita Parsi, Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, Ted Koppel and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. With Iranian cinematography by James Longley.

Red King, White Knight(en)

The CIA hears of a KGB scheme to assassinate the Soviet General Secretary and enlists Stoner, an agent retired for 10 years, to go to Russia to investigate. He verifies the plot, but then has trouble leaving the country. In the meantime, the U.S. policy makers struggle over whether or not to inform the Soviets of the plot. Stoner's problems are complicated by the renewal of an affair with Anna, a Russian, as he tries to convince her to defect.

Doctors of the Dark Side(en)

Doctors of the Dark Side is the first feature length documentary about the pivotal role of physicians and psychologists in detainee torture. The stories of four detainees and the doctors involved in their abuse demonstrate how US Army and CIA doctors implemented the Enhanced Interrogation Techniques and covered up signs of torture at Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib. Interviews with medical, legal and intelligence experts and evidence from declassified government memos document what has been called the greatest scandal in American medical ethics. Based on four years of research by Producer/Director Martha Davis, written by Oscar winning Mark Jonathan Harris, and filmed in HD by Emmy winning DP Lisa Rinzler, the film shows how the torture of detainees could not continue without the assistance of the doctors.

Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat(fr)

Jazz and decolonization are intertwined in a powerful narrative that recounts one of the tensest episodes of the Cold War. In 1960, the UN became the stage for a political earthquake as the struggle for independence in the Congo put the world on high alert. The newly independent nation faced its first coup d'état, orchestrated by Western forces and Belgium, which were reluctant to relinquish control over their resource-rich former colony. The US tried to divert attention by sending jazz ambassador Louis Armstrong to the African continent. In 1961, Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba was brutally assassinated, silencing a key voice in the fight against colonialism; his death was facilitated by Belgian and CIA operatives. Musicians Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach took action, denouncing imperialism and structural racism. Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev intensified his criticism of the US, highlighting the racial barriers that characterized American society.

The Empire Strikes Door(en)

A thrilling comedic documentary attempting to uncover the mystery of who is responsible for one of the most infamous bloopers in cinematic history.

Crossword Mysteries: Proposing Murder(en)

When an old friend of New York Sentinel Crosswords editor Tess Harper is found murdered on the very day her puzzle includes his proposal of marriage, Tess unofficially teams up with Detective Logan O’Connor to find the killer.

The Lorelei(en)

A lonely schoolteacher has a strange experience on her walking holiday. It haunts her and threatens to wreck her growing romance with a colleague.

Led Zeppelin Played Here(en)

1969. Man lands on the moon. Half a million strong at Woodstock....and Led Zeppelin perform in the gym of the Wheaton Youth Center in front of 50 confused teenagers. Or did they? Filmmaker Jeff Krulik chronicles an enduring Maryland legend, of the very night this concert was alleged to have taken place, January 20, 1969, during the first Presidential Inauguration of Richard Nixon. Led Zeppelin Played Here presents a mid-Atlantic version of what was happening nationwide as the rock concert industry took shape. Featuring interviews with rock writers, musicians, and fans, and several who claim they were witnessing history that night.

Scooby-Doo! in Arabian Nights(en)

Scooby-Doo and Shaggy travel to Arabia to become the Caliph's Royal Food Tasters. But they bite off more than they can chew and are forced to run for their lives! It's a wild magic carpet ride as Scooby-Doo, Shaggy and their genie (Yogi Bear) and a jolly sailor named Sinbad (Magilla Gorilla) take you on an adventure of mistaken identities, exotic locations and fun-filled action and surprises!

Unacknowledged(en)

Dr. Steven Greer presents brand new top-secret evidence supporting extraterrestrial contact, including witness testimony, classified documents, and UFO footage, while also exploring the consequences of ruthlessly enforcing such secrecy.

MK-Ultra : la fin du silence(fr)

The Corpse Had a Familiar Face(en)

The Corpse had a Familiar Face is a 1994 American TV-Movie with Elizabeth Montgomery, playing Edna Buchanan, a Miami's criminal journalist.

The Forgotten War(en)

The Korean War saw three years of heavy combat take place on the small Korean peninsula, ending in a stalemate that remains contested to this day. This documentary tells the story of the Forgotten War from the point of view of the veterans that were sent to fight it.

Edgar Allan Poe: Buried Alive(en)

How the inventor of the detective story became his own greatest mystery.

The Secret of the Phaistos Code(en)

Is the Phaistos Disc a clever fake? The film follows the trail of possibly one of the greatest archaeological scandals ever. The search for the truth starts in the ancient Cretan palace complexes of Phaistos. In 1908, the “Phaistos Disc” was discovered by the Italian archaeologist Luigi Pernier. Since then, the disc has aroused scientific debates. Among other experts, art historian Jerome Eisenberg is convinced that the disc is a fake.

The Wednesday Woman(en)

Muriel Davidson, a successful mystery author in a vulnerable stage of her life, falls for a charismatic ex-con. As they begin to bond over their traumatic pasts, Muriel's life slowly begins to resemble one of her darker novels.

In the Company of Spies(en)

An operative for the CIA is captured and interrogated by Korean officials; his bosses, in order to protect national security, decide to bring an old operative out of retirement to retrieve both the agent and the vital information in his possession.

Chaos: The Manson Murders(en)

In August 1969, Charles Manson's followers killed seven people on his orders. Why? Explore a conspiracy of mind control, CIA experiments, and murder.

A Dangerous Defense(en)

Abby represents her estranged sister in a murder trial. Is her sister guilty or is there a killer on the loose?

Hellboy Animated: Sword of Storms(en)

A folklore professor becomes unwittingly possessed by the ancient Japanese demons of Thunder and Lightning. But when The Bureau of Paranormal Research & Defense dispatches a team of agents to investigate, a cursed samurai sword sends Hellboy to a supernatural dimension of ghosts, monsters, and feudal mayhem. Now while pyrokinetic Liz Sherman and fishboy Abe Sapien battle one very pissed-off dragon, a lost and cranky Hellboy must find his way home.