Today I saw Desert One, a documentary about the Iran hostage crisis in 1979-80. It was a piece of history I sorta remember: I was a student living in residence and watched the news sporadically, but we all knew about the Shah and the Ayatollah and the hostages. I learned a lot about the disastrous secret attempt to rescue the hostages; the eight people who were killed; the burned helicopters in the desert, which are still there and where an anniversary celebration occurs every year.
This movie features interviews with so many key players: to start at the top, President Carter and Vice-President Mondale! There are also several hostages, pilots and special operations members and their families, hostage-takers and an Iranian who translated for them.
When the Americans flew in to the Iranian desert on their secret mission, they didn't expect to meet anyone, and certainly not a bus full of a family party! There was even an interview in the film with a man who was an 11-year-old boy on that bus. He said he was terrified, but when they were finally able to drive away, he couldn't wait to tell his friends at school.
I do love a good Q&A after a film! I always try to take a picture, but it is always too dark and I am too far away.
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| The guy with the mic is Kevin Hermening, one of the hostages; the woman in black to his right is director Barbara Kopple |
We were very lucky to have Kevin Hermening in the theatre. He was only 20 when he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and became a hostage. He is very well-spoken and thoughtful -- I guess after almost 40 years he has done a lot of thinking.
This was only the second screening of the film, but I'm sure it will get snapped up for distribution and be widely available soon. A pretty amazing story, all around. Highly recommended.
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