"Powerful testimonies! This certainly deserves to be seen by a broad audience." Howard Zinn

There are years that pass uneventfully, and then days that change the course of history. From September 2002 to May 2003, filmmakers Gabriele Zamparini and Lorenzo Meccoli met with intellectuals, journalists, university professors, writers, historians, political analysts, international observers, human rights organizations, civil rights workers, religious leaders, peace and anti-war activists, asking questions to understand the era in which we are living and to try to put together the many pieces of a complicated puzzle. The picture that comes alive is - to paraphrase James Baldwin - "longer, larger, more various, more beautiful, and more terrible than anything anyone has ever said about it".

"XXI CENTURY", a documentary film in seven parts, tries to give some perspective and context to the events that have transpired in the wake of the 2000 presidential elections and September 11th, 2001 and to show how they relate to decisions and transgressions of the past. It looks at problems from a new angle in the belief that, in Albert Einstein's words 'the mere formulation of a problem is far more often essential than its solution.'

With Leslie Cagan, Noam Chomsky, Ramsey Clark, Angela Davis, Curt Goering, Amy Goodman, Arno J. Mayer, Greg Palast, Katha Pollitt, Scott Ritter, Danny Schechter, Pete Seeger, Gore Vidal, Edmund White, Howard Zinn, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, with concerned citizens and celebrities speaking out at the massive demonstrations in New York and DC. Listening now to their viewpoints, expressed in the run up to the war, it's remarkable how prescient these experts and laypeople were.

The 7 parts of the series are:

the dawn (part I) A look at what really happened in the presidential elections of 2000.

...and the pursuit of happiness (part II) The aftermath of 9/11: the war on terror, the Patriot Act, the looming Iraq war and massive peace demonstrations.

...and nothing but the truth (part III) Looks at the failure of the mainstream media to ask important questions and cover opposing points of view.

war, peace and patriotism (part IV) Patriotism, the 'chicken-hawks' and weapons of mass destruction.

civilization (part V) Iraq's history -- from the 'cradle of civilization' to the first Gulf War and UN sanctions.

blood and oil (part VI) The stated reasons, and the real reasons, for the Iraq war.

pax americana (part VII) Spreading human rights and democracy...or empire?



Grade Level: 10-12, College, Adult
US Release Date: 2005     Copyright Date: 2003
DVD ISBN: 1-59458-256-4     VHS ISBN: 1-59458-255-6

Reviews "Powerful testimonies! This certainly deserves to be seen by a broad audience." Howard Zinn "An exceptionally well done panorama of significant political events surrounding September 11th, 2001 and the American Empire." Willliam Blum "Impassioned and confident... XXI Century is a skillfully assembled presentation of a point of view that, until recently, hasn't been widely aired. Recommended..." Video Librarian "I have found the entire XXI Century compilation an invaluable teaching aid. Too often students, understandably stressed with work and family demands, lack a sound background of people and events that shape their lives. A review of this video compilation in tandem with current events bolsters students critical thinking skills and, as I have witnessed, makes for lively classroom conversations." Daniel Skinner, Ph.D., Chair, Political Science, Bloomfield College "Highly revealing! A documentary which celebrates the peace movement while fueling your rage to danger levels." Red Pepper "Encourages viewers to take an active role in the peace process...[a] fascinating insight into the modern era." Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide, The New York Times "I just think it is phenomenal. [The filmmakers] have done something that is not only powerful and extraordinarily important politically but your documentary is also an impressive piece of filmmaking." Jenny McPhee, Writer, Italian Academy for Advanced Studies in America at Columbia University "XXI Century is a masterpiece of documentary filmmaking!" Indymedia Sheffield "Brilliant!" Dirk Adriaensens, President SOS Iraq "A series like XXI Century is essential in covering what the media doesn't." Claudia Leczynski, Founder and President 'ReAct', Truman College, City Colleges of Chicago