Santa Barbara Festival: Two Films, One War, Two Perspectives

Iraqi War Filmmakers Rex Pratt and Mark Manning

Two films on the Iraq War made their world premieres at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival at the Center Stage Theater in downtown on Saturday. “Caught in the Crossfire: The Untold Story of Falluja” and “Between Iraq and a Hard Place” were shown back to back.

“Crossfire”, which is written, produced, and directed by Santa Barbara filmmaker Mark Manning, tells of his own journey to one of the Iraq War’s most dangerous areas. Manning, who was an un-embedded journalist, lived in a refugee camp during his stay there.

“I had met some Iraqis when I was in Jordan filming another movie,” Manning said. “It so happened, they lived in Falluja. I make arrangements to go back with him to shoot some film. I expected to see some incredible things. What I got was an unforgettable experience.”

The film recounts the plight of the residents of one of the most battle ravaged cities of the war. Camera scenes include fighting, and wounded children. The most telling scene was the digging of one of nine mass graves around the city. All of this was done without the official knowledge of the United States and Iraqi governments.

“I was told by my friends that the scenes were so visually compelling, that I felt I had to go there,” Manning said.

His Iraqi friends, who will remain nameless to protect their identities was the key to his getting in and surviving in a place where fear existed “24 hours a day.”

“I told my friends that I wouldn’t go unless I was sure that I could completely trust the people I was with,” Manning said. “The crew and my translator were vital in getting me where I wanted to go and back in one piece.”

Since the film was finished, several politicians, including U.S. Congress members Henry Waxman and Maxine Waters, both Democrats from California.

While the sights of Falluja will awe the viewer in “Caught”, the sounds of “Between Iraq and a The story focuses mainly on a Marine corporal by the name of Ronald R. Ringo. Interviews with team members, his Marine chaplain father, and even psychologists, are interspersed around this story.

Hard Place” will elicit possibly different feelings. The haunting sounds of battle were recorded by the 24^th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

The battle scenes are far too real to want to get any closer. The scared screaming of men while they wait out a shelling, their pleas to stop the madness falling on deaf ears, can be a bit much for the faint of heart.

What this writer found interesting, is the converse of emotions during the aftermath of a harrowing escape. After Ringo’s humvee pitched in the dirt due to several IED’s (Improvised Explosive Devices), he was exultant because they survived the ordeal

“This is by far the coolest thing to happen to me!” Ringo shouted. “We are the coolest Ever!”

The contradictions of the troops bravado in the field, paired with their thoughtfulness and realization of mortality once they are away, is striking. The film is directed by Rex Pratt.