"Gotovina" to trace the path of war crimes suspect
01/05/2007
A US-made documentary addresses the life and career of Ante Gotovina, the retired Croatian general who faces war crimes charges at The Hague.
By Natasa Radic for Southeast European Times in Zagreb -- 01/05/07
 The film will portray retired Croatian General Ante Gotovina's life. [Pirate Town Productions] |
The California-based film company Pirate Town Productions is preparing a documentary that will deal with the life and military career of retired Croatian Army Lieutenant General Ante Gotovina. The general, who is awaiting trial in The Hague, has been indicted for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during and after the 1995 Operation Storm.
The director of "Gotovina" is a San Pedro journalist of Croatian origin, Jack Baric. He decided to make the film because he considers Gotovina's biography -- which includes alleged robbery and extortion, work for French right-wing politician Jean-Marie Le Pen's security team, and a stint training Latin American paramilitary groups -- intriguing.
Baric and his partners have produced a number of documentaries that deal with mixed American communities. Film critics welcome their "melting pot" approach. Baric said "Gotovina" would be first presented at the Sundance Film Festival.
The film "traces the path of the war in the former Yugoslavia, from its start in July of 1991, to the Operation Storm offensive in August of 1995, with the intent of determining whether Croatian General Ante Gotovina is guilty of war crimes", according to the film company's website. "In addition, the film will explore the various policy initiatives of the UN, Britain and the United States to put Operation Storm into proper context within the war in Croatia and Bosnia."
The crew has filmed interviews in The Hague, Zagreb, Sarajevo, London, Paris and Belgrade. More than 20 high-ranking officials, NGO activists and war crimes experts have been interviewed so far. The crew also spent a few days in the Knin area, the region that was under Gotovina's command during Operation Storm. They have been talking to witnesses and refugees -- of both Croatian and Serbian ethnicity -- who have returned to their homes.
The 90-minute documentary will not only deal with Gotovina's return to Croatia during the conflict, but will also address his years in the French Foreign Legion.
In Croatia, the documentary has provoked a great deal of public interest, as it is the first to deal with the issue of Gotovina. Although Croatian directors have shown interest in making a film based on his life, none have done so.
Pirate Town Productions contacted Gotovina to take part in the movie, but he had to decline due to security rules in Scheveningen detention unit.
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