U.S. entrant at film festival spotlights independent journalism

"Good Night, And Good Luck" is this year’s U.S. entry to the Zimbabwe International Film Festival that gets underway August 24, 2007. The film will be screened next Wednesday 29 August at Vistarama in Avondale (Time: 8 pm) and Friday August 31st (Time: 5.30 pm) at the same venue. 

"Good Night, And Good Luck" takes place during the early days of broadcast journalism in 1950's America. It chronicles the real-life conflict between television newsman Edward R. Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee. 

George Clooney

With a desire to report the facts and enlighten the public, Murrow, and his dedicated staff- headed by his producer Fred Friendly and Joe Wershba in the CBS newsroom- defy corporate and sponsorship pressures to examine the lies and scaremongering tactics perpetrated by McCarthy during his communist 'witch-hunts'. A very public feud develops when the Senator responds by accusing the anchor of being a communist. In this climate of fear and reprisal, the CBS crew carries on and their tenacity will prove historic and monumental.

George Clooney (in picture), the famous Hollywood actor known for his long-time role as a doctor on the drama ER, serves as director, co-writer and co-star. An experienced actor and producer, this is his second attempt at directing a feature film, following 2002's 'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind', and his first written screenplay to go into production. George (with co-writer Grant Heslov) won the Venice Film Festival's 'best screenplay' award.

Edward R. Murrow (April 25, 1908 – April 27, 1965) was an American journalist and media figure. He first came to prominence with a series of radio news broadcasts during World War II, which were followed by millions of listeners in the United States and Canada. Mainstream historians consider him among journalism's greatest figures; Murrow hired a top-flight cadre of war correspondents and was noted for honesty and integrity in delivering the news. A pioneer of television news broadcasting, Murrow produced a series of TV news reports that helped lead to the censure of Senator Joseph McCarthy.

August 24, 2007