Camp Armadillo
(2011)
Im Februar des Jahres 2009 reist eine frische Einheit dänischer Soldaten in die afghanische Unruheprovinz Helmand, um dort im Rahmen der internationalen UN-Mission Stabilität zu schaffen und den Aufbau einer Zivilgesellschaft zu unterstützen. So zumindest lautet ihr Auftrag. In Wahrheit aber sind die Soldaten hauptsächlich damit beschäftigt, die eigene Sicherheit zu gewährleisten. Kontakte zur einheimischen Bevölkerung beschränken sich auf Schokoriegelverteilen oder blutige Scharmützel mit dem unbefangen aus zivilem Hinterhalt operierenden Feind.
Regisseur Janus Metz Peterson und Kameramann Lars Skree verbrachten die volle Aufenthaltszeit von sechs Monaten mit den von ihnen portraitierten Soldaten in Afghanistan und wichen ihnen dabei weder beim abendlichen Kartenspiel noch im Schützengraben an vorderster Front von der Seite. Das schuf Vertrauen zwischen Filmemachern und Soldaten, und so ist aus "Camp Armadillo" die vielleicht intensivste und aufschlussreichste Dokumentation über den europäischen Einsatz in Afghanistan geworden. Auch und gerade dem deutschen Publikum empfohlen.
In February of 2009, a group of Danish soldiers accompanied by documentarian Janus Metz arrived at Armadillo, an army base in the southern Afghan province of Helmand. Metz and cinematographer Lars Skree spent six months following the lives of young soldiers situated less than a kilometre from Taliban positions. The result of their work is a gripping and highly authentic war drama that was justly awarded the Grand Prix de la Semaine de la Critique at the 2010 Cannes film festival. But it also provoked furious debate in Denmark concerning the controversial behavior of certain Danish soldiers during a shoot-out with Taliban fighters. The film-makers repeatedly risked their lives shooting this tense, brilliantly edited, and visually sophisticated probe into the psychology of young men in the midst of a senseless war whose victims are primarily local villagers. Yet more disturbing than scenes in which Taliban bullets whiz past their cameras is the footage of the young soldiers as each ...
In February of 2009, a group of Danish soldiers accompanied by documentarian Janus Metz arrived at Armadillo, an army base in the southern Afghan province of Helmand. Metz and cinematographer Lars Skree spent six months following the lives of young soldiers situated less than a kilometre from Taliban positions. The result of their work is a gripping and highly authentic war drama that was justly awarded the Grand Prix de la Semaine de la Critique at the 2010 Cannes film festival. But it also provoked furious debate in Denmark concerning the controversial behavior of certain Danish soldiers during a shoot-out with Taliban fighters. The film-makers repeatedly risked their lives shooting this tense, brilliantly edited, and visually sophisticated probe into the psychology of young men in the midst of a senseless war whose victims are primarily local villagers. Yet more disturbing than scenes in which Taliban bullets whiz past their cameras is the footage of the young soldiers as each ...
