“This Story Continues”: Amir Bar-Lev, Director of ‘The Tillman Story’
BAR-LEV: There’s a sense that this is a story that is over. That this is something we look back on about the Bush administration. In fact, this is a story that continues to this day. Nobody’s ever been called to account for their actions…This was a deliberate attempt to cover up the facts.
Paying attention to the neverending story at
http://www.michaelmoore.com
Video Transcript
pat tillman staff on a battlefield
afghanistan became an emblem for thiscountry's response both personal and
military to spend a lot of taxjohn was a pro football star who walked
away from a multimillion dollar contractto join the army rangersbecamearguably america's most famous soldierpeople two thousand four corporal
tillman died during the second towardafghanistankilled by friendly fire though the
military covered up that backopting insteadto fabricate a story about her role at
death while fighting the enemythe broad outlines a pat on the story
may be familiar but a new documentarythe tillman sword fights fascinating new
detailsabout his lifeand death joining us now is amir bar
lefty director that on the story openingthis week in new york and los angeles
and your thanks so much for coming totalk to us thanks for having mei think it's a wonderfirst of all what do people know about
the store and i think the broad outlinesof it are kinda familiar he's got a lot
for us but had been kind of receded ofwhat were you surprised by working on
that's what you think people don't knowabout stari was surprised at how far off the
market was perception the story is tobegin with i meani think there's a sense that this is a
story that is over that this issomething that you know that we look
back on about the bush administration infactthis is a story that continues to this
daynobody's ever really been called to
account for their actions and evenyesterday where there was a new chapter
in the story where very uh... themilitary issued a press statementwith further life they said uh... we are
deeply apologetic switzerland familyfrom mistakes made and this word mistake
is is itself part of this conspiracythere was never missed a mistake would
be a fight you know knocked over mywater here this is deliberately attempt
to cover up the facts for which nobodyhas ever taken credit yeah i think that
that that one of the things that thatthat becomes clear in the film is thatthe preposterous story that was told
about is that really andwas so far from what i could happen to
be kicked because of the investigatorhad to be fabricated how high up does
that goit looks like they want all the way to
the white house and uh... you know theboat but what happened was they had made
at bonaire they underestimated pastmother jenny tillmanand they handed over thirty five hundred
documents pertaining to his deathand from this little cottage up in our
the santa cruz mansi painstakingly overa year's time unredacted these documents
and what's in there i think is goingshopping for when i see it i mean id
there's no question as to whether or notthis was a mistake there's there's
documents in there that say things likethat's home in game plan at the highest
levels as females from the white housetalking about how they were going to
manage the story to deceive the americanpublicthe children's story was one of stories
from that time there was dubbed privatelynch and herbrescue that wasfor creating these kind of crazy
cartoonish way isi wonder what what kind of perspective
you gained about that time in americanhistory when there was this really
intense sort of jingoistic for but gripthe country and it's real kind ofcollective desire for mister oakes that
that's on the cancer wrapped up in whatwhat did you learn about that periodwell you know i i don't know that
carries over i mean you know i i meanyou know that i i think it it says a lot
about our culture and i think it's tooeasy to point the fifth finger only at
the bush administrationyou mentioned jessica lange should dot
tillman was involved in that operationin haitifrom from the wings he had said you know
this is this is a movie they'rebasically constructing a movie and the
the sad tragedy and that all isyou know we didn't get with isn't
shocking footage from the jessica lynchoperation in our film that people
haven't seenwe didn't get handed that footage in
some garage by some deep throat in apaper bag we got it from the mainstream
pressthe reason folks haven't seen it is
because the mainstream press chose toomit that chose to leave it on their
living room floor so they can constructste this this idea of the female rambo
from you know from the mountains of westvirginiait in the east dismissed those works
because this is a you know we want tosee our movies played out in the newsandyou know i think it's a story about the
government it's also stood by the pressis also a hollywood storyyou basically saying that in the film he
is and there is sort of it's a storyabout a story it's a story about the
myth of pat on the start of the story ofpat tillmanwhat you are not the actual
flesh-and-blood human beings on thehusbandthat was that's allwell you know we worked on the phone for
three years and was it was uh...tremendous opportunity spent time with
this very very unique family their raftsipl there pronto half palms then we just
got a rarity president and uh... youknowi think people are also going to
surprise to see that this is somewhatuplifting story even despite its tragic
but packing uppat was a guy with strong opinions who
is absolutely willing to change thoseopinions that's what's not known about
and he's been turned into this squaredrive guy with the one track mindwhen in fact you know he was a committed
gaya loyal guy a patriotic guybut he was a guy who is willing to see
things from different points of viewwilling to question his own believes he
was a guy whowho changed his beliefs once he saw what
was going on actress first appointmentand he was involved that jessica entrap
erationhere's a guy who in earlier time some
people would've called a flip-flop ura nearby alleges the director of the
cattlemen story had said wonderful filmit's opening if i'm not mistaken new
york los angeles this weekend myronthat's rightbreak thanks for having a great sex life
is really a lecturer dept
Michael Moore discusses 'The Tillman Story' with (L-R) Actor Josh Brolin, former soldier Russell Baer, producer John Battsek and director Amir Bar-Lev following a special screening at AMC Loews Lincoln Square 13 on August 11, 2010 in New York City.
'The Tillman Story' opens Friday, August 20th in New York and Los Angeles. Don't miss it: http://www.tillmanstory.com/
Marie Tillman discusses her experience at CGI U and as advocate and founder of the Pat Tillman Foundation, a nonprofit organization that invests in veterans and their families through education and community. In the fall of 2008, she began a major initiative, the Tillman Military Scholars program, which aims to create the next generation of leaders by helping a select group of veterans, active service members, and their dependents fulfill their academic dreams.
Video production courtesy Triton TV /
What's next? Tillman Military Scholar Dennis Robinson's take on the legacy of Pat Tillman. "Let's us, in the spirit of Pat Tillman, do something unconventional."
This ESPN Sports Century biography on Pat Tillman is divided into six parts. I think this aired in 2005. For updated information, read "Boots on the Ground by Dusk: My Tribute to Pat Tillman" by Mary Tillman http://www.amazon.com/Boots-Ground-Dusk-Tribute-Tillman/dp/1594868808 and "Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman" by Jon Krakauer http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385522266/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1594868808&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1R1ZC333SDPTXNBP09RW
The construction contract for the Colorado River Bridge, was awarded to the joint venture partnership of Obayashi Corporation and PSM Construction USA, Inc., in October of 2004 for US$ 114 million. Construction began in early 2005 and is expected to be completed in 2010. When completed, the 2000 ft-long (610 m) Colorado River Bridge will span the Black Canyon (about 1500 ft/457 m south of the Hoover Dam), connecting the Arizona and Nevada Approach highways nearly 900 ft (274 m) above the Colorado River. The construction requirements and challenges are as difficult as any in the world.
ESPN Nov 2009 - Marie Tillman, the wife of former Arizona cardinal and Army Ranger Pat Tillman, speaks for the first time since her husband's death from friendly fire.
Pat's Run in San Jose, April 25th 2009. A benefit for Pat Tillman, former NFL Arizona Cardinals. Who died in Afghanistan.The foundation goal & mission is to carry forward Pat's Legacy by inspiring people to make positive changes in themselves and in the world around them. Over 6000 joggers & runners participated in the events.National Anthem by Thia Megia volunteer
On HBO's Inside the NFL, Peter King interviewed Denver QB Jake Plummer about the horrific treatment the Tillman family have received over Pat's death. There have been four investigations into what really happened to him and now a fifth one is getting close to being completed. How reprehensible has this been for the Tillman family? Pat is killed and they were repeatedly lied to. The family is not speaking out, but Plummer is. Good for him. Somebody has to.
For more on this, see:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/09/25/MNGD7ETMNM1.DTL
Kevin Tillman joined the Army with his brother Pat in 2002, and they served together in Iraq and Afghanistan. Pat was killed in Afghanistan on April 22, 2004. Kevin, who was discharged in 2005, has written a powerful, must-read document.
See: http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/200601019_after_pats_birthday/
The 8th Annual Pat's Run took place in Tempe, AZ on April 21, 2012 with more than 28,000 walkers and runners participating to honor the legacy of Pat Tillman. Proceeds from Pat's Run benefit the Tillman Military Scholars program. More than 30 current Tillman Military Scholars attended Pat's Run this year and helped produce this video to say thank you to participants, sponsors and volunteers.
