Words of War

Based on the life of journalist Anna Politkovskaya, whose brave crusade to be an independent voice of truth inside Putin’s Russia put her life in jeopardy.

Anna was killed on Vladimir Putin’s birthday in 2006, but her legacy lives on. More than 1,800 journalists have been killed worldwide so far this century. Anna’s story serves as a reminder of the dangers that journalists face and the importance of protecting journalists’ right to report the news without fear of death or reprisal.

“Journalists are as essential to all our freedoms as air Words of War is a tribute to Anna Politkovskaya and journalists around the world, whose fearless reporting of savage wars and unvarnished criticism of savage leaders are essential to all our freedoms. This film succeeds beautifully as cinema and its drama will entertain you, while equally serving as a meditation on the ways we can regroup our sense of our own place, of what our voices must do.” ~ Executive Producer Sean Penn

World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the U.N. General Assembly in December 1993, following the recommendation of UNESCO’s General Conference. Since then, May 3, the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek, is celebrated worldwide as World Press Freedom Day. May 3rd acts as a reminder to governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom. It is also a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics. It is an opportunity to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom; assess the state of press freedom throughout the world; defend the media from attacks on their independence; and pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

A portion of the film’s proceeds are being donated to the Committee to Protect Journalists (NY), the National Press Club Freedom Center (DC), and the International Women’s Media Foundation (DC) who honored Anna Politkovskaya in 2001 with their Courage in Journalism award, five years before she was murdered for being a journalist.

“The story of Anna Politkovskaya embodies what it means to be a courageous journalist. If we don’t have a vibrant and independent free press to expose what is happening in the world today, we are going to be beset by all the problems that we saw in this very powerful film.” ~ John Brennan, former CIA Director and National Security Advisor

“This may be the most important film you will see this year.” ~ Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA)

“There is nothing of value apart from the truth.” ~ Anna Politkovskaya