Our friend, colleage and fellow D-Word member, Andrew Berends, has been detained by the Nigerian police while shooting his latest documentary there. We've set up a special topic on The D-Word (open to the public) to update everyone about the situation and to organize in getting the word out to the media and high-level government officials, both U.S. and Nigerian.
Thom Powers, writing on his Toronto Film Festival doc blog, put it well: ""Berends directed two memorable documentaries in Iraq, Blood of My Brothers and When Adnan Comes Home that screened widely on the festival circuit. Those films drew their power from Berends operating independently without being embedded with officials or beholden to a larger news organization that rarely allows his style of long form storytelling. Unfortunately, that style of working also comes with extra risk without the support of a larger organization."
Please help spread the word in any way you can. Here's the official press release we've been sending out, feel free to forward it whoever you think may be interested. Or you can contact Aaron Soffin, who along with filmmaker James Longley (Iraq in Fragments), has been spearheading our efforts.
CONTACT
Aaron Soffin, Storyteller Productions
Phone: 917.887.4063 / 212.712.2781
Email: soffin@gmail.com
American documentary filmmaker detained in Port Harcourt, Nigeria
NEW YORK, September 2, 2008 – Andrew Berends, an established, award-winning American filmmaker and journalist from New York, was detained Sunday August 31st by the Nigerian military along with his translator, Samuel George, and Joe Bussio, the manager of a local bar. Andrew entered Nigeria legally in April 2008 to complete a documentary film.
Andrew was held in custody without food, sleep, or representation, and with limited water for 36 hours. He was questioned by the army, the police, and the State Security Services in Port Harcourt. He was then temporarily released, with an order to the SSS office at 9AM Tuesday morning. The State Security Services has confiscated his passport and personal property. Andrew's translator, Samuel George, remained in custody over night.
The US State Department is aware of the situation, and an attorney has been retained on Andrew's behalf. We, Andrew's friends, family, and colleagues, are deeply concerned that he has been held without cause and are calling for his safe treatment and immediate release.
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