Matt Sezer | Matthis Chiroux: Forced to Resist @MattSezer | Uploaded 12 years ago | Updated 2 hours ago
On May 15, 2008, Matthis Chiroux, a military photojournalist, refused orders to deploy to Iraq, arguing that it was his constitutional duty to resist illegal wars. While Chiroux believes that his refusal to deploy was a courageous act of resistance, others argue that the honorable discharge that Chiroux received is a travesty for the thousands of soldiers who followed orders and risked their lives in war. Furthermore, they claim that Chiroux is lying about his military record, saying that he was never in Afghanistan, where he says he witnessed genocide.
Forced to Resist seeks to tell a more complete story of this controversial figure. From a rough childhood in Alabama, where he claims he was abused by his father, to joining the army to avoid going to jail, Chiroux's life is filed with plenty of rough situations. Is this trauma from the past causing him to speak out against the military or is he really speaking out against genocide or is it a bit of both? Can a filmmaker even answer these questions? Ultimately, Forced to Resist examines the nature of truth in situations like this where the personal becomes political.
On May 15, 2008, Matthis Chiroux, a military photojournalist, refused orders to deploy to Iraq, arguing that it was his constitutional duty to resist illegal wars. While Chiroux believes that his refusal to deploy was a courageous act of resistance, others argue that the honorable discharge that Chiroux received is a travesty for the thousands of soldiers who followed orders and risked their lives in war. Furthermore, they claim that Chiroux is lying about his military record, saying that he was never in Afghanistan, where he says he witnessed genocide.
Forced to Resist seeks to tell a more complete story of this controversial figure. From a rough childhood in Alabama, where he claims he was abused by his father, to joining the army to avoid going to jail, Chiroux's life is filed with plenty of rough situations. Is this trauma from the past causing him to speak out against the military or is he really speaking out against genocide or is it a bit of both? Can a filmmaker even answer these questions? Ultimately, Forced to Resist examines the nature of truth in situations like this where the personal becomes political.
