A Message from Fallujah

This powerful and memorable short film, made in Australia, is a very loose adaptation of a story by the American writer, Ambrose Bierce, entitled "An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge." An earlier adaptation of that story was produced in 1962 and went on to win an Oscar. Directed by Robert Enrico and entitled, "La riviere du hibou," many Americans were first introduced to that film when a slightly edited version was shown on The Twilight Zone, under its American title.

In the current version, actor and screenwriter Shane Briant does an elegant job modernizing Bierce's Civil War story, making it relevant, provocative, and as current as today. Lance Henriksen, who stars in the film, is superb. All production values are first rate. The film won "Best of The Fest" at the 2005 Los Angeles International Short Film Festival, which is where I saw it.

Highly recommended.