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ABOUT THE FILM
THE FILM
The Weight of Chains is a Canadian documentary film that takes a critical look at the role that the, NATO and the EU played in the tragic breakup of a once peaceful and prosperous European state Yugoslavia. The film, bursting with rare stock footage never before seen by Western audiences, is a creative firsthand look at why the West intervened in the Yugoslav conflict, with an impressive roster of interviews with academics, diplomats, media personalities and ordinary citizens of the former Yugoslav republics.
THE PRODUCTION
The film began with production in late 2009 in several cities throughout Canada including Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto, continued in early 2010 in the United States Columbus, Dayton, New York and Washington, and was finalized in the Summer of 2010 in Slovenia Ljublana; Croatia Vukovar,Djakovo, Jasenovac, Zagreb, Gospic, and in Bosnia Herzegovina Sarajevo, Trebinje; Serbia Belgrade, Subotica, Kosovska Mitrovica, Trepca, Pristina, Orahovac, Prizren and Strpce.
THE MOTIVATION
A Canadian perspective on Western involvement in the division of the ethnic groups within Yugoslavia motivated to show that the war was forced from outside – regular people wanted peace. However, extreme fractions on all sides, fuelled by their foreign mentors, outvoiced the moderates, which is why the film presents positive stories from the war – people helping each other regardless of their ethnic background, stories of bravery and selfsacrifice. The disunity among peoples populating the Balkans have marked the last couple of centuries. Let’s start a new page, today, in the 21st century.
THE RECEPTION
“The Weight Of Chains” was completed in late 2010 and premiered in Perth, Australia in December 2010, after which it was shown cities across Australia, Canada and the United States, as well as on worldwide festivals including Raindance in London, Beldocs in Belgrade, BANEFF in Oslo, and many others. The film was broadcasted in front of 644 million viewers on Russia Today – RT and an additional 50 million viewers on Eurochannel in 2014. This film earned its director, Boris Malagurski, the nickname “The Serbian Michael Moore” given by the “Politika” newspaper.
MEET THE STARS OF THE FILM
Canadian economist and professor of economics at the University of Ottawa.
He is also Director of the Centre for Research of Globalization. Prof. Chossudovsky acted as economic adviser to governments of developing countries and has worked as a consultant for international organizations including the UN Development Programme, the African Development Bank, the UN African institute for Economic Development and Planning, the UN Population Fund, the International Labour Organization, the World Health Organisation, the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Retired Canadian Major-General, author and media commentator.
He established and commanded Sector Sarajevo as part of the United Nations Protection Force UNPROFOR in Yugoslavia in 1992. Using the media as a means of trying to help restore peace, MacKenzie became well-known worldwide.
He is a recipient of the Vimy Award, which recognizes a Canadian who has made a significant and outstanding contribution to the defence and security of their nation and the preservation of
democratic values. In 2006, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada
American economist and author, best known for his book “Confessions of an Economic Hit Man” (2004), an insider’s account of the exploitation or neo-colonization of Third World countries by what Perkins describes as a cabal of corporations, banks, and the United States government.
His 2007 book, “The Secret History of the American Empire”, provides more evidence of the nenegative impact of global corporations on the economies and ecologies of poor countries, as well as offering suggestions for making corporations behave more like good citizens.