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Iraq War Pics Win Fans at Venice Festival

De Palma's Redacted and Jones vehicle Elah generate critical buzz

By Sam Gale Rosen, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 5, 2007 10:55 AM CDT

(Newser) – Films about the Iraq war are hits at the Venice Film Festival, Reuters reports. One critic calls Brian De Palma's Redacted, about the rape of an Iraqi girl by US soldiers, "truly a blow to the stomach." Others tout In the Valley of Elah, starring Tommy Lee Jones as the father of a soldier murdered after returning from Iraq.

Director Paul Haggis' In the Valley of Elah is a more traditional crowd-pleaser, says another critic, combining "the high quality of the director, the message about the Iraq war and a thriller-type story that the public will enjoy." But, adds a third, "there isn't one film that everyone is saying 'This is the one' about. People are very divided."

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64th Annual Venice Film Festival : In The Valley Of Elah - Premiere - Day 4 (Getty Images)

Charlize Theron, left, and Tommy Lee Jones are affected by the current war in Warner Brothers' "In The Valley of Elah." ( Warner Bros. 2007)

Director Brian De Palma poses during the photocall of the film "Redacted" in competition at the 64th Venice Film Festival, in Venice, Italy, Friday, Aug 31, 2007. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) (Associated Press)

Director Brian De Palma signs autographs as he arrives for the screening of his latest movie "Redacted" in competition at the 64th Venice Film Festival, in Venice, Italy, Friday, Aug 31, 2007. (AP Photo/Andrew... (Associated Press)

64th Annual Venice Film Festival : In The Valley Of Elah - Premiere - Day 4 (Getty Images)

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In the valley of Elah: Trailer (July 14) (plissken2013 (YouTube))

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Iraq War Pics Win Fans at Venice Festival