War crimes film to get city premiere

May 23 2006 By Tony Collins, Birmingham Mail

A HARD-HITTING documentary exploring war crimes and torture is to receive its UK premiere at a city university.

Crossing the Line, by Danish film-maker Lars Feldballe Petersen, investigates the extent of personal morality and how it stands up in extreme circumstances.

With examples from the UK, Germany, Iraq, and the former Yugoslavia, the documentary invites viewers to question where the line between good and evil should be drawn.

The British premiere of Crossing the Line will be held at UCE Birmingham, Perry Barr, on Monday, June 5.

It will be followed by a question and answer session hosted by the film-maker and criminologist Professor David Wilson, from UCE, who contributed to the programme.

Other contributors to the production include Sir David Ramsbotham, former chief inspector of prisons, and Esad Landzo, a former Bosnian soldier convicted at The Hague for war crimes.

Prof Wilson said: "Crossing the Line challenges its audience to think about human rights, morality and the role of the state."