Body of War

Body of War is a 2007 documentary film about Iraq War veteran Tomas Young. Bill Moyers Journal featured a one-hour special about Body of War including interviews with filmmakers Ellen Spiro and Phil Donahue. Summary Shocked by the September 11 attacks Tomas Young wants to defend his country and subsequently he joins the United States Armed Forces. As a soldier he is sent to Iraq and soon after his arrival a marksman's bullet maims him. Intercut with his personal story is footage from Congressional proceedings in Washington, D.C. which led to this controversial war. Accolades Shortlisted for an Oscar nomination from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Best Documentary (National Board of Review of Motion Pictures) People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Hamptons International Film Festival. Critical reception Time assessed the documentary as "superb" and "very moving". The Washington Post considered the documentary well-told, upsetting and "ferocious". The Hollywood Reporter certified "Body of War" was special among other antiwar documentaries for its "identification" with one particular human fate. Moving Pictures agreed the film "secures its strength" by that. The Los Angeles Times described this narrative as a "heartbreaking account" and moreover spoke of a strong indictment of "the tactical politics that led to the invasion". The Boston Globe and The Kansas City Star also called it "heartbreaking". The Toronto Star appreciated protagonist Tomas Young as a "fascinating, charismatic character". The Philadelphia Inquirer stated Young's filmic portrait was a "complex profile in courage". The Austin Chronicle said "Body of War" was "affecting" and a "cinematic argument against the war". TV Guide resumed it was a "powerful film".