The Judge and the General

For many Chileans, "the other 9/11" was September 11, 1973, when General Augusto Pinochet mounted a coup against the democratically elected government of Salvador Allende. The coup and ensuing 17-year dictatorship were embraced by a significant segment of the population, even as many thousands died, were tortured or simply "disappeared." As Pinochet's rule waned, and his government planned a transition guaranteeing them power and immunity from prosecution, Judge Juan Guzmán was picked by lottery to investigate the first criminal charges against the General's regime. In Chile, judges must investigate as well as try cases, and this modest, conservative judge, who had initially supported Pinochet, would instead emerge as a beacon of human rights for Chile and the world. In this fascinating and involving documentary, filmmaker-journalists Elizabeth Farnsworth and Patricio Lanfranco follow the remarkable detective story of Guzman's dogged, hands-on quest to unearth the truth, bring some justice to the victims and heal the wounds of his country's history. Camera: Michael Anderson, Vicente Franco, Esteban Medel, Jim Van Vranken. Editor: Blair Gershkow. Music: Barbara Cohen. Executive Producer: Richard Pearce. Producers/Directors: Elizabeth Farnsworth, Patricio Lanfranco. (US 2008) 84 min.