Armadillo (film)
Encyclopedia
Armadillo is a Danish documentary film
about Danish soldiers in the war in Afghanistan
. The film follows a group of soldiers from the Guard Hussars (Horse Cavalry) regiment who are on their first mission in Helmand Province
at a forward operating base
named FOB Armadillo
. The film premièred at the Cannes Film Festival
in 2010. It was awarded the Grand Prix de la Semaine de la Critique
.
The Semaine de la Critique
screening described the film as "a journey into the soldiers' minds and a unique film on the mythological story of man and war staged in its contemporary version in Afghanistan".
They are posted for a six month tour at Armadillo
, a military base
in Helmand province, Afghanistan, where some 270 Danish and British soldiers are based.
The film shows the soldiers going out on patrol. They hand out candy and gifts to the children. They question a local man about the Taliban who declines to cooperate and they return to base without incident.
The film depicts them as dividing their leisure time between maintaining their equipment and working out, calling home, playing shooter game
s and watching pornographic videos amongst other things.
Later in the tour the soldiers encounter armed resistance from the Taliban. In the ensuing battles buildings are damaged and locals report livestock killed. Some locals receive compensations from the base.
A Danish commander becomes a victim of a roadside bomb and is evacuated to receive treatment for a skull fracture. He recovers and returns to Armadillo. Three Danish soldiers from a neighbouring camp die in an IED
incident and the film records a memorial service for them. Directly following this there is a discussion questioning whether ambushing the Taliban will work and subsequently volunteers are recruited for a night patrol.
At dawn civilians are seen fleeing the area. The patrol comes under fire and a soldier is hit. In the ensuing chaos it transpires the Taliban position is directly in front of the patrol in a ditch only three metres away. A hand grenade is tossed into the ditch followed by the order to 'neutralize them' and subsequent sporadic gunfire is heard. Five Taliban are killed and there are graphic scenes of their bodies being pulled from the ditch and stripped of their weapons. It shows that the Taliban fighters were armed with a single RPG-7
rocket propelled grenade,two PK machine gun
s and one AKM
. Finally there is a subsequent air strike.
Back at base the patrol congratulate each other on the morning's work and there is a debriefing with accounts of four Taliban found in the ditch groaning heavily being liquidated 'in the most humane way possible' and the remaining Taliban trying to crawl away being 'finished off' with 30-40 shots.
Subsequently it transpires that a soldier has called home discussing the episode with his parents and has given them the impression that wounded Taliban had been liquidated and that the soldiers had laughed about it at the debriefing. The parents contacted the Danish Command about it and the commander addresses his men about the issues that raises. There is an ensuing debate amongst the men.
Later two of the soldiers on the patrol are awarded medals and the film concludes with scenes of jubilant homecomings and a return to civilian life. The final scene is of an introspective commander taking a shower.
Guy Dixon remarks "there's another controversy of the more cinematic kind: While the footage is expertly photographed, all the different uses of filters and postproduction colour correction (to say nothing of the superb sound) – which gives the film an almost Apocalypse Now
quality at times – is disturbing when we're talking not about the mythology and madness of war, but about showing real, dead people in a ditch or actual children running from fighting."
Carsten Jensen
said that "After Armadillo, it will not be possible to talk about Afghanistan, in the same way as before."
accused the soldiers of deliberately breaking the rules of engagement during one of the engagements, and demanded an investigation. Following procedure, the Danish military Legal Corps conducted an independent investigation, and the soldiers were cleared of any wrongdoing.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about Danish soldiers in the war in Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
. The film follows a group of soldiers from the Guard Hussars (Horse Cavalry) regiment who are on their first mission in Helmand Province
Helmand Province
Helmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
at a forward operating base
Forward Operating Base
A forward operating base is any secured forward military position, commonly a military base, that is used to support tactical operations. A FOB may or may not contain an airfield, hospital, or other facilities. The base may be used for an extended period of time. FOBs are traditionally supported...
named FOB Armadillo
FOB Armadillo
FOB Armadillo was a military base located near Gereshk in the Helmand province of Afghanistan. It was occupied by ISAF forces from Britain and Denmark as part of Task Force Helmand during the War in Afghanistan...
. The film premièred at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
in 2010. It was awarded the Grand Prix de la Semaine de la Critique
International Critic's Week
The International Critics' Week , founded in 1962 and organized by the French Syndicate of Cinema Critics, is the oldest parallel competitive section of the Cannes Film Festival. It showcases first and second feature films by directors from all over the world, and has remained true to its tradition...
.
The Semaine de la Critique
International Critic's Week
The International Critics' Week , founded in 1962 and organized by the French Syndicate of Cinema Critics, is the oldest parallel competitive section of the Cannes Film Festival. It showcases first and second feature films by directors from all over the world, and has remained true to its tradition...
screening described the film as "a journey into the soldiers' minds and a unique film on the mythological story of man and war staged in its contemporary version in Afghanistan".
Synopsis
The film starts with the soldiers' last days in Denmark before leaving for Afghanistan. Scenes include their emotional goodbyes as well as a party with a striptease dancer.They are posted for a six month tour at Armadillo
FOB Armadillo
FOB Armadillo was a military base located near Gereshk in the Helmand province of Afghanistan. It was occupied by ISAF forces from Britain and Denmark as part of Task Force Helmand during the War in Afghanistan...
, a military base
Forward Operating Base
A forward operating base is any secured forward military position, commonly a military base, that is used to support tactical operations. A FOB may or may not contain an airfield, hospital, or other facilities. The base may be used for an extended period of time. FOBs are traditionally supported...
in Helmand province, Afghanistan, where some 270 Danish and British soldiers are based.
The film shows the soldiers going out on patrol. They hand out candy and gifts to the children. They question a local man about the Taliban who declines to cooperate and they return to base without incident.
The film depicts them as dividing their leisure time between maintaining their equipment and working out, calling home, playing shooter game
Shooter game
Shooter games are a sub-genre of action game, which often test the player's speed and reaction time. It includes many subgenres that have the commonality of focusing "on the actions of the avatar using some sort of weapon. Usually this weapon is a gun, or some other long-range weapon". A common...
s and watching pornographic videos amongst other things.
Later in the tour the soldiers encounter armed resistance from the Taliban. In the ensuing battles buildings are damaged and locals report livestock killed. Some locals receive compensations from the base.
A Danish commander becomes a victim of a roadside bomb and is evacuated to receive treatment for a skull fracture. He recovers and returns to Armadillo. Three Danish soldiers from a neighbouring camp die in an IED
Improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
incident and the film records a memorial service for them. Directly following this there is a discussion questioning whether ambushing the Taliban will work and subsequently volunteers are recruited for a night patrol.
At dawn civilians are seen fleeing the area. The patrol comes under fire and a soldier is hit. In the ensuing chaos it transpires the Taliban position is directly in front of the patrol in a ditch only three metres away. A hand grenade is tossed into the ditch followed by the order to 'neutralize them' and subsequent sporadic gunfire is heard. Five Taliban are killed and there are graphic scenes of their bodies being pulled from the ditch and stripped of their weapons. It shows that the Taliban fighters were armed with a single RPG-7
RPG-7
The RPG-7 is a widely-produced, portable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade launcher. Originally the RPG-7 and its predecessor, the RPG-2, were designed by the Soviet Union, and now manufactured by the Bazalt company...
rocket propelled grenade,two PK machine gun
PK machine gun
The PK is a 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun designed in the Soviet Union and currently in production in Russia. The PK machine gun was introduced in the 1960s and replaced the SGM and RPD machine guns in Soviet service...
s and one AKM
AKM
The AKM is a 7.62mm assault rifle designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is an upgraded version of the AK-47 rifle and was developed in the 1950s....
. Finally there is a subsequent air strike.
Back at base the patrol congratulate each other on the morning's work and there is a debriefing with accounts of four Taliban found in the ditch groaning heavily being liquidated 'in the most humane way possible' and the remaining Taliban trying to crawl away being 'finished off' with 30-40 shots.
Subsequently it transpires that a soldier has called home discussing the episode with his parents and has given them the impression that wounded Taliban had been liquidated and that the soldiers had laughed about it at the debriefing. The parents contacted the Danish Command about it and the commander addresses his men about the issues that raises. There is an ensuing debate amongst the men.
Later two of the soldiers on the patrol are awarded medals and the film concludes with scenes of jubilant homecomings and a return to civilian life. The final scene is of an introspective commander taking a shower.
Reception
A number of critics have expressed concern that the film blurs the divide between fact and fiction. Writing in The Globe and MailThe Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
Guy Dixon remarks "there's another controversy of the more cinematic kind: While the footage is expertly photographed, all the different uses of filters and postproduction colour correction (to say nothing of the superb sound) – which gives the film an almost Apocalypse Now
Apocalypse Now
Apocalypse Now is a 1979 American war film set during the Vietnam War, produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The central character is US Army special operations officer Captain Benjamin L. Willard , of MACV-SOG, an assassin sent to kill the renegade and presumed insane Special Forces...
quality at times – is disturbing when we're talking not about the mythology and madness of war, but about showing real, dead people in a ditch or actual children running from fighting."
Carsten Jensen
Carsten Jensen
Carsten Jensen is a Danish author and political columnist. He was born on 24 July 1952 in Marstal. He first earned recognition as a literary critic for the Copenhagen daily, Politiken. His novels, including I Have Seen the World Begin , deal with knowledge of the world...
said that "After Armadillo, it will not be possible to talk about Afghanistan, in the same way as before."
Controversy
The film generated a brief political controversy in Denmark when the Danish Socialist People's PartySocialist People's Party (Denmark)
The Socialist People's Party is a green and socialist political party in Denmark.-1959–69:The SF was founded on 15 February 1959 by Aksel Larsen, a former leader of the Communist Party of Denmark and CIA agent. Larsen was removed from the ranks of the DKP for his criticism over the Soviet...
accused the soldiers of deliberately breaking the rules of engagement during one of the engagements, and demanded an investigation. Following procedure, the Danish military Legal Corps conducted an independent investigation, and the soldiers were cleared of any wrongdoing.
See also
- RestrepoRestrepo (film)Restrepo is a 2010 documentary film about the Afghanistan war, directed by American journalist Sebastian Junger and British/American photojournalist Tim Hetherington....
, a 2010 documentary about American soldiers stationed in the Korangal valleyKorangal valleyThe Korangal Valley in Afghanistan is located south of the Pech River in the Pech District of Kunar Province in northeastern Afghanistan. To the east is Asadabad, capital of Kunar Province, to the west is the Chapa Dara District, and to the south is the Chawkay District...
, AfghanistanAfghanistanAfghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world... - FOB ArmadilloFOB ArmadilloFOB Armadillo was a military base located near Gereshk in the Helmand province of Afghanistan. It was occupied by ISAF forces from Britain and Denmark as part of Task Force Helmand during the War in Afghanistan...