Stealing a Nation is a 2004 Granada Television documentary about the British–American clandestine operation that saw the expulsion of the Chagossian population who have lived on Diego Garcia and neighbouring islands since the late 18th century. More than 2,000 people were exiled to Mauritius between 1967 and 1973, so that Diego Garcia could become a United States military airbase (see depopulation of Chagossians from the Chagos Archipelago). The film contains a series of interviews with Chagossians, who have been deprived of their right of return and forced to live in abject poverty. Stealing a Nation was written and directed by Australian journalist John Pilger, and produced and directed by Christopher Martin; reconstruction footage was directed by Sean Crotty.[1][2]

Stealing a Nation
Screenshot of title card
Directed byJohn Pilger
Christopher Martin
Sean Crotty
Written byJohn Pilger
Produced byChristopher Martin
Polly Bide
StarringJohn Pilger
James R. Schlesinger
Cassam Uteem
Bill Rammell
Mark Curtis
Louis Olivier Bancoult
CinematographyPreston Clothier
Edited byJoe Frost
Music byNicholas Russell-Pavier
Production
company
Release date
  • 2004 (2004)
Running time
56 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguagesEnglish
Chagossian Creole
Mauritian Creole

Reception, awards and festival screenings edit

Stealing a Nation was awarded the 2004 Royal Television Society Award in the category "Single Documentary - General".[3]

The film was screened at the United Nations Association Film Festival in October 2005.[4]

It was given the Chris Award in the Social Issues category at the Columbus International Film & Video Festival in November 2005.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ "Stealing a Nation". Bullfrog Films. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
  2. ^ "Stealing a Nation". johnpilger.com. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  3. ^ "Programme Awards Winners 2004 Archived 2014-03-05 at the Wayback Machine", rts.org.uk. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  4. ^ "8th United Nations Association Film Festival", unaff.org. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  5. ^ "The 53rd Annual Chris Awards Columbus International Film & Video Festival 2005", columbusfilmcouncil.org. Retrieved 9 May 2015.

External links edit