THE MAURITANIAN

UK, 2021, 129 minutes, Colour.
Tahar Rahim, Jodie Foster, Benedict Cumberbatch, Shailene Woodley, Zachary Levi, Dennis Menochet.
Directed by Kevin Macdonald

9/11. Al Qaeda. Terrorism and the war against terrorism. Guantánamo Bay.

This film reminds us of the devastation of 9/11, of loss of life, of destruction of the Twin Towers, of America being at a loss, grieving, wanting vengeance. And, while Osama bin Laden was the main target, eventually discovered and killed, it was a large number of internees in Guantánamo Bay that became the target of some of the American vengeance.

This film focuses on the Mauritanian internee, Mohamedou Ould Slahi, who wrote up his memories and experiences for his legal counsel, Nancy Hollander, which were later published as a book,, Guantánamo Diary. The screenplay for this film is based on Guantánamo Diary and the film is directed by veteran and Oscar winner, Kevin Macdonald, who has directed a substantial body of film work, both documentary and feature film.

The film opens with the Mauritanian setting, a wedding ceremony, and Slahi, taken aside, warned, leaving. Eventually, the audience learn some of his background, his going to Germany when young, finding a different way of life, caught up with dissidents, Al Qaeda, some training, visit to Afghanistan, and accused of being one of the chief recruiters and organisers of the 9/11 attacks.

We are introduced to Nancy Hollander, a tough legal expert, with social justice concerns, played by now so much older and experienced Jodie Foster. She has a young associate played by Shailene Woodley. Nancy Hollander is approached, agrees to take on the case, visits Guantánamo many times, interviews Slahi, experiences the tough security, documents in sealed envelopes, getting permission to go to archives but finding so many of the documents severely redacted, urging Slahi to write his story.

The story fills in Slahi’s experience of arrest, internment in 2002, nothing about him surfacing until 2005, his treatment by the guards, in his cell, exercise, disappearance of fellow internees, and torture – but the screenplay keeps the graphic torture sequences until the last half hour, building up the character of Slahi and his dire experiences, his confessions, and, ultimately, the impact of the torture.

Slahi is played by French actor, Tahar Rahim (The Prophet, The Past, and Judas in Mary Magdalene). He communicates a complex character, made more complex by the Guantánamo experiences, a strong screen presence.

The Mauritanian also focuses on the American prosecution of Slahi. A military colonel, Stuart Couch, who had known one of the dead pilots of 9/11 and his wife, his persuaded to take on the case. Played by Benedict Cumberbatch. Starting with a militant approach, he becomes more and more frustrated with the redacted documentation, even going to Guantánamo, meeting with the authorities who rebuff him, asking for leads from a friend who had been involved authorising torture, finally reading the documents, disgusted, a man of integrity with religious background, resigning.

While Slahi won the case, he continued interned for some time until finally being released in 2016, publishing his book, returning to Mauritania – with a final credits sequence with the actual Slahi singing an American song back home in Mauritania, Bob Dylan’s The Man in Me, with an American accent and enthusiasm.

(While Zero Dark Thirty had sequences of torture, the 2019 film, The Report, with Adam Driver and Annette Bening, can be recommended as a drama exploring the legislation about torture, obfuscation of the investigation, the eventual repeal.)

1. A film about terrorism, consequences? In the context of 9/11? Al Qaeda? Guantánamo Bay? Justice, interrogations, charges and no charges, torture?

2. The work of the director, documentaries, features, a focus on justice issues? The screenplay based on the book by Mohamedou Ould Slahi?

3. The title? Scenes in Mauritania, the recruiting of Al Qaeda?

4. The United States and 9/11, shock, twin towers, deaths, destruction? The war against terror? A vindictive America? Blame? The rounding up of the suspects, the opening of Guantánamo Bay? Internment, secrecy, interrogations, the introduction of torture (and these sequences, graphic, left to the latter part of the film)? Legal issues, prosecutions?

5. The introduction to Slahi? Mauritania, local dress, the ceremony, the celebration? His being taken aside? The warnings? The background of his home life, family, customs, Islam, moving to Germany, studies, associations, recruitment, training, Afghanistan? Alleged connections to 9/11? Recruiting, organisation?

6. His later denials, the torture and confessions, the discussions with Nancy, preparing the case, his writing, eventually the publication of the book?

7. His internment in Guantánamo in 2002, the beginning of the case in 2005, the range of flashbacks to illustrate what had happened to him, arrest, transport, blindfold, arrival, treatment, naked, search, prison clothes, the cell?

8. The flashbacks, the box screen format, his memories, factual material, the buildup to the treatment, exercise in the yard, the next man and learning of his suicide, the treatment by the guards, cuffed and turning, cuffed at the back, meals? The taunting by the guards? Scenes of Nancy reading the manuscript? The second manuscript, the descriptions of the torture?

9. The sequences of the interrogations, the Americans, one black, one white, the translator? Good cop, bad cop style? The prolonged interrogations, offering deals?

10. Concerned groups about the internees, New Mexico, Nancy and her practice, Teri as her assistant, approaches made to her for the defence of Slahi? Nancy as a character, age, strict, social concern? Teri as apprentice? The other members in the office?

11. The visits to Guantánamo, strict security, documentation, supervision, sealing documents? The conditions for the interviews, Slahi and his surprise, initial reactions, smiling, sceptical, the development of the relationship between him and the interviewers, with Teri? Persuaded to write his story?

12. The development of the case, the legal aspects and Nancy’s investigations? Her being objective, the effect on him, not just a case but a person? Going to the authorities, the security, the sealed documents, so many with blackout, redacted? The discovery of the confessions, Teri and her behaviour, going to Thanksgiving dinner, Nancy firing? Teri later returning, accepted, working with Nancy?

13. The prosecution, the choice of Stuart Couch, his friendship with the pilot, the meetings with the pilot’s wife, move for justice and some vengeance? His own family, religious background? His military service? The commission, the men on his staff? His making contacts, especially with Neil Buckland, social contact and friendship, the pool game, continually asking him for information, leads, Neil and his reluctance? The co-workers, suspicions, authorisations being removed and their being sacked?

14. The case against Slahi, the documentation, Couch and his frustrations, the authorities and his interviews, their putting him off? His visit to Guantánamo? The encounter with Nancy and the discussions? Growing frustration, Neil giving the information about the torture, documentation, reading it? His conscience? What the religious ceremony and the affirmation of faith and integrity? His resignation?

15. The building up of the case, the judge, the hearings,,Slahi and his speaking via the screen and camera, Nancy and her presentation?

16. The verdict in favour, but his remaining interned for many years, eventual release, the publication of his book? Returning to Mauritania?

17. Back home, cheerful, the actual Slahi and his very Americanised singing of the song?

18. The reality of the internees in Guantánamo? American motivations? American treatment? The issue of torture and its being banned? American justice?