Based on Mohamedou Ould Slahi's book, adapted by 'M.B. Traven' aka Michael Bronner* (also a producer), Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani, originally called Guantanamo Diary, then during production Prisoner 760, arguably a better title than the one we have now. It's a great screenplay - the unseen man from Marseille, the legal assistant quitting, the great scene where both defendant and prosecutor learn of his torture at the same time (through different means), the friendly jailer.
Tahar Rahim is brilliant in the lead role (back in prison again after A Prophet), and it's a true pleasure to see Jodie Foster back on top form, though Benedict Cumberbatch (himself one of the producers) and Shailene Woodley are also great.
Editing (Justine Wright) and photography (Alwin Küchler) good too, in widescreen and 4x3 for the flashbacks.
I think grandfather Pressburger would have been proud of his grandson's achievements, of which this is perhaps the highlight. (Won Oscar in 2000 for One Day In September and BAFTA for Touching the Void in 2004.) It also stands as a fierce criticism of US politics generally and Guantanamo Bay specifically. Jodie won the Golden Globe, but surprisingly wasn't nominated by BAFTA, though Rahim, screenplay and film were; but the film was completely ignored by the American Academy, I suppose on political grounds, which is a big joke.
* What's this all about, I wonder? B. Traven was the mysterious writer of Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
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