Filmmakers must pay close attention to what happens in their environment because they never know what event can trigger a great story.
Director Scott Z. Burns is no stranger to this maxim, because after reading an article by journalist Katherine Eban in Vanity Fair, published in 2007, the idea of a film began to take shape in his head.
When learning about the way in which two psychologists- James Mitchell and Bruce Jessen- became the architects of the CIA's "enhanced interrogation" program (as a result of the September 11, 2001 attack), he realized there was something that didn’t sound good.
Even more so since both professionals had no experience in that field. That is why upon reading the torture report made by Daniel J. Jones, he decided to take this incredible story to theaters.
Scott Z. Burns. Curiosity as an engine of creation
Burns recalls: “While I was investigating, I noticed that Daniel J. Jones's name appeared as the main author of the report, so I contacted Senator Dianne Feinstein's office (played in the film by Annette Bening) and left my number in case Dan agreed to talk to me.”
The origin of a new film began to take shape. The story stars Adam Driver and sheds light on the violation of human rights by the United States after the attacks on the World Trade Center.
