Control Room (2004)
92%RT Audience Score: 87%
Awards & Nominations: 9 wins & 10 nominations
A fascinating, enlightening behind-the-scenes look at the Al Jazeera network.
Control Room” is like watching a reality TV show, but instead of watching people argue over who ate the last slice of pizza, you’re watching journalists navigate the complexities of war and media. It’s a fascinating look at the behind-the-scenes of Al-Jazeera, and how they report on the Iraq War. The documentary doesn’t shy away from the messy and contradictory nature of journalism, but it also shows the emergence of a free press in the Arab world. It’s a must-watch for anyone interested in media and politics, and it’ll make you appreciate the hard work that journalists do (even if they sometimes eat the last slice of pizza).
Production Company(ies)
Twentieth Century Fox,
Distributor
Magnolia Films
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
2004
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby SR
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 25m
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Language(s):Arabic, English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jan 21, 2004 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 15, 2017
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
Control Room, documentary, Arabic, Jehane Noujaim, Rosadel Varela, Hani Salama, Julia Bacha, media bias, Al-Jazeera, war in Iraq, American journalists, high-ranking U.S military officials, media perception, Magnolia Films, Dolby SR, Flat (1.85:1), Josh Rushing, Hassan Ibrahim, Tom Mintier, David Shuster, Nell Minow, Roger Moore, Anthony Lane, Geoff Pevere, Rene Rodriguez, Rick Groen, Armond White, Nick Rogers, Jim Lane, Prairie Miller, Robert Roten, Pablo Villaça, critic reviews, audience reviews, box office, gross USA, budget, MPAA rating, producer, director, writer, reviewed by, starring
Worldwide gross: $2,724,826
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $4,298,376
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,215
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 468,743
US/Canada gross: $2,589,616
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $4,085,084
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,863
US/Canada opening weekend: $27,125
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $42,789
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,260
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Hassan Ibrahim – Self
Tom Mintier – Self
David Shuster – Self
Jehane Noujaim – Director
Julia Bacha – Writer
Rosadel Varela – Producer
Hani Salama – Producer
Director(s)
Jehane Noujaim
Writer(s)
Julia Bacha, Jehane Noujaim
Producer(s)
Rosadel Varela, Hani Salama
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
9 wins & 10 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (111) | Top Critics (37) | Fresh (106) | Rotten (5)
Fascinating documentary for mature older teens+.
December 22, 2010 | Rating: 4/5
Nell Minow
Common Sense Media
TOP CRITIC
The optimistic viewer will see in all this blunt and messy contrariness the emergence of the first free press in the Arab world.
August 13, 2004 | Rating: 4/5
Roger Moore
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
Given that most Americans know the network only by reputation, or via Donald Rumsfeld’s public denunciations of it, a little more objective information would not have gone amiss.
August 1, 2004
Anthony Lane
New Yorker
TOP CRITIC
Noujaim’s documentary is clearly sympathetic to the journalists of Al-Jazeera, who all seem to be professional, intelligent and reasonable, but it is not blindly biased.
July 16, 2004 | Rating: 4/5
Geoff Pevere
Toronto Star
TOP CRITIC
Modest in scope and not as well structured as it could have been, Control Room may not seem all that compelling 10 years down the road. But right now, at this very moment, it is essential, imperative viewing.
July 16, 2004 | Rating: 3.5/4
Rene Rodriguez
Miami Herald
TOP CRITIC
More illuminating than not, and shines its brightest light on a truth that war and warmongers so ferociously ignore: Look hard into the other’s camp and what you’ll likely see is yourself.
July 16, 2004 | Rating: 3/4
Rick Groen
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
Control Room leave viewers susceptible to the deceptions of politicians and media charlatans.
June 28, 2019
Armond White
New York Press
“Control Room” acknowledges wartime journalism sits between objectivity and propaganda, indifference and passion. Neutrality doesn’t exist; to avoid gore is a stance. In a way, it’s TV’s true reality – the impossibility of objective footage of horror.
September 25, 2010 | Rating: 4/4
Nick Rogers
The Film Yap
August 7, 2008 | Rating: 3/5
Jim Lane
Sacramento News & Review
Is simply up to what all journalists should be about in the face of a corporatized, monolithic media – ruffling feathers. This advisory couldn’t have come sooner.
May 21, 2007
Prairie Miller
Long Island Press
Explores the difficulties that journalists face in a war situation better than most films do.
February 1, 2005 | Rating: B
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope
Em um ano que gerou timos filmes como F9/11, Bush’s Brain, The Hunting of the President e Outfoxed, este ainda se destaca como o mais eloqente.
January 31, 2005 | Rating: 5/5
Pablo Villaça
Cinema em Cena…
Plot
A chronicle which provides a rare window into the international perception of the Iraq War, courtesy of Al Jazeera, the Arab world’s most popular news outlet. Roundly criticized by Cabinet members and Pentagon officials for reporting with a pro-Iraqi bias, and strongly condemned for frequently airing civilian causalities as well as footage of American POWs, the station has revealed (and continues to show the world) everything about the Iraq War that the Bush administration did not want it to see.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
NA
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