Late in the 20th century, in response to repeated mass atrocities around the world, more than 120 countries united to form the International Criminal Court (ICC)—the first permanent court created to prosecute perpetrators (no matter how powerful) of crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide. The Reckoning follows dynamic ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo and his team for 3 years across 4 continents as he issues arrest warrants for Lord’s Resistance Army leaders in Uganda, puts Congolese warlords on trial, shakes up the Colombian justice system, and charges Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir with genocide in Darfur, challenging the UN Security Council to arrest him. Building cases against genocidal criminals presents huge challenges, and the Prosecutor has a mandate but no police force. At every turn, he must pressure the international community to muster political will for the cause. Like a deft thriller, The Reckoning keeps you on the edge of your seat, in this case with two riveting dramas—the prosecution of unspeakable crimes and the ICC’s fight for efficacy in its nascent years. As this tiny court in The Hague struggles to change the world and forge a new paradigm for justice, innocent victims suffer and wait. Will the Prosecutor succeed? Will the world ensure that justice prevails?
Pamela Yates, Director
Pamela Yates is the recipient of a 2008 Guggenheim Fellowship. She is the Director of the Sundance Award winning “When the Mountains Tremble”, the Producer of the Emmy Award winning “Loss of Innocence”, and the Executive Producer of the Academy Award winning “Witness to War”.
She is currently directing “The Reckoning”, a feature length documentary film and educational initiative about the International Criminal Court. Filming is taking place on 4 continents and in 6 languages. Most recently she directed “State of Fear” (2005), a feature length documentary that tells the epic story of Peru’s 20-year “war on terror” based on the findings of the Peruvian Truth and Reconciliation Commission. “State of Fear” has been translated into 48 languages and broadcast in 157 countries. Before that she directed “Presumed Guilty”, a two hour primetime PBS special about the ethical and moral dilemmas faced by the San Francisco public defenders in their quest for justice. She produced, directed and co-wrote “Cause for Murder”, which was commissioned by the PBS international series “Wide Angle” (2002). The film explores the cost of political bravery in the lives and deaths of two young Mexican lawyers, Digna Ochoa and Marigeli Tamés. In 2000 she produced and directed “Brotherhood of Hate” a study of violent white supremacy, broadcast on the Showtime Networks. “Brotherhood of Hate” and “Cause for Murder” were both co-productions with The New York Times.
Pamela also produced and directed (with Peter Kinoy) a trilogy of films about poor peoples’ movements in America called “Living Broke in Boom Times”. The films were: “Takeover”, (Official selection Sundance 1991) “Poverty Outlaw”, (Official selection Sundance 1995) and the Independent Television Service presentation “Outriders” on PBS (1999). She directed what is thought to be the first music video made in China, “No More Disguises”, with troubajor Ciu Jian, which was filmed in Tianamen Square at the dawn of the democracy movement. It was named by Rolling Stone as one of the 10 best music videos of 1989, and had its U.S. premiere at the New York Film Festival’s opening night.
Pamela is a co-founder of Skylight Pictures, Inc.