Out of Competition

THE CARTEL The U.S. Administration and the Oil Industry
Das Kartell



Country of production: Germany
Year: 2002
Language: English, German
Mins: 45

Director: Helmut Grosse
Script: Helmut Grosse
Cinematography: Franz Wagenbach
Editing: Heide Supper
Sound: Christoph Berg
Producer: Heribert Blondiau
Production company: Westdeutscher Rundfunk Koln
Source: Brigitte Mößner
Westdeutscher Rundfunk Koln
Appellhofplatz 1
50600 Koln
GERMANY
Phone: +49 221 220 4726
brigitte.moessner@wdr.de
www.wdr.de

At his inauguration on January 20, 2001, George W. Bush pledged to bring "honor, dignity, and integrity" back to the White House. Yet Bush's rise to power - after a career begun as a Texas oil executive - has opened the door to no one more than people affiliated with the oil and energy industry.

THE CARTEL tracks the evidence dug up by American journalists and lawyers as they try to reveal the networks linking presidential politics and energy industry influence. "Bush is an absolute corporate wet dream," says former Texas Cabinet member and current syndicated columnist Jim Hightower. "Any fantasy that a CEO has can come true if you put money into Bush's political pocket."

Among the connections explored here is that between Bush and disgraced Enron CEO Kenneth Lay. Enron's bankruptcy of course triggered shockwaves that reverberated across the world of finance (including Chicago-based firm Arthur Andersen). Lay was one of the key contributors to Bush's first election campaign, a fact that evokes such questions as: How did Bush repay Lay's generosity? Did Lay exert any influence on energy policy decisions made in the White House? THE CARTEL will not answer all such questions decisively, but it does offer crucial context for addressing them.

Helmut Grosse was born in Hamburg in 1938. He worked as an editor for the main daily news show in Hamburg, and also in the ARD office in Bonn. He was ARD-correspondent in Nairobi, Kenya, for 9 years. He is currently head of Weltspiegel WDR Köln.

filmography as director
(selected)
THE CARTEL (2002)
DAS NIKOTIN-KARTELL (2001)
SUDAN - IM FADENKREUZ DER CIA (2001)
SAFARI DURCH SIMBABWE (1995)
MONROVIA BITTE MELDEN (1991)
SAFARIBUSFAHRER (1990)
ZUERST STERBEN DIE RINDER (1984)



Saturday 10-Apr-2004 1:00 PM Gallery Theatre
Screening with TLATELOLCO
Saturday 17-Apr-2004 7:00 PM Gallery Theatre screening with STORMING THE SUMMIT