'Desert One': Release date, plot, cast, trailer and all you need to know about documentary on Operation Eagle Claw
You might know best about the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis from the 2012 film, 'Argo', directed by Ben Affleck which won the Academy Award for Best Picture that year. The movie was based on the event when CIA Agent Tony Mendez led the rescue of six U.S. diplomats from Tehran, Iran, under the guise of filming a science fiction film during the 1979–1981 Iran hostage crisis. However, not all rescue missions were successful.
A new documentary, 'Desert One' follows Operation Eagle Claw, a failed attempt to rescue the 52 embassy staff held captive at the Embassy of the United States, Tehran. Read on to find out more details about the documentary.
Release date
The movie will be released in virtual theaters on August 21.
Plot
'Desert One' is the story of Americans working together to overcome the most difficult problem in their lives. When 52 American diplomats and citizens were taken hostage inside Iran, the then-President Jimmy Carter secretly green-lights the training for a rescue mission. America’s Special Forces soldiers also find themselves in uncharted territory, planning a top-secret rescue of unprecedented scale and complexity. Driven by deep empathy toward the kidnapped Americans, the heart-pounding and unforeseen events the rescue team participated in will forever unite them.
The film also presents Iranian perspectives on this important moment in their history. A female Iranian crew filmed overlooked accounts inside that country, one from a man who had been an 11-year-old boy riding a bus through the desert on the night of the mission. As tensions once again rise between the governments of Iran and the US, old wounds remain painfully current for many who poignantly detail their recollections in 'Desert One'.
Cast
The documentary film 'Desert One' explores the different aspects of this failed mission through interviews with the hostages, soldiers, commanders, and even President Carter. Those interviewed include former Marine Kevin Hermening, hostage Michael Metrinko, among other personalities. The film includes a wealth of unearthed archival sources, as well as intimate interviews with President Jimmy Carter, Vice President Walter Mondale, Ted Koppel, former hostages, journalists, and Iranian student revolutionaries who orchestrated the take-over of the American Embassy in Tehran.
Director/Producers
'Desert One' was produced by Cabin Creek Films. Barbara Kopple produced and directed the film, with David Cassidy and Eric Forman serving as producers.
Trailer
If you like this, you'll love
'Argo'
'Our Man in Tehran'
'Escape from Iran: The Canadian Caper'
'Zero Days'
'Coup 53'