A new film, Atonement, tells the story of a US Marine whose mistake at a chaotic Baghdad intersection during the first Iraq War left three civilians dead and led to years of guilt, trauma and attempts at reconciliation.
The Marine opened fire on a family driving through the intersection after shots were fired in several directions. The gunfire killed three members of the family.
The film follows his long-simmering remorse and his extended effort to contact the surviving relatives, in the hope of finding some form of reconciliation for what happened.
The story behind Atonement
Atonement is based on a true story and draws on a New Yorker article written by Dexter Filkins. Reed Van Dyk, who produced and directed the film, and actor Boyd Holbrook, who stars in it, joined Filkins to discuss the project on The Takeout.
The film focuses on the Marine’s struggle to live with the consequences of the shooting, as well as his efforts to reach the family affected by the deaths.
