Sean Penn-Produced 'Words Of War', About Assassinated Journalist Anna Politkovskaya, Gets Release Date
"Words of War," a film based on the true story of world-renowned Russian-American journalist and human rights activist Anna Politkovskaya, will be released in theaters nationwide on May 2, to coincide with the United Nations' World Press Freedom Day on May 3.
The film is executive produced by Oscar-winner Sean Penn and U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), primary sponsor of the Journalist Protection Act, which would make intentionally harming a journalist with the intent of intimidating them from doing their job a federal crime.
Directed by Emmy and BAFTA Award-winner James Strong, "Words of War" stars Maxine Peake ("The Village"), Ciarán Hinds ("Game of Thrones"), Jason Isaacs ("White Lotus", "Death of Stalin"), Ian Hart ("Eroica"), Ellie Bamber ("Nocturnal Animals"), Harry Lawtey ("Joker: Folie à Deux," "Industry"), Sophie Simnett ("Daybreak"), and Ben Miles ("Andor," "Diana").
"Words of War is a tribute to Anna Politkovskaya and journalists around the world, whose fearless reporting of savage wars and unvarnished criticism of savage leaders are essential to all our freedoms," Penn said in a statement.
The film follows Politkovskaya's fight to report the news for the Russian people, "putting her own life in jeopardy despite numerous acts of intimidation and violence," according to the official description. The investigative journalist was known for reporting from Chechnya on the Second Chechen War. She survived a poisoning in 2004, only to later be assassinated in an elevator in 2006, drawing international attention.
"You don't have to sacrifice your life as Anna did, but if you can embody her resilience, continue to push boundaries and pursue the truth with the same unwavering dedication, then I promise, we're going to be okay," Swalwell said.
"Every journalist should have the right to report what is happening in the world without fear of death or reprisal," said producer Mark Maxey. "In this era where truth is under siege daily, journalists stand as the last line of defense. Protecting them is not just a duty—it's a fight for freedom itself."
"Words of War" is produced by Good Films Collective and Rolling Pictures, with world rights acquired by Concourse Media.
"This film succeeds beautifully as cinema and its drama will entertain you, while equally serving as a meditation on the ways we can regroup our sense of our own place, of what our voices must do," said Penn. "As Anna herself said, 'there's nothing of value apart from the truth.'"
-- With reporting by TMX
