Broken Promises: The United Nations at 60 (2005)

The history of the United Nations highlighting the gap between the good intentions and ideals of its inception and the sad reality of its present state of inefficiency and corruption.

Overview
The movie "Broken Promises: The United Nations at 60" is a documentary released in 2005, directed by Kevin Knoblock. Produced by Citizens United, it scrutinizes the United Nations (UN) at its 60th anniversary, critiquing the company's efficiency and reliability. The film offers a thorough analysis of the numerous problems facing the UN consisting of problems of corruption, inefficiency, and bureaucracy.

Main Argument
The central argument of the film is that the UN, in spite of its excellent intentions, has failed to live up to its original promise of preserving peace and promoting human rights globally due to inherent structural defects. The film recollects numerous occurrences where the UN was not able to prevent genocide and mass atrocities, mentioning the horrors dealt with in Rwanda, Darfur, Bosnia, and Cambodia.

Corruption and Mismanagement
The documentary exposes alleged corruption scandals within the UN, focusing greatly on the Iraqi "Oil-for-Food Program". It alleges that this program, initially meant to help the Iraqi individuals, led to funds being embezzled and diverted to Iraqi totalitarian Saddam Hussein and other officials.

UN's Inefficiency
"Broken Promises: The United Nations at 60" critiques the company's inefficiency. It portrays the UN as a huge administration, packed with needless complexity, which hampers its effectiveness. The documentary explores how this ineffectiveness leads to ravaging repercussions, particularly highlighting the UN's inability to prevent the Rwanda Genocide where around 800,000 people were eliminated.

Sexual Exploitation Allegations
The film also resolves claims of sexual exploitation by UN peacekeeping officials, questioning the stability of the company. It provides instances of peacekeepers allegedly exploiting susceptible females and children in dispute areas.

Reforms Required
The movie concludes by stressing the requirement for significant reforms within the UN to restore its reliability and efficiency. It highlights how failures, corruption, and allegations have lowered the UN's standing globally and argues for sweeping changes to make the organization more transparent, liable, and efficient.

Reception
"Broken Promises: The United Nations at 60" dealt with criticism for its one-sided critique of the UN, with some viewers arguing that it focuses exceedingly on the company's failures while downplaying its successes. Conversely, others appreciated the documentary for shedding light on severe problems afflicting the UN. Regardless of differing opinions, the film has triggered important conversations on the function and value of the United Nations in the contemporary international landscape.

In conclusion, "Broken Promises: The United Nations at 60" is a thought-provoking documentary that seriously reviews the United Nations on its 60th anniversary. By shedding light on issues of corruption, inadequacy, and declared misconduct, it advocates for considerable reforms to make it possible for the company to effectively fulfil its required.

Top Cast

  • Ron Silver (small)
    Ron Silver
    Narrator (voice)
  • Roméo Dallaire
    Self
  • Stephane Dujarric
    Self
  • George Mitchell
    Self
  • Eugenie Mukeshimana
    Self
  • Hasan Nuhanovic
    Self
  • Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (small)
    Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
    Self
  • Anatoly Sharansky
    Self
  • Donald Trump (small)
    Donald Trump
    Self
  • Kofi Annan
    Self (archive footage)