State Department assigns "cultural diplomats"
AFI and the U.S. Department of State, among others, have announced a group of filmmakers participating in this year's AFI Project 20/20, a team charged with infiltrating foreign countries with their indie film propaganda. Last year a similar exchange group screened their work in Kuwait, South Africa, Israel and Kazakhstan, as well as such international hot-spots as St. Louis, Miami, and Salt Lake City.
What is the State Department saying with this selection of films? One need only look at some of the titles to uncover the hidden, right-wing agenda: AFGHAN MUSCLE directed by Andreas Mol Dalsgaard (Denmark); PLEASE VOTE FOR ME directed by Weijun Chen (China); AMERICAN FORK directed by Chris Bowman (USA); and BIG RIG directed by Doug Pray (USA).
Also included are CYRANO FERNANDEZ directed by Alberto Arvelo (Venezuela) and FARO - GODDESS OF THE WATERS directed by Salif Traore (Mali).
Also involved are the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Michael Jones is the film festival editor at Variety.com. 
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