NFB Collection
Confessions of an Innocent Man
20071 h 29 min 27 secFilm: Documentary
Direction: David Paperny
Production: Terence McKeownDavid PapernyCal ShumiatcherTrevor HodgsonCatherine TaitTracey Friesen (National Film Board of Canada)Rina Fraticelli
Produced by Paperny Films in co-production with the National Film Board of Canada, in association with CTV Television, with the assistance of the Province of British Columbia Film Incentive BC and with the assistance of the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit.
Confessions of an Innocent Man, directed by Academy Award®-nominated David Paperny, is a raw exposé that examines William Sampson's harrowing experience while imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for a crime he did not commit.
Sampson, who was working as a business consultant in Saudi Arabia at the time of his sudden arrest, belonged to a community of western ex-pats who worked hard and played hard. He, along with several other men, was charged with the terrorist bombing and murder of a fellow western ex-pat in December of 2000. With no evidence of his guilt, and despite pleading his innocence, Sampson was repeatedly tortured and received no counsel or visitation by his government until after his captors got what they wanted: a confession.
Bill Sampson's shocking forced admission was broadcast around the world. He was then sentenced to death by public beheading but the cycle of physical and psychological violence would continue. Over time, Sampson's prison behaviour grew increasingly bizarre. Rejecting various Canadian government envoys, and pushing away his father, he set out to make himself as offensive as possible to his captors. Sampson refused to be clothed. He destroyed his cell at every opportunity, and eventually smeared himself and the walls of his prison cell with his own excrement. It was these acts of defiance - despite the brutality and solitary confinement - that Sampson believes preserved his sanity.
Finally freed after a total of 31 months, one burning question remains unanswered: Where was the Canadian government, and why wasn't more done to help? Today Sampson continues to fight to clear his name and hold the Saudi government accountable for his inhumane and illegal treatment.
Captured in high definition, Confessions of an Innocent Man is an unforgettable testament to one man's struggle to survive injustice, brutality, and the geo-politics that condone them.
Availability
Subject categories
- Law and Crime > CrimesHuman RightsMurderPrisons and Prisoners
- Politics and Government - Canada > International Relations
- Politics and Government > Middle East and the Arab WorldPolitical Repression
Credits
- director
- David Paperny
- narrator
- Martin Sheen
- narration writer
- Ian Gill
- David Paperny
- producer
- Terence McKeown
- David Paperny
- Tracey Friesen
- executive producer
- Cal Shumiatcher
- Trevor Hodgson
- Catherine Tait
- Rina Fraticelli
- executive in charge of production
- Louise Clark
- Bob Culbert
- editor
- Lara Mazur
- director of photography
- Todd Elyzen
- original music composer
- Ben Mink
- Schaun Tozer
- music producer
- Ben Mink
- Schaun Tozer
- production designer
- David Fischer
- associate producer
- Lisa Nault
- archival research
- Paula Sawadsky
- clearances
- Paula Sawadsky
- sound design
- Miguel Nunes
- sound supervision
- Miguel Nunes
- post-production supervisor
- John Christie
- online editor
- Tyler Hill
- research
- Laurie Few
- graphic effects
- Ian Kirby
- Caleb Bouchard
- still photography
- Rosamond Norbury
- colourist
- Claudio Sepulveda
- first assistant editor
- Tyler J. Smart
- assistant editor
- Tuyet Le
- production manager
- Lisa Nault
- sound recordist
- Patrick Brereton
- Brent Calkin
- field producer
- Genny Masterman
- additional camera
- Mike Adams
- Larry Carey
- Phil Geyelin
- Doug Pike
- grip
- Terry Kim
- John Sillitoe
- additional sound
- André Boisvert
- Bruce Cameron
- Mark Wilson
- makeup
- Nicole Harvey
- John L. Healy
- hair
- Nicole Harvey
- John L. Healy
- re-recording mixer
- Miguel Nunes
- dialogue editor
- Gina Mueller
- ambiance editor
- Jeff Shannon
- audio engineer
- Brett Rothfield
- production accountant
- Denny McArthur
- accounting assistant
- Carleen Jurincic
- Jamie Falconer
- corporate finance
- Cecile Peyret
- business affairs
- Trevor Hodgson
- Emma Blake
- director of development
- Aynsley Vogel
- development coordinator
- Tammy Lawrence
- legal services
- Eric Shipman
- insurance
- Jones Brown
- transcriber
- Trace Sitter
- Maureen Ritchie
- production assistant
- Mike Dinsmore
- Trisha Mitrocsak
- Rachel Warick
- Sasha Wade
- Jeremy Wilcox
- Emma Avery
- intern
- Nimisha Mukerji
- casting director
- Dorothy Szymanska
- actor
- Brent Stait
- assistant director
- Jeff Mosuk
- set decorator
- Linda Vipond
- stunt coordinator
- Phil Chiu
- additional actor
- Zeus Ghadban
- Babek Haleky
- Ahmad Sharmrou
- Tony Ali
- Jasbir Singh
- storyboard artist
- Vern Giammartino
- 1st camera assistant
- Simon Jori
- 2nd camera assistant
- Lewis Bennett
- key grip
- Steve Larsen
- best boy grip
- Sandy MacDonald
- key gaffer
- Donnie Allen
- best boy electric
- Nathan Allen
- makeup assistant
- Danielle Fowler
- hair assistant
- Danielle Fowler
- set dresser
- Ross Wahl
- props master
- Nick Dibley
- props assistant
- Jake Miller
- costume designer
- Fiona Boyle
- script supervisor
- Laura Murdoch
- Lisa Rerrie
- set construction
- Camel Productions
- catering
- Shooting Star
- craft service
- Renata Lisicka
Awards
- Best Biography Documentary ProgramGemini Awards