Strange Culture

Strange Culture brings to the foreground the very real implications of the Bush administration's post 9/11 policies. It tells the story of Steve Kurtz, an artist whose work combines science and art, who woke up one morning in 2004 with his wife, having suffered a heart attack, dead in bed next to him. However, when the emergency services arrive they find the scientific apparatus that Kurtz uses for his artwork, which includes various bacteria samples. So, what began as a tragic incident escalated into a terrorist suspect investigation.

This film combines real-life interviews with graphic interpretations and acted reconstructions (Tilda Swinton and Thomas Ray Ryan star). Legislation such as The Patriot Act is not painted in its official role as an aid to national security, but rather as an infringement upon basic personal freedom. It asks the American public to question just how much privacy they are willing to relinquish in order to stave off the terrorist threat. And it appears that in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, many were willing to make such sacrifices for the greater good. However, in an increasingly sceptical climate, one sees how many are beginning to question the realistic benefits of such an intrusive governmental presence.

If Steve Kurtz’s story is anything to go by it seems that a line has been crossed, and at this stage there is little indication that the US government has any intention of retreating.