Shari -- You targetted everything except the one substantive point he presented, as an explicit frame for his narrative: They wouldn't let him make a phone call, and he says he was assured that the papers were in order before he undertook his flight. By his account, he went through a good deal of effort checking whether he needed a "transit visa." While he drags in all of humanity, the fundamental frame for his account is constituted by the above points, which are reasonable demonstrations of at least futility and perhaps impracticality in the way he and the rest of the lot he was thrown among were being treated. This is on the basis of his account, of course. But while he certainly does play on his award and the standing of his "cinematic gifts," that's only a straw man in your critique, given that he framed his account in terms of having thought he had clearance and not being able to settle matters with a phone call. Seth Johnson ---- Online resources for film/TV studies may be found at ScreenSite http://www.tcf.ua.edu/ScreenSite