Two men protest against «Capturing The Friedmans»

«Capturing the Friedmans» is a documentary set in the late 1980's about the Friedman family, who deal with father Arnold and son Jesse Friedman as they are accused and then convicted of child abuse. The movie has been nominated for a Best Documentary Oscar this year, but not everyone is thrilled.

Two men have protested in an open letter against the Oscar nomination of the documentary film «Capturing the Friedmans». The two, who are 24 and 27 respectively, claim they were both abused by Jesse Friedman and cannot comprehend why he is being turned into a hero. «If this film does win an Oscar, it will be won at the expense of silencing the plaintive voices of abused children once again, just as our own voices were silenced 16 years ago by the threats and intimidation of our tormentors, Arnold and Jesse Friedman.» Director Andrew Jarecki is unmoved by the complaint, saying the film is balanced and that he represents both the family's and the abused children's side. Whether «Capturing The Friedmans» wins an Oscar will be decided on February 29.