HBO’S Manhunt at the 2013 Aspen Security Forum

On May 2, 2011, Osama Bin Laden was killed during a covert operation in Abottabad, Pakistan. Now, two years after the death of one of the United States’ most feared adversaries, analysts, advisors, and leaders have begun to reflect on the individual and societal struggles that were overcome during the hunt for Bin Laden.

The 2013 Aspen Security Forum will proudly feature a screening of the HBO documentary Manhunt, an Official Selection of the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Greg Barker and based on Peter Bergen’s Manhunt: The Ten Year Search for Bin Laden From 9/11 to Abbottabad, the documentary tells the riveting story of the CIA’s secret war against Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda.

Manhunt forgoes the glitz and glamour of Zero Dark Thirty to deliver a compelling story of the decade-long search for the United States’ most wanted man. Through interviews and collected news clips, Greg Barker captures the hearts and minds of the men and women who dedicated themselves to finding Bin Laden. While initially focused on “the sisterhood,” a team of female analysts who first began tracking Bin Laden in the early 1990’s, Manhunt expands to include field agents, directors, and military personnel to illustrate the evolution of interest in Bin Laden. The result is a documentary that is dense with emotionally-charged issues, including the moral battles fought over “enhanced interrogation” techniques in U.S. operated “black-sites.”

Following our screening of Manhunt, Director and Producer Greg Barker and Manhunt Author Peter Bergen will discuss how the war against Al Qaeda and other national security challenges are portrayed in the media with CBS News’ Dan Raviv.

We look forward to seeing you in Aspen,

The Aspen Homeland Security Program Team

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