The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers is a 2009 documentary film directed by Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith. The film follows Daniel Ellsberg

Daniel Ellsberg

Daniel Ellsberg, PhD, is a former United States military analyst who, while employed by the RAND Corporation, precipitated a national political controversy in 1971 when he released the Pentagon Papers, a top-secret Pentagon study of U.S. government decision-making in relation to the Vietnam War,...

 and explores the events leading up to the publication of the Pentagon Papers

Pentagon Papers

The Pentagon Papers, officially titled United States – Vietnam Relations, 1945–1967: A Study Prepared by the Department of Defense, is a United States Department of Defense history of the United States' political-military involvement in Vietnam from 1945 to 1967...

, which exposed the top-secret military history of the United States involvement in Vietnam

Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...

.

The film was shown on the PBS

Public Broadcasting Service

The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....

 series POV in 2010, for which it earned a Peabody Award

Peabody Award

The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...

.

Nominated

• Academy Award 2010
  83rd Academy Awards
  The 83rd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences , honored the best films of 2010 and took place February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. During the ceremony, Academy Awards ...
  
   - Best Documentary Feature

Won

International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam

• Special Jury Award

Palm Springs International Film Festival

Palm Springs International Film Festival

Palm Springs International Film Festival is a film festival held in Palm Springs, California. It was started in 1989 and is held annually in January...

• Audience Award Best Documentary

National Board of Review, USA

• Freedom of Expression Award

Mill Valley Film Festival

Mill Valley Film Festival

The Mill Valley Film Festival is an annual, non-competitive film festival presented by the California Film Institute. Known as a filmmakers’ festival, the annual Mill Valley Film Festival offers a non-competitive environment for exhibiting independent and world cinema.Founded in 1978 by MVFF...

, USA

• Audience Award Best Documentary

San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, USA

• Best In Fest

Boulder International Film Festival

Boulder International Film Festival

Boulder International Film Festival sponsored by the Colorado Film Society, is held annually on Presidents Day Weekend in Boulder, Colorado USA, and has developed a reputation as one of the most influential young film festivals in the U.S., with an extraordinary number of new-but-unknown feature...

, USA

• Best Feature Documentary

It's All True Film Festival, Brazil

• Audience Award Best Documentary

Fresno Film Festival, USA

• Audience Award Best Documentary

Sydney Film Festival

Sydney Film Festival

The Sydney Film Festival is an annual film festival held in the Australian city of Sydney and is held over 12 days in June. The competitive film festival draws international and local attention, with films being showcased in several venues across the city centre and includes features,...

, Australia

• Best Documentary

Mendocino Film Festival, USA

• Audience Choice Award Co-Winner

Docaviv Film Festival, Israel

• Special Jury Mention

Traverse City Film Festival

Traverse City Film Festival

The Traverse City Film Festival is an annual film festival held every late July through early August in Traverse City, Michigan. The festival was created as an annual event in 2005 to help “save one of America's few indigenous art forms—the cinema." The event was co-founded by Michael Moore, the...

, USA

• Audience Award Best Documentary

American Historical Association

American Historical Association

The American Historical Association is the oldest and largest society of historians and professors of history in the United States. Founded in 1884, the association promotes historical studies, the teaching of history, and the preservation of and access to historical materials...

, USA

• John O'Connor Film Award

History Makers Award, USA

• Best History Production

External links

• Zinn Education Project: A Teaching Guide for The Most Dangerous Man in America