Results are in - What are FAOs watching during Quarantine?
you voted, and here is the official list!
We took nominations from FAOA members to see which movies were your favorites for their depictions of other regions, culture, and language, or just for fun. Once the nominations were in, we then opened up voting to see if there was consensus. No surprise, Lawrence of Arabia won hands down in every category. So now we know definitively that the official recommended movie, for any new FAOA, is Lawrence of Arabia!
But beyond that, there were several interesting stand outs in each category, so here are the films that scored 3 votes or more (out of 64). Also, at the bottom, we’ve included some of the commentary from FAOA members who wanted to put in a plug for one of their favorites that might be worth an honorable mention.
Best FAOA Film overall
The Man who would be King
The Winds of War
Queen of the Desert
Favorite Film portraying the skill sets and traits of FAOs, like language and culture
The Last Samurai
Thirteenth Warrior
7 Years in Tibet
ARGO
Dances with Wolves
The Winds of War
Favorite film portraying realistic language and cultural nuances of another part of the world
The Last Samurai
Lost in Translation
Battle of Algiers
The Year of Living Dangerously
Favorite film regardless of relevance to FAO work... anything goes:
Dr. Strangelove
Black Hawk Down
Charlie Wilson's War
The Bourne Identity
Doctor Zhivago
FAOA Members Also Give Two Thumbs Up to…
“The Hunt for Red October, perhaps more than any other film describes what sets America apart from her adversaries.”
“Dr Strangelove: This movie will give you plenty of great one-liners to snark with friends and foes alike!”
“Similar film [to Lawrence of Arabia], set in 17th Century Montreal, is about the clash of cultures and the failure of an evangelistic French "FAO" Jesuit to change another culture: Black Robe, filmed 1991. Also check out Branagh's "Conspiracy" on HBO about the Wannsee Conference in January 1942.”
“The Winds of War demonstrates how to become a highly effective military attache and that by developing the right contacts and modus operandi, a military attache can either have a major impact on the relationship between the host nation and the US, and/or can provide national leadership with the information necessary to make key decisions.”
“Game of Thrones- paying attention to the role of advisors and balancing Or reconciling support to leadership’s intent with personal outlook as well as the limits of or unintended consequences of FAO inputs (regional knowledge and ally military equipment employment.”
“Casablanca. Classic on resistance and not-quite ear.”
“Good morning Vietnam, great example of the importance of cultural nuances and necessity for understanding the local language.”
“Winds of War - To appreciate the genius of Pug Henry!”
“Not a film, but a tv series: Both Doctor Who and Star Trek should be essential FAO viewing. They both feature as a primary theme tactful and respectful diplomacy combined with a dedication to a mission defined by humanism and respect for the sanctity of peoples lives and cultures.”
“ARGO - illustrates the need for calmness under pressure, the value of knowing the mind set of your opponent (i.e. fondness for sci-fi movies) and ingenuity in using that knowledge to accomplish the mission.”
“Thirteenth Warrior displays FAO skill sets well despite the strange plot -- but Lawrence of Arabia is the classic FAO film overall and it is a true story!”
“Avatar... FAO is bigger than just mankind.”
“Queen of the Desert - Gertrude Bell.....what an interesting and amazing person. All FAOs can learn something from her.”
“I definitely recommend 7 years in Tibet the book, in the original German if you can, but the book and movie are great together.”
“Battle of Algiers.. best film on urban guerrilla warfare out there... must see for all present & future FAOs”
“The Patriot - how not to treat your enemies”
“7 years in Tibet A great movie that shows the good side of total immersion and going native while contributing from the best of one's own culture.”
“The Battle of Algiers is a masterpiece which examines identity, language, terrorism and the efforts to stop it, as well as employing many FLN leaders to reprise their roles.”
“Midway (2019) shows a FAO by any other name, doing what a FAO does: Speaking to a key military officer in that officer's language, and gaining insights no one else, without a FAO's training, would have managed.”
“Amazon Prime Jack Ryan series - well made, close to current content, IC - interagency play”
“The Hunt for Red October is a gripping story of the inability of most to recognize the personal motives behind a deeply political action, and how those personal motives may be outside the established career progression of a government official of a foreign state.”
“Lafayette - great US history about a French FAO that helped our country win its independence”
“Enemy Mine may not seem relevant to FAOs at first and the sci-fi genre may turn off some more interested in real world cultural interactions, but FAOs regardless of AOC can relate to the characters as military combatants who learn to empathize, cooperate, and appreciate each other's cultures.”
“History of the World to 1500, Dr Bulliet, Columbia U (iTunes, YouTube).”
“The Siege of Jadotville - A little known true story of the gallant stand of a reinforced company of Irish UN peacekeepers who fight against Katangese forces and mercenaries after the assassination of Congolese Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba and the outbreak of civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
“Last of the Mohicans (1993). Adapting to warfare on a new continent and bridging the divide between cultures.”
“Chef's Table-Netflix..... The world through the eyes of top Notch chefs”
"More realistic in terms of FAO-relevant skills and character when operating in the field, rather than inside an embassy or major HQ. FYI, the correct title of the film is ""Go tell the Spartans,"" starring Burt Lancaster as the ill-fated US Army advisor to an ARVN infantry unit (with which role I can relate from similar tours in the CENTCOM AOR).”
“Merrill's Marauders. Our FAO Founder and 5th Director at DIA played “Bannister” and on crew as Technical Advisor (LTG Samuel Vaughan Wilson)”
“Geronimo - Great example of a solider understanding a foreign culture and speaking the language.”
“Watch Babel—it shows how an action is interconnected, spanning countries and continents...the storyline is interesting too, as is the all star cast.”
“Stop Train 349 shows FAOs with the United States Military Liaison Mission working with Soviet authorities in East Germany.”
“The 39 Steps - a Hitchcock film from 1935 about a man caught in an international espionage plot.”
“The Mission (1986), about life and Spanish rule in the Tri-Border Region of South America three centuries ago. I nominated it, but it wasn't included on the list for some reason. It's the best movie for Latin America FAOs to watch because it's all about history, language, religion, music, imperialism, colonialism, indigenous rights, and human respect; I showed it often in my LATAM elective at National Intelligence University to adoring student audiences.”
“1999 Earth directed by Deepha Mehta. Outlines some of the root causes for religious divisions that were left unaddressed as the India-Pakistan partition of 1947 was enacted. These divisions fueled the creation of one of the most dangerous powderkegs in the world that continues to pose a risk to global stability to this day, the India-Pakistan rivalry.”
“The Bourne Identity (franchise) demonstrates the competencies, comfort, and situational awareness the FAO skill set is endeavored to provide—enabling one to quickly adapt and thrive in various foreign cultures.”
“Denis Villeneuve's *Arrival* shows how critically important understanding cultural underpinnings are to understanding a foreign language; good translation involves not just translating words but also simultaneously translating culture.”
Quotable Quotes
Star Wars, Episode One - "TC-14 : The Ambassadors are Jedi Knights, I believe. DOFINE : I knew it! They were sent to force a settlement, eh. Blind me, we're done for!"