The Panama Deception

The Panama Deception is a 1992 American documentary film that won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.[1] The film is critical of the actions of the U.S. military during the 1989 invasion of Panama, covering the conflicting reasons for the invasion. It also highlighted media bias within the United States, showing events that were unreported or systematically misreported, including downplaying the number of civilian casualties. It was directed by Barbara Trent, written and edited by David Kasper, and narrated by actress Elizabeth Montgomery. It was a production of the Empowerment Project.

The Panama Deception
Directed by	Barbara Trent
Written by	David Kaspar
Narrated by	Elizabeth Montgomery
Music by	Chuck Wild
Cinematography	Manuel Becker Michael Dobo
Production company	Empowerment Project
Distributed by	Empowerment Project
Release date	July 31, 1992 (1992-07-31)
Running time	91 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

The film asserts that the U.S. government invaded Panama primarily to destroy the PDF, the Panamanian Defense Forces, who were perceived as a threat to U.S. control over Panama, and to install a government friendly to U.S. interests. The film includes footage of mass graves uncovered after the American troops had withdrawn, burned down neighborhoods, alludes to the use of beam and other experimental weapons, as well as depictions of some of the 20,000 refugees who fled the fighting.