Croat documentary claiming genocide on PBS

[Pierce]

A documentary is set to air on the American public television depicting WWII Croatians as victims of genocide in hands of communists. During WWII, Croatia was an ally of Hitler and engaged in extermination of Serbs and Jews in several Croat-run concentration camps.

Titled Freedom From Despair, the documentary features actor Michael York, John Savage, Beata Pozniak and politician Dennis Kucinich narrating alleged Croatian victimhood during WWII.

"Brenda Brkusic’s award winning film uncovers the long history of suppression and abuse of the Croatian people and their struggle for independence from communist Yugoslavia,' states the promotional flyer.

The documentary will air on January 24, 2008 at 9:00 pm PDT by KOCE TV. The station manager is asking for support by viewers by their calling a number at the station as a sign of approval.

According to the email we obtained, the director of the film Brenda Brkusic says that she expects "this screening of Freedom from Despair on KOCE-TV to be as successful as the Armenian Genocide film that aired on KOCE-TV last year. Immediately after the Armenian film, KOCE listed a phone number for viewers to call to support the film. Hundreds of people from the SoCal Armenian Community called the KOCE phone number. This is our once in a lifetime chance to show support for the film that shows the genocide of the Croatian people on TV. Five million people will be watching. Will you be one of the people watching and calling in to show your support of our Croatian story on PBS?"