Talk:The Mauritanian

How true to life?
How true to real events is the content of this film? 173.88.246.138 (talk) 08:15, 19 April 2021 (UTC)

True Story?
I made a simple change to this page, deleting the word “true” from the introductory paragraph that was subsequently reverted by M.Bitton] for no defendable reason. There are a variety of factually-based sources on the movie’s subject’s Wiki page ([[Mohamedou Ould Slahi) that confirm his status as a known terrorist who had his hands in a variety of terrorist attacks, including 9/11. Of course, in his near-fictional “memoir”, he denies all, despite publicly accessible overwhelming evidence of his guilt. His imprisonment at Guantanamo, the very root of both his “memoir” and this derivative movie, was an extended one for a reason: He was guilty, he was a knowledgeable and cooperative source, he was a model prisoner, and he was considered likely to return to terrorist activities if released. Calling this movie a “true story” in a WikiPage that reads somewhat like an advertisement desecrates the graves of his thousands of victims, none of whom can speak for themselves. Let’s stick to facts and get this one right. CarlitosCorazon 10:15, 20 September 2021 (UTC)
 * reverted by M.Bitton for no defendable reason The reason is based on WP policies: you replaced what is easily attributable to WP:RS with your WP:OR. M.Bitton (talk) 18:28, 20 September 2021 (UTC)

And as discussed on your talk page (talk), that comment was and is purposely misleading. You made a mistake and are apparently incapable of owning it. CarlitosCorazon 21:56, 20 September 2021 (UTC)

This movie is based on a largely fictional memoir and is not factual
I am disputing the veracity of this movie and its source material Guantanamo Diary. M.Bitton believes that a “memoir” or a script is “true” unless a referenced source states otherwise. That implies that all movies and television shows “based on a true story” are, in fact, true. (Under that construct, for example, every movie or television show about Jesse James is presumed to be completely true.) In this case, the book and the derivative script are patently false as INCLUDED references to various U.S. Government documents demonstrate. As the USG is not in the business of writing reviews of movies or “memoirs”, M.Bitton wants us to rely on the memoir’s author or the movie’s producers’ claim that both are factual… but they’re not. The result is that Wikipedia is knowingly publishing known fiction as fact. And that policy(?) error diminishes the world’s greatest encyclopedic knowledge base to the level of “alternate facts”. I will not be party to this fraud. CarlitosCorazon 13:46, 21 September 2021 (UTC)

M.Bitton, agree or disagree? And rationale please. 92.56.165.231 (talk) 08:49, 30 September 2021 (UTC)


 * You might have a point if the article stated that the film was a "true story", but the phrase "based on a true story" is widely understood to mean that some fictionalized elements have been included. I doubt there exists a single film "based on a true story" which hasn't done this to a greater or lesser degree.


 * In any case, including your phrase "uncorroborated and likely false "recollections"" in the lede is unacceptable. If you feel strongly about the issue, you're welcome to introduce a new section to the article pointing out in detail with citations which aspects of the film are demonstrably fictional. Barry Wom (talk) 09:48, 30 September 2021 (UTC)

Fellow detainee from Marseilles
Can we add information to this article about the character in this film who was a fellow detainee from Marseilles, France (detainee no. 241)? 76.190.213.189 (talk) 02:40, 22 January 2024 (UTC)

To add to article
To add to this article: the film features music by the major Mauritanian traditional musician Noura Mint Seymali, who also appears in one scene performing with her band. 76.190.213.189 (talk) 05:03, 22 January 2024 (UTC)