Director: 'Chicago 10' not just about 1968

CHICAGO -- The director of a documentary about the Chicago trial of anti-war protesters almost 40 years ago says the film is meant to be applicable to present day as well.

Brett Morgen's film, "Chicago 10," is named for the eight defendants in the notorious prosecution of political protesters following riots outside the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago -- and for two defense attorneys who were charged with crimes during the trial.

"The idea," Morgen told the New York Daily News, "was that the more I made it about 1968, the less relevant it would become. My approach was taking a story about 1968 and adapting it to the time I was in."

The 1968 demonstration was against the Vietnam War and ended with a violent clash between protesters and Chicago police. Morgen said he hoped his version of the events, which mixes animation with archival footage, would honor the "Chicago 10" and inspire young viewers.

"I wanted to hopefully inspire this generation, or at least show them an example of young people who were so committed to their cause that they were willing go into an ambush to get their point across," he told the newspaper.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.