'Cleared by Fire,' 'New Yorker' Documentary Supported by the Pulitzer Center, Wins a Peabody

“Cleared by Fire,” The New Yorker’s interactive documentary about a U.S. massacre of Iraqi civilians, has received a Peabody Award, one of the most prestigious honors in journalism. The film, directed by Sam Wolson and David Kofahl, visualizes conflicting testimonies about a 2005 rampage in Haditha, where U.S. Marines killed twenty-four Iraqi civilians—without ever facing significant punishment for their actions. Featuring a detailed time line and art by Emiliano Ponzi, “Cleared by Fire” incorporates accounts from Iraqi witnesses and American forces, and focuses in particular on the memories of Khalid Jamal, a Haditha resident who was then fourteen and saw his father and uncles killed.

“Cleared by Fire” was produced as part of the third season of “In the Dark,” The New Yorker’s investigative podcast, which probed the circumstances of the massacre and the American government’s failure to prosecute the perpetrators. The season resulted from four years of reporting and drew on hundreds of sources. “Cleared by Fire” uses government reports, newly obtained photographs, drone footage, and interviews to depict crime scenes in 3-D, juxtaposing contradictory testimonies and shedding new light on what became one of the largest war-crimes cases in American history. The documentary was made with support from the Pulitzer Center.

Wolson previously directed “Reeducated,” a virtual-reality feature that reconstructed a so-called reëducation camp in Xinjiang, China, where the government has sought to suppress Uyghurs and other Turkic and Muslim minorities. “Reeducated” became the first New Yorker project to win a Peabody and an Emmy.

---

As a nonprofit journalism organization, we depend on your support to fund more than 170 reporting projects every year on critical global and local issues. Donate any amount today to become a Pulitzer Center Champion and receive exclusive benefits!

---

“In the Dark” will return with a new series later this year. You can listen to the entirety of its Haditha reporting, and its other acclaimed seasons wherever you get podcasts. New Yorker subscribers can listen ad-free in our app, on iOS or Android.

To receive future episodes, plus in-depth reporting, commentary, humor, and more, sign up for our daily newsletter.