The Siege on AllMovie

Documentary filmmakers Bentley Dean and Elise West offer a detailed account of the December 1997-April 1997 Japanese embassy hostage crisis in Lima in this film that turns a critical eye on the Peruvian government's extended confrontation with the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA). Staged during a celebration to mark the birthday of Japanese Emperor Akihito, the raid was intended to force the release of a numerous MRTA prisoners - including late leader Nestor Cerpa's wife Nancy Gloria Gilvonio - and highlight Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori's alleged human rights abuses. Extensive video footage of the ordeal combines with survivor testimonies to paint a vivid picture of an incident that made headlines around the world.