Norwegian Film Producer Apologises

The producer of a viral video showing a Syrian boy rescuing a girl under gunfire apologised on Sunday after the revelation it was fake drew fierce criticism.

“We stand for our good intention behind this but we’re also sorry if it is making some harm and we’re sorry if it makes documentation or reporting in war zones more difficult,” Norwegian producer John Einar Hagen told media.

His apology followed an outcry among Internet users, media outlets and rights organisations about the ethical implication of posting a fake video featuring children in war zones.

In the “Syrian hero boy” footage, directed by 34-year-old Norwegian director Lars Klevberg, a young boy braves sniper fire and appears to be shot while rescuing a girl hiding behind a burned car in what seems to be war-torn Syria.

After posting the film on YouTube on Monday, the director revealed on Friday it had been shot on location in Malta last summer with professional actors.

By the time the director admitted the hoax, the video had been watched more than five million times.

Klevberg said in a statement the idea of the video was “to spur debate, urge action on behalf of innocent children all over the world who are affected by war”.

UK based media “Channel 4” produced similar bogus films in favour of LTTE Tamil terrorists in the name of “Killing Filed” to damage the image of Sri Lanka.

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