Valentino’s Ghost lays bare the truths behind taboo subjects that are conspicuously avoided, or merely treated as sound bites by the mainstream American media: “Why do they hate us?” “Why do we hate them?” What were the events that led to the 9/11 attacks? What are the politics behind the U.S.-Israeli relationship? Why is there a robust debate about these subjects in Europe, the Arab World and in Israel itself, but not in the United States?

In this updated 100-minute documentary feature film available in full exclusively on AlterNet for one week, a dozen commentators elucidate the reasons behind the lack of a serious national dialogue on these topics, and reveal how the U.S. media and government perpetuate the storylines that create many Americans’ fear and loathing of Arabs, Muslims and Islam.

The updated version of Valentino’s Ghost addresses four current topics that weren’t in existence at the film’s premiere in 2012, offering radically different views from those of our national narrative, addressing such questions as: were the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists engaging in cultural bullying of the weakest ethnic minority in France? Did the 2014 Israeli assault on Gaza seriously damage Israeli’s image abroad when Palestinians were able to upload phone videos of the bombings to the Internet? Are American Armed Forces’ killings and torture more barbaric that that of groups like ISIS? Is the movie American Sniper’s inherent racist viewpoint one reason for its phenomenal popularity?

The foreign correspondents reporting from the front, and academics in history and political science, include: Late American essayist and historian Gore Vidal; political scientist and award-winning book author John Mearsheimer, author of The Israel Lobby; celebrated British war correspondent Robert Fisk, historian and media expert Melani McAlister, TV star Tony Shalhoub, media analyist Jack Shaheen and Hollywood writer Alan Sharp, along with biting commentary in performances by comics Maz Jobrani, Aron Kader and Ahmed Ahmed.

Watch the full documentary below: