Coverup: Behind the Iran Contra Affair is the third feature-length documentary produced by the Empowerment Project.
The shadow government of assassins, arms dealers, drug smugglers, former CIA operatives and top US military personnel who were running foreign policy unaccountable to the public, revealing the Reagan/Bush administration's plan to use FEMA to institute martial law and ultimately suspend the Constitution. Strikingly relevant to current events.

EP generated unprecedented distribution success with Coverup, using contacts developed during distribution of EP's first two films, Destination Nicaragua and Viva La Paz.

The film has won numerous awards and critical acclaim:

The Los Angeles Times calls Coverup "chillingly lucid and consistent." The Chicago Tribune says It Is "calm.coherent and persuasive...." while the Denver Post calls It "a challenging piece, very much worth seeing, no matter whatyour politics."

Coverup exposes several of the most disturbing chapters in the history of U.S. covert foreign policy. It presents a tale of politics, drugs, hostages, weapons, assassinations, covert operations and the ultimate plan to suspend the U.S.Constitution. Coverup was the first film to reveal the 'October Surprise' hostage deal (the Reagan/Bush campaigndeal with Iran to delay the release of the 52 American hostages until after the 1980 election), and is the only film which presents a comprehensive overview of the most important stories suppressed during the Iran Contra hearings. It is the only film that puts the entire Iran Contra affair into a meaningful political and historical context. The 1988 film is updated with information from recent court cases and events, reconfirming much of the material presented.
Coverup won the American Film & Video Association, Blue Ribbon Award for Best Documentary. Social Issues;National Education Film & Video Festival, Crystal Apple for Best Documentary, Social & Political Issues; Golden HugoBest Independent Video, Chicago International Film Festival; the Prix Du Public for Best Documentary. Women's International Film Festival (Films DC Femmes, Paris, France); Gold Award for Best Video Documentary, Philadelphia International Film Festival Int'l Assn. of Motion Pictures & TV Producers).

Coverup was released in theaters in 80 cities across the United States in 1988-89. It was the subject of 200 local radio shows and 150 newspaper articles, including reviews, news stories, and editorials. In almost every city where the film showed, the audience participated in a question and answer/discussion period following each screening, and a direct action organizing campaign. During the height of its theatrical release,Coverup was screening in 35 towns simultaneously, creating a venue for over 150 organizing meetings per week.