The world came to know Mariane Pearl as the widow of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, who was murdered in early 2002. Since that time, Mariane authored, 'A Mighty Heart,' now a major motion picture starring Angelina Jolie.

Q: 'A Mighty Heart' was published in 2003. Why was it important to turn your book into a film?

A: What was important was that the right movie be made, and it was. The filming experience reflects the story that I tell in my book in many ways, as so many people from different walks of life came together with the same purpose. I wrote this book for very specific reasons that I listed in the book’s prologue [such as to do justice to Danny, defy terrorists and inspire others], and the film is respectful of them all. I think everyone involved worked on the project for the right reasons -- as a tribute to Danny as a man and a journalist -- but also to share an experience at a human level within a complex geopolitical context.

At the end of the day this is a movie about our generation and its demons. It introduces the idea that labels mean nothing; all that matters is our behavior as individuals and the way we give life to our deepest beliefs.

Q: How involved were you in the process of making the film, for example, casting Angelina Jolie?

A: I wasn't involved in the making of the film other than having a lot of dialogues with the main people involved to share who I am and why I do things -- as well as talking about Danny and our work as journalists. My main involvement has been trusting Brad Pitt, whom I met when it became clear to me that he understood what would be the purpose of making this movie. He is a man who is deeply conscious of the world; he has the sensitivity and intelligence to understand its most subtle aspects.

The same thing happened with Angelina, whom I met separately. We were both single at the time, raising our sons, who are the same age. I had a very strong intuition about her and about the fact that we could become very close. We come from different backgrounds, but we have a lot in common. This intuition proved right over time.

I asked her to play this role because I knew she could understand me for who I am. She has become one of my dearest friends, with whom I can talk about anything. We also have a very similar sense of humor and commitment to what we hold dear. Otherwise, once I had decided to trust people individually and professionally, I didn't find it necessary to go on set.

Q: What's it like to have a friend, who's also a famous and glamorous actress, play you?

A: Angie is an incredibly beautiful and talented movie star. But mainly she is an incredible person. She would be my friend regardless of any of this.

Q: Earlier this year Khalid Sheikh Mohammed confessed to murdering Danny in 2002. Do you believe that and, more importantly, can you forgive?

A: Those confessions, as you call them, are nothing new to me. At this stage a lot of questions remain unanswered and I am still pursuing the truth. This is a very complex and murky situation politically. I am confident that at some point justice will be served, one way or the other. I do not forgive anyone involved. It's not my point; I think it's more important for me to prove them wrong.

Q: Staying with politics for a moment, what are your thoughts regarding the U.S. and Pakistan, where Danny was murdered, part of the movie was filmed, and which is seeing its worst political violence in years?

A: Pakistan is going through a lot of turmoil, though this too isn't new. I don't think President [Pervez] Musharraf has as much power as he would like to and that's probably the most dangerous aspect of all. Anything can happen in Pakistan, but people should not forget that there too there are men and women suffering first hand from fundamentalism and terrorism. In this country, in particular, it is crucial that we don't lose touch with the people and focus only on politics and terrorists. My son's honorary godfather is a Pakistani.

Q: Is healing or moving on from this tragedy possible for you or your son?

A: In a way my struggle doesn't have an end, per se, as I will ultimately prove myself right in the long run. What I do [as a journalist] is focus on individuals when others use terrorism to promote division and labeling of people.

I am very deeply determined to defeat those who killed my husband, and they will get nothing they expected from me. I understood that to defeat that kind of tragedy you need a determination at least as strong as those who provoked it.

In a way, I am free. And so is my son Adam -- now nearly 5 years old. He is the funniest, balanced, and smartest person I have ever met, being as objective as a mother can be. He's a very special little man and an incredible source of joy and inspiration for me. The fact that Adam is who he was always supposed to be tells me that in the end humanity does prevail. His father is very much alive through our son, which says a lot about a man who was supposedly silenced.