Organizers of the GI Film Festival San Diego, which begins Oct. 13 and runs through Oct. 18, announces the nominations for the Local Film Showcase awards. These films, which feature San Diego area filmmakers, locations, and people, will be primarily shown on Sunday, Oct. 18 at UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley at Hazard Center. The Local Film Showcase caps an exciting line-up of films from all over the world and celebrates the stories and sacrifice of America’s armed forces.
Winners will be announced at the GI Film Festival San Diego’s closing night celebration and awards ceremony on Sunday, Oct. 18 at 6 p.m. at the Doubletree by Hilton at Mission Valley – Hazard Center. The nominees are highlighted below. A description of the films, including run time and screening date, can be found at the conclusion of this release.
Best Documentary Short:
Aldo Giannini, Sergeant, United States Marine Corps, 1943-1946 - The story of one soldier’s World War II experiences from his training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego to numerous landings in the Pacific to the occupation of Japan.
Jack Lyon – Always Faithful – Thirteen years after the rice paddies and jungles of Vietnam and an arduous homecoming, Jack and four other vets formed the Vietnam Veterans of San Diego with the intent to serve the needs of their neglected Vietnam veteran community. Their program has since then changed its name to the Veterans Village of San Diego.
She Wore Silver Wings – This story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) is told through 97-year-old Jean Landis – a San Diego County resident who was part of this elite group.
Best Documentary Feature:
Bravo! Common Men, Uncommon Valor – Fifteen United States Marines and Navy Corpsmen reveal the agony and ecstasy of their service with the Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Marine Regiment at the Siege of Khe Sanh, Vietnam in 1968. Every man in the film went to Camp Pendleton prior to deployment.
Finally a Voice: The Birth of the Vietnam Veterans of America – The film tells the story of the founding convention of the Vietnam Veterans of America more than 32 years ago during a frenzied week in Washington DC, when hundreds of Vietnam veterans from all over the country gathered to seize control of their destiny.
Best Narrative Short:
Universal Dead – Planet Earth is ravaged by a strange disease that turns people into mindless murderers. As civilization struggles to survive, a small team of U.S. Navy SEALs must protect a doctor from the Center for Disease Control on a mission to evaluate the claims of an erratic scientist who may have discovered the secret to mankind's salvation.
The Reunion – Following the memorial services of his grandfather – a World War II veteran - a young child gets a magical glimpse into his grandparent’s love story from the past. San Diego filmmaker Ryan Kelly is the recipient of the Cinematography Award in the short film category for the 2015 San Diego Film Awards.
Best Student Film:
War Torn - A young veteran named Mike returns home, deeply haunted by his memories of a war he wishes he could forget.
Down But Not Out: The Story of Forrest Lang – This film profiles a veteran whose life has been plagued by misfortune, but now gives back to his community and fellow veterans by helping those who have endured similar circumstances. Director Brian Mahoney is a resident of Encinitas. Forrest Lang has a tattoo shop in North Park.
FESTIVAL SCHEDULE AS OF OCT. 5, 2015:
Please note times, titles, and locations are subject to change. Please check festival site for updates.
Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015 at 7 p.m.: Kick-off Screening & Party at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, La Jolla. Featuring the 2014 British film, Kilo Two Bravo. Q&A with Director Paul Katis and reception follows. NOTE: Kilo Two Bravo contains scenes with very strong language and strong bloody injury detail that some viewers may find distressing. MPAA Rated R.
Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2015 at 7 p.m.: Screening & Filmmaker Talk at USD Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice. Featuring Debt of Honor – a documentary on the history of disabled veterans in America. Q&A with Director Ric Burns and guests. Reception follows. FREE ADMISSION. RSVP REQUIRED.
Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015 beginning at 6 p.m.: Screenings & Filmmaker Talks at The Village Theatres in Coronado. Film titles include:
The Millionaires’ Unit at 6 p.m.
Searching For Augusta – The Forgotten Angel of Bastogne with Germans in the Woods at 6:30 p.m.
The M.I.A.’s on Tiger Mountain with Breaking Through the Story of Larry Fivecoats and Jack Lyon – Always Faithful at 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 16, 2015 at 7 p.m.: Family Movie Night at the USS Midway Museum. Enjoy Max under the stars and on the flight deck of the USS Midway Museum. Enjoy pre-movie entertainment by comedian and former naval officer Jamie Kaler; meet one of the dogs who played “Max” and screen writer Sheldon Lettich. Check-in opens at 6 p.m. MPAA Rated PG.
Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Career Fair, Workshops, and Screening at Barracks 17 at NTC Liberty Station. Featuring more than 20 businesses and organizations in education, media, technology, and the entertainment industry. Workshops on storytelling at 11:30 a.m. and veterans in the entertainment industry at 1 p.m. Screening of the featurette, On Two Fronts: Latinos & Vietnam, at 12:30 p.m. FREE ADMISSION, NO RSVP REQUIRED
Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015 beginning at 5 p.m.: Screenings & Filmmaker Talks at UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley at Hazard Center.
Triumphs & Tribulations film series includes: Birthday, The Next Part, Angels of Anbar, Craft in America-Service, and Climb: The Rob Jones Journey Story at 5 p.m.
On Two Fronts: Latinos & Vietnam and Beyond the Divide at 5:30 p.m.
Project 22 at 7:45 p.m.
War Pigs at 8 p.m. Rated R.
Sunday, Oct. 18, 2015 beginning at 12 noon: Multiple screenings and filmmaker talks featuring Local Film Showcase selections and other films at UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley at Hazard Center. Filmmaker Q&A and panel discussions follow most screenings. See full schedule below.
Women in the Military film series at 12 noon and includes films The Haircut, The Last Viewing, Soul Stealer, Women Make History at Camp Pendleton, Craft in America – Service, and She Wore Silver Wings.
BRAVO! Common Men, Uncommon Valor at 12:30 p.m.
The Reality vs. Fiction film series at 2:30 p.m. and includes films 2014 Miramar Air Show Inside the MAGTF, War Torn, Cold Choices, Universal Dead, and As You Were.
Local Film Showcase film series at 3:30 p.m. and includes films Taps, The Reunion, The Kissing Statue Dedication, Down But Not Out: The Story of Forrest Lang, Aldo Giannini, Sergeant, United States Marine Corps, 1943-1946, and Finally a Voice: The Birth of the Vietnam Veterans of America.
Sunday, Oct. 18, 2015 at 6 p.m.: Closing Night Celebration at DoubleTree by Hilton San Diego – Mission Valley at Hazard Center. Join us for the exciting culmination to our festival! Hosted by comedian, actor, and former naval officer Jamie Kaler, the closing celebration will feature food, music, and entertainment by the GI’s of Comedy. Filmmakers featured in the Local Film Showcase will receive awards in four categories: documentary short, documentary feature, narrative short, and student film. An “Audience Choice” award will also be recognized.
About GI Film Festival San Diego
The GI Film Festival, hosted annually in Washington DC, will make its first trip to San Diego and will feature a variety of films and events for, about, and by service men and women. Screenings and events are held Oct. 13 to Oct. 18, 2015 at various venues throughout San Diego including the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego in La Jolla, USD Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice, The Village Theatres in Coronado, the USS Midway Museum, Barracks 17 at NTC Liberty Station, UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley at Hazard Center, and DoubleTree by Hilton San Diego – Mission Valley at Hazard Center.
The festival aims to reveal the struggles, triumphs, and experiences of the military through compelling and authentic storytelling. All major film genres will be featured including drama, documentary, and personal narrative. A Family Movie Night on the USS Midway Museum, a free career fair, workshops in storytelling and filmmaking, and filmmaker discussions are part of the planned activities.
Now in its tenth year, the GI Film Group produces and curates the annual GI Film Festival, which takes place each May in Washington, DC and Virginia. The San Diego festival allows the GI Film Group to extend their mission of preserving and sharing the stories of America’s GI to a new audience in San Diego.
Tickets and passes for GI Film Festival San Diego are now on sale. Tickets for individual screenings start at $10. All access passes are $85. Military and veteran discounts apply to select screenings. Visit the festival site for details and to purchase tickets.
The GI Film Festival San Diego is sponsored by Qualcomm Inc., GEICO, Lewis University, and National City Mile of Cars with additional support provided by Scatena Daniels Communications. The festival is presented by KPBS in partnership with the GI Film Group and the Film Consortium San Diego.
About GI Film Group
The GI Film Group is a full service media company dedicated to preserving the stories of military veterans. GIFG is the production entity behind the award-winning GI Film Festival (GIFF), a 501c(3), also known as “Sundance for the Troops,” which is held each May in Washington, DC. The festival is the first in the nation to exclusively celebrate the successes and sacrifices of the service member through the medium of film.
About Film Consortium San Diego
The Film Consortium San Diego LLC is a social venture that stimulates film and television production in the region and increases networking, employment, education, funding and distribution opportunities in film, television and new media. The Film Consortium holds the Fall Film Festival, San Diego Film Awards, Winter Film Showcase, Summer at the Drive-in, and various other screening and networking events.
About KPBS
KPBS serves the San Diego community with news and entertainment programming that respects our audience with inspiring, intelligent and enlightening content. KPBS delivers this content via multiple outlets, including television, radio, and digital media and will adapt and remain relevant in a rapidly changing world.
GI Film Festival San Diego Film Descriptions Arranged in Chronological Order as of Oct. 6, 2015. Film showing dates, times, and locations subject to change.
“Kilo Two Bravo” – UK – 108 minutes – Dir. Paul Katis – 2014 – Narrative Feature
Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015 at 7 p.m. – Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, La Jolla
Young British soldiers find themselves courageously fighting for each other’s lives in a minefield where the next step could be their last. From the Academy Award winning producer of “The King’s Speech” this British Academy of Film and Television Art (BAFTA) nominated thriller tells the true story of the bravery and brotherhood that took place on the Kajaki Dam at the height of the Afghan War. Rated R. NOTE: “Kilo Two Bravo” contains scenes with very strong language and strong bloody injury detail that some viewers may find distressing.
“Debt of Honor” – USA – 30 minutes – Dir. Ric Burns – 2015 – Documentary Short
Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2015 at 7 p.m. – USD Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice
From acclaimed filmmaker Ric Burns, “Debt of Honor” examines the way in which the American government and society as a whole have regarded disabled veterans throughout history, beginning in the aftermath of the Revolutionary War and continuing through today’s conflicts in the Middle East. The film combines personal stories, told by distinguished disabled veterans, with deep history narrated by leading scholars in the fields of disability studies, history, and psychology to illustrate the human cost of war and the enormous sacrifices of military service. Unrated.
“The Millionaires’ Unit” – USA – 120 minutes – Dir. Ron King and Darroch Greer – 2015 – Documentary Feature
Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015 at 6 p.m. – The Village Theatres in Coronado
“The Millionaires’ Unit” is the story of a privileged group of college students from Yale who formed a private air militia in preparation for America’s entry into World War I. Known as the First Yale Unit and dubbed “the millionaires’ unit” by the New York press, they became the founding squadron of the U.S. Naval Air Reserve and were the first to fly for the United States in the Great War. Using the words of these pioneer aviators from their letters and diaries, the documentary tells the story of young men coming of age as America was coming of age as a world power. Their service and sacrifice is the great untold story of American aviation in World War I. Unrated.
“Germans in the Woods” – USA – 3 minutes – Animated by The Rauch Brothers – 2010 – Narrative Short
Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. – The Village Theatres in Coronado
Joseph Robertson was an infantryman in the U.S. Army during World War II, and he fought in the Battle of the Bulge. The stark black and white images in this film haunt the viewer -- just as Robertson is haunted still by his memories of that battle. “Germans in the Woods” is an animated short film featuring audio from StoryCorps. Unrated.
“Searching For Augusta - The Forgotten Angel of Bastogne” – USA/Belgium – 75 minutes – Dir. Mike Edwards – 2014 – Documentary Feature
Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. – The Village Theatres in Coronado
The touching and inspiring story of how one black nurse overcomes racism and the Nazis in 1944 Belgium to become one of the Second World War’s unlikeliest of heroes. Unrated.
"Jack Lyon - Always Faithful" – USA – 10 minutes – Dir. John Giannini – 2015 – Documentary Short (Local Film Showcase Selection)
Thursday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. – The Village Theatres in Coronado
Thirteen years after the rice paddies and jungles of Vietnam and an arduous homecoming, Jack Lyon and four other vets formed the Vietnam Veterans of San Diego with the intent to serve the needs of their neglected Vietnam veteran community. Their program has since changed its name to the Veterans Village of San Diego to reflect what they have always been doing: helping restore the lives of all veterans in need. Jack offers physical and spiritual support to combat injured Marines at Balboa Naval Medical Center and stays true to the Marine motto, “Semper Fidelis” (Always Faithful).
“Breaking Through: The Story of Larry Fivecoats” – USA – 17 minutes – Dir. Scott Thompson – 2015 – Documentary Short
Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015 at 7 p.m. – The Village Theatres in Coronado
Larry Fivecoats served with the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vietnam in 1966 and 1967 where he was involved in over 150 firefights and witnessed very heavy casualties. When he returned from war, Larry found himself struggling with the lasting symptoms of PTSD and depression, and began to contemplate suicide. Then Larry was introduced to Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing. Unrated.
“The M.I.A.'s on Tiger Mountain” – USA – 52 minutes – Dir. Norman Lloyd – 2015 – Documentary Short
Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015 at 7 p.m. – The Village Theatres in Coronado
In April 1968, Lieutenant Mike Sprayberry of Delta Company, 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, United States Army, led a small group on a harrowing nighttime rescue in Vietnam’s A Shau Valley. Their mission: to save a platoon of infantrymen encircled, ambushed, and pinned down by superior North Vietnamese forces on the flank of Tiger Mountain. The rescue was successful; all of the survivors of the ambush were extracted but the bodies of three fallen soldiers could not be recovered. Unrated.
“Max” – USA – 111 minutes – Dir. Boaz Yakin – 2015 – Narrative Feature
Friday, Oct. 16, 2015 at 7 p.m. – USS Midway Museum
A precision-trained military dog, Max serves on the frontlines in Afghanistan alongside his handler, U.S. Marine Kyle Wincott. But when things go terribly wrong on maneuvers, Kyle is mortally wounded and Max, traumatized by the loss of his best friend, is unable to remain in service. “Max” stars Thomas Haden Church, Josh Wiggins, Luke Kleintank and Lauren Graham. Rated PG.
“On Two Fronts: Latinos & Vietnam” (featurette) – 26 minutes – USA – Dir. Mylène Moreno – 2015 – Documentary Short
Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015 at 12:30 p.m. – Barracks 17 at NTC Liberty Station
“On Two Fronts: Latinos & Vietnam” examines the Latino experience during a war that placed its heaviest burden on working class youth. Unrated.
Triumphs & Tribulations Film Series
Saturday, Oct. 17 at 5 p.m. – UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley at Hazard Center
Includes films: “Birthday,” “The Next Part,” “Angels of Anbar,” “Craft in America – Service,” and “Climb: The Rob Jones Journey Story”
“Birthday” – USA – 12 minutes – Dir. Chris King – 2015 – Narrative Short
A severely wounded Marine and his wife come home for the first time following months of surgeries and rehabilitation. This fictional short is a powerful and dignified depiction of what it is like for severely wounded soldiers and their spouses as they face enormously difficult times ahead. Unrated.
“The Next Part” – USA – 17 minutes – Dir. Erin Sanger – 2014 – Documentary Short
On Sept. 7, 2011 in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, a homemade bomb detonated beside Sergeant First Class Aaron Causey, costing him both legs, several fingers, and portions of his reproductive organs. “The Next Part,” uniquely told from his wife’s point of view, details the couple’s remarkable journey through recovery as well as their struggle to conceive. Unrated.
“Angels of Anbar” – USA – 6 minutes – Dir. Elvis Leon – 2014 – Narrative Short
Using only personal pictures, videos, and narration, “Angels of Anbar” is a personal experience of Elvis Leon's 15-month deployment to Ramadi, Iraq. Unrated.
“Craft in America-Service” – USA – 55 minutes – Dir. Carol Sauvion – 2014 – Documentary Short
This film explores the power of handmade crafts to inspire, motivate and heal. “Craft in America-Service” features ceramic artists Ehren Tool, Judas Recendez, and Peter Voulkos as well as paper artist Pam DeLuco and saddler Eugene Burks, Jr. Unrated.
“Climb: The Rob Jones Journey Story” – USA – 12 minutes – Dir. Ivan Kander – 2015 – Documentary Short
“Climb: The Rob Jones Journey Story” is the impossible true story of how Sgt. Rob Jones, a bilateral above the knee amputee, biked across the country in one of the coldest winters on record in order to raise money for veteran charities. Unrated.
“On Two Fronts: Latinos & Vietnam” (excerpts from) – 13 mins – USA – Dir. Mylène Moreno – 2015 – Documentary Short
Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015 at 5:30 p.m. – UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley at Hazard Center
“On Two Fronts: Latinos & Vietnam” examines the Latino experience during a war that placed its heaviest burden on working class youth. Unrated.
“Beyond the Divide” – USA – 85 minutes – Dir. Jan Selby – 2014 – Documentary Feature
Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015 at 5:30 p.m. – UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley at Hazard Center
Fifty years have passed since the beginning of the Vietnam War. The politics and casualties are history, yet deep scars remain between those who served and those who fought a different war at home. In Missoula, Montana, a mysterious graffiti peace symbol inflamed the enduring animosity, dividing a community for decades. Through the courageous acts of a Vietnam veteran and a peace advocate, “Beyond the Divide” illuminates a path to healing old wounds and demonstrates authentic peace building. Unrated.
“Project 22” – USA – 102 minutes – Dir. Daniel J. Egbert and Doc King – 2015 – Documentary Feature
Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015 at 7:45 p.m. – UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley at Hazard Center
In the United States alone, twenty-two Veterans commit suicide per day. “Project 22” follows two combat-wounded Veterans on a mission to find hope. Riding motorcycles from San Francisco to New York, Daniel and Doc speak with Veterans about post-war challenges that lead to suicide and the healing Veterans are finding in alternative forms of therapy such as sailing, pottery, education, service dogs, and more. Asking hard hitting questions and opening up about their own struggles, Daniel and Doc will stop at nothing to reach tomorrow's twenty-two. Unrated.
“War Pigs” – USA – 92 minutes – Dir. Ryan Little – 2015 – Narrative Feature
Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015 at 8 p.m. – UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley at Hazard Center
At the peak of the World War II as the allies advance against Nazi Germany, a disgraced US Army Captain, Jack Wosick (Luke Goss) is volunteered by Major A.J. Redding (Mickey Rourke) to train a rag tag unit of misfit soldiers known as the “War Pigs.” Also stars Dolph Lundgren. Rated R.
Women in the Military Film Series
Saturday, Oct. 17 at 12 p.m. – UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley at Hazard Center
Includes films: “The Haircut,” “The Last Viewing,” “Soul Stealer,” “Women Make History at Camp Pendleton,” “Craft in America – Service,” and “She Wore Silver Wings.”
“The Haircut” – USA – 14 minutes – Dir. Alexis O. Korycinski – 2014 – Narrative Short
As a result of Public Law 94-106 signed by President Ford in 1975, female cadets were admitted into service academies after a 174-year ban. Part of the inaugural class, Amy is hardly a typical recruit -- petite and underweight -- and she becomes a target in this hard-shelled brotherhood. Unrated.
“The Last Viewing” – USA – 3 minutes – Animated by The Rauch Brothers – 2014 – Narrative Short
Allen Hoe served as a combat medic during the Vietnam War; his two sons continued his legacy of service. His oldest son, Nainoa, eventually became a first lieutenant with the 3rd Battalion of the 21st Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. In January 2005, Nainoa was killed by sniper fire. On Memorial Day that same year, Allen traveled to Washington to honor Nainoa's memory, and it was there that he had a chance encounter with a stranger that brought them both comfort. “The Last Viewing” is an animated short featuring audio from StoryCorps. Unrated.
“Soul Stealer” – USA – 9 minutes – Dir. Shawn Spitler – 2014 – Narrative Short
A marine combat photographer embedded with a Female Engagement Team believes her imagery can change the tides of war. Her beliefs are put to the test when a Taliban Sniper ambushes her unit. Unrated.
“Women Make History at Camp Pendleton” – USA - 13 minutes - Reporter Susan Murphy – 2015 - Documentary Short
This summer, the Marine Corps wrapped up an unprecedented yearlong experiment to determine whether women have what it takes to serve in ground combat. KPBS' Susan Murphy reports on the results for KPBS Evening Edition.
“Craft in America-Service” – USA – 14 minutes – Dir. Carol Sauvion – 2014 – Documentary Short
This film explores the power of handmade crafts to inspire, motivate and heal. This excerpt features paper artist Pam DeLuco. Unrated.
"She Wore Silver Wings" – USA – 31 minutes – Dir. Devin Scott – 2010 – Documentary Short (Local Film Showcase Selection)
This true story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) is told through Jean Landis – a San Diego County resident who was part of this elite group. During World War II, brave women pilots were recruited to volunteer their services by ferrying fighter planes, test flying new and repaired planes, and towing targets in the air for artillery practice. The film also focuses on how the WASPs were formed, the incredible challenges they faced, and the cause of their early demise. Unrated.
"Bravo! Common Men, Uncommon Valor” – USA – 118 minutes – Dir. Ken and Betty Rodgers – 2014 – Documentary Feature (Local Film Showcase Selection)
Sunday, Oct. 18 at 12:30 p.m. – UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley at Hazard Center.
Fifteen United States Marines and Navy Corpsmen reveal the agony and ecstasy of their service with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Marine Regiment at the Siege of Khe Sanh, Vietnam, 1968. Unrated.
Reality vs. Fiction Film Series
Sunday, Oct. 18 at 2:30 p.m. – UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley at Hazard Center
Includes films: “2014 Miramar Airshow Inside the MAGTF,” “War Torn,” “Cold Choices,” “Universal Dead,” and “As You Were”
"2014 Miramar Air Show Inside the MAGTF" – USA – 9 minutes – Dir. MCAS Miramar Consolidated Public Affairs Office – 2013 – Documentary Short (Local Film Showcase Selection)
Created to provide perspective on what spectators may witness during the MAGTF Demo at the 2014 Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Air Show, this film provides an inside look at how the Marine Corps operates during combat operations. Unrated.
"War Torn” – USA – 6 minutes – Dir. Alexander Ameen – 2015 – Narrative Short (Local Film Showcase Selection)
A young veteran named Mike returns home, deeply haunted by his memories of a war he wishes he could forget. When a coffee mug triggers a post-traumatic stress disorder episode, Mike’s fiancée severs their relationship. His PTSD worsens and he begins reliving a harrowing moment from the past that spills into the present. Unrated.
“Cold Choices” – USA – 15 minutes – Dir. Nick Jones, Jr. – 2015 – Narrative Short
The CIA has pinpointed the location of a high priority target. Major John Polanco, a black ops command officer for Pacific Command, is ordered to send in a team to retrieve the package after warnings of high risk. Unrated.
"Universal Dead” – USA – 15 minutes – Dir. Vernon Mortensen – 2010 – Narrative Short (Local Film Showcase Selection)
Planet Earth is ravaged by a strange disease that turns people into mindless murderers. As civilization struggles to survive, a small team of U.S. Navy SEALs must protect a doctor from the Center for Disease Control on a mission to evaluate the claims of an erratic scientist who may have discovered the secret to mankind's salvation. Starring DB Sweeney, Gary Graham, and Doug Jones. Unrated.
“As You Were” – USA – 22 minutes – Dir. Trevin Matcek – 2014 – Narrative Short
“As You Were” is the story of Johnner Radley, an injured soldier who returns home with advanced prosthetics to replace limbs lost in combat. With these new parts, he finds it difficult transitioning back and securing a job in a society leery of robotics. Unrated.
Local Film Showcase Series
Sunday, Oct. 18 at 3:30 p.m. – UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley at Hazard Center
Includes films: “Taps,” “The Kissing Statue Dedication,” “Down But Not Out: The Story of Forrest Lang,” “Aldo Giannini, Sergeant, United States Marine Corps, 1943-1946,” and “Finally a Voice: The Birth of the Vietnam Veterans of America”
“Taps” – USA – 5 minutes – Dir. Darshan Kembhavi – 2015 – Documentary Short (Local Film Showcase Selection)
For over 150 years, military funerals in the United States have concluded with the playing of "Taps." At Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego, CA, a lone bugle player honors a departed serviceman at a Navy funeral. Unrated.
"The Reunion” – USA – 6 minutes – Dir. Robert Nixon – 2014 – Narrative Short (Local Film Showcase Selection)
Following the memorial services of his grandfather – a World War II veteran, a young child gets a magical glimpse into his grandparent’s love story from the past. Once the soldier's uniform and her swing dancing dress finally come together, love never stops dancing. Unrated.
"The Kissing Statue Dedication” – USA – 7 minutes – Dir. Tony Perri – 2013 – Documentary Short (Local Film Showcase Selection)
This film documents the delivery and dedication ceremony of the famous Kissing Statue, located next to the USS Midway Museum in San Diego, CA. Unrated.
"Down But Not Out: The Story of Forrest Lang" – USA – 6 minutes – Dir. Brian Mahoney – 2014 – Documentary Short (Local Film Showcase Selection)
“Down But Not Out: The Story of Forrest Lang” profiles one veteran whose life has been plagued by misfortune. Enduring physical, emotional, and sexual abuse as a child, Forrest ran away and lived on the streets. He battled alcoholism, was sent to war, and suffered a tragic accident that changed his life forever. Forrest turned his life around and now gives back to his community and fellow veterans by helping those who have endured similar circumstances. Unrated.
"Aldo Giannini, Sergeant, United States Marine Corps, 1943-1946” – USA – 11 minutes – Dir. John Giannini – 2014 – Documentary Short (Local Film Showcase Selection)
This is the story of one soldier’s World War II experiences from his training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego to numerous landings in the Pacific to the occupation of Japan. Unrated.
“Finally A Voice: The Birth of the Vietnam Veterans of America” – USA – 58 minutes – Dir. John Giannini – 2015 – Documentary Feature (Local Film Showcase Selection)
A decade after the last American troops left South Vietnam, veterans of that divisive and brutal war were still not receiving the care and benefits they had earned. The film tells the story of the founding convention of the Vietnam Veterans of America more than 32 years ago during a frenzied week in Washington DC, when hundreds of Vietnam veterans from all over the country gathered to seize control of their destiny. Unrated.
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