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Making its return to the big screen is the GI Film Festival San Diego, a multi-day military-themed event dedicated to presenting films and events for, by and about military and veterans. World Premiere “Nation’s Promise” brings to life the true story of two patriots who, for both love of country and one another, made the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam War for our nation. Inspired by our nation’s commitment to returning all of her fallen sons and daughters back to their families and a grateful country, this is the true story of First Lieutenant Loren Hagen and Sergeant Al Boyers, lifelong friends, divided at time of war and brought together in the quest to find each other. Al Boyers joined an elite group of special forces tasked with carrying out harrowing missions in a clandestine division known as the Studies and Observations Group. After being stranded behind enemy lines and declared MIA, Loren Hagen joins the military to find his best friend. With never-before-seen footage, “Nation’s Promise” explores one of the most enduring legacies of two men’s commitment to one another, a family’s journey to bring them home, and a nation’s promise to honor all whom have served and made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of the United States of America. "Nation's Promise" is on Facebook Directed by Justin Dailey. Documentary. 2021. 60 mins. More about GI Film Fest: This year’s film festival is scheduled for May 17-21, 2022 with all screenings happening in-person at the Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA) in Balboa Park. The 2022 festival features 27 films for, by, and about military and veterans. Virtual options are available. View the lineup of films and events Sign up to receive festival news and announcements. A project of KPBS, the GI Film Festival San Diego is a multi-day showcase of films for, by, and about military and veteran experiences. Films featured in the festival reveal the struggles, triumphs, and experiences of service members and veterans. The festival also provides veterans and service members with an opportunity to further their creative skills. Documentaries, shorts, narratives, and feature-length films are presented. Post-screening discussions with filmmakers, actors and documentary subjects are also part of the festival. This event takes place annually in May and is open to veterans, service members, military families, and civilians. All are welcome to catch a film, be inspired, and build community. Visit GI Film Festival San Diego on Facebook + follow @GIFilmFestSD on Twitter

Making its return to the big screen is the GI Film Festival San Diego, a multi-day military-themed event dedicated to presenting films and events for, by and about military and veterans. This collection of shorts feature five films that will have you on the edge of your seat. Mature content. Viewer discretion is advised. "Barrier" Directed by Niels Bourgonje September 1944. Two Canadian soldiers find a boy washed up on the Dutch beach. Where did he come from and can he be trusted? "Blood and Glory" Directed by Satinder Kaur Two homeless, female veterans’ friendship is tested when they confront adversity, discrimination, and even mother nature herself in their attempt to find work and survive the day. "THAT NIGHT" Directed by Samuel Gonzalez Jr. A haunted veteran plagued by guilt and hallucinations struggles with the murder of an innocent civilian girl. "RAW" Directed by Drake Shannon Past and present are blurred by a horrifying transgression as a female soldier faces the aftermath of a military patrol in the Middle East. "We All Die Alone" Directed by Jonathan Hammond The hubris of an inept conflict negotiator leads two warring gangs into an eight-way standoff. The consequences are both comical and tragic in this whip-smart short. More about GI Film Fest: This year’s film festival is scheduled for May 17-21, 2022 with all screenings happening in-person at the Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA) in Balboa Park. The 2022 festival features 27 films for, by, and about military and veterans. Virtual options are available. View the lineup of films and events Sign up to receive festival news and announcements. A project of KPBS, the GI Film Festival San Diego is a multi-day showcase of films for, by, and about military and veteran experiences. Films featured in the festival reveal the struggles, triumphs, and experiences of service members and veterans. The festival also provides veterans and service members with an opportunity to further their creative skills. Documentaries, shorts, narratives, and feature-length films are presented. Post-screening discussions with filmmakers, actors and documentary subjects are also part of the festival. This event takes place annually in May and is open to veterans, service members, military families, and civilians. All are welcome to catch a film, be inspired, and build community. Visit GI Film Festival San Diego on Facebook + follow @GIFilmFestSD on Twitter

Making its return to the big screen is the GI Film Festival San Diego, a multi-day military-themed event dedicated to presenting films and events for, by and about military and veterans. San Diego Premiere: “Landing Home” is a film that takes the audience into the mind of a combat soldier and pulls back the curtain of the lasting damage war has to our veterans and their families. Returning home for men and women in uniform can represent only the beginning of a different kind of war. Luke, an army combat veteran who served in Afghanistan, decides to leave the military and come home to be with his family. He soon realizes that this is much harder than he ever imagined. Something as simple as a birthday party for his five-year-old daughter can quickly become overwhelming and trigger his post-traumatic stress. “Landing Home” is inspired by the award-nominated off-Broadway play, “The American Soldier.” The play has been performed in over 28 cities and gives voice to veterans and military families. It is based on actual letters soldiers have sent to their loved ones from the Revolution to the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The script of “Landing Home” is created from a combination of exhaustive research and verbatim language lifted from countless interviews the director and producer have conducted with veterans and their family members.Directed by Douglas Taurel. Drama, Narrative. 2019. 73 mins Get tickets for "Landing Home" screening on May 20, 2022 at 7 p.m. More about GI Film Fest: This year’s film festival is scheduled for May 17-21, 2022 with all screenings happening in-person at the Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA) in Balboa Park. The 2022 festival features 27 films for, by, and about military and veterans. Virtual options are available. View the lineup of films and events Sign up to receive festival news and announcements. A project of KPBS, the GI Film Festival San Diego is a multi-day showcase of films for, by, and about military and veteran experiences. Films featured in the festival reveal the struggles, triumphs, and experiences of service members and veterans. The festival also provides veterans and service members with an opportunity to further their creative skills. Documentaries, shorts, narratives, and feature-length films are presented. Post-screening discussions with filmmakers, actors and documentary subjects are also part of the festival. This event takes place annually in May and is open to veterans, service members, military families, and civilians. All are welcome to catch a film, be inspired, and build community. Visit GI Film Festival San Diego on Facebook + follow @GIFilmFestSD on Twitter

Making its return to the big screen is the GI Film Festival San Diego, a multi-day military-themed event dedicated to presenting films and events for, by and about military and veterans. This collection of shorts feature six films that surprise, inspire, and delight on May 20, 2022 at 5 p.m. "BRAKE" Directed by Aja Weary, Amanda Richardson A man who experiences sensory overload while attempting to travel. He and his service animal are denied entry on a bus which sends him into a panic. His service animal works to get him back to his senses. "Shell Shocked" Directed by Paula A Cajiao After two years of unsuccessful treatment, a combat veteran suffering from “battle induced stuttering” discovers a controversial drug banned since WW2 that has the possibility to cure him. "3:35 to Boston" Directed by Kay Barnes A military wife, struggling to balance all the pieces of her life, breaks down when she realizes the life she had originally planned for herself may not be possible. "Over There" Directed by Charles Allen After the United States enters the First World War, two brothers find themselves amidst the horrors of modern combat in Europe with one objective: to make it home. "American Hero" Directed by Manny McCord Since the day Lt. Jordan returned home, she’s been trying to get the truth out, only to find herself struggling to overcome the pressures of the military. "My Happy Place" Directed by Devin Scott A visual recollection of life in the 1960s filled with empathy and compassion for the characters. Inspired by a few of the producer’s true experiences. More about GI Film Fest: This year’s film festival is scheduled for May 17-21, 2022 with all screenings happening in-person at the Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA) in Balboa Park. The 2022 festival features 27 films for, by, and about military and veterans. Virtual options are available. View the lineup of films and events Sign up to receive festival news and announcements. A project of KPBS, the GI Film Festival San Diego is a multi-day showcase of films for, by, and about military and veteran experiences. Films featured in the festival reveal the struggles, triumphs, and experiences of service members and veterans. The festival also provides veterans and service members with an opportunity to further their creative skills. Documentaries, shorts, narratives, and feature-length films are presented. Post-screening discussions with filmmakers, actors and documentary subjects are also part of the festival. This event takes place annually in May and is open to veterans, service members, military families, and civilians. All are welcome to catch a film, be inspired, and build community. Visit GI Film Festival San Diego on Facebook + follow @GIFilmFestSD on Twitter

Making its return to the big screen is the GI Film Festival San Diego, a multi-day military-themed event dedicated to presenting films and events for, by and about military and veterans. West Coast Premiere: A soldier’s story is always personal, but never more than in "Here. Is. Better.," a documentary film with unprecedented access inside trauma therapy sessions delivering hope to veterans battling post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Individuals featured in the film include former Presidential hopeful Jason Kander, who shocked many when he left the Kansas City mayoral race in 2018 to seek treatment; a Vietnam War veteran still haunted by events that occurred over 50 years ago; and the voices of so often overlooked female veterans, all seeking the keys to unlock their places of hurt and pain. Directed by Emmy®-winning filmmaker Jack Youngelson and produced by Emmy winner Sian Edwards-Beal and David Beal. Score composed by David Baron and Jeremiah Fraites of the GRAMMY-nominated band The Lumineers. Original songs by Josin and Kara DioGuardi. This film contains course language, scenes from combat, and mature themes of suicide, sexual assault, and violence. Viewer discretion advised. Get tickets to "Here. Is. Better." screening on May 19, 2022 at 7:15 p.m. More about GI Film Fest: This year’s film festival is scheduled for May 17-21, 2022 with all screenings happening in-person at the Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA) in Balboa Park. The 2022 festival features 27 films for, by, and about military and veterans. Virtual options are available. View the lineup of films and events Sign up to receive festival news and announcements. A project of KPBS, the GI Film Festival San Diego is a multi-day showcase of films for, by, and about military and veteran experiences. Films featured in the festival reveal the struggles, triumphs, and experiences of service members and veterans. The festival also provides veterans and service members with an opportunity to further their creative skills. Documentaries, shorts, narratives, and feature-length films are presented. Post-screening discussions with filmmakers, actors and documentary subjects are also part of the festival. This event takes place annually in May and is open to veterans, service members, military families, and civilians. All are welcome to catch a film, be inspired, and build community. Visit GI Film Festival San Diego on Facebook + follow @GIFilmFestSD on Twitter

Making its return to the big screen is the GI Film Festival San Diego, a multi-day military-themed event dedicated to presenting films and events for, by and about military and veterans. West Coast Premiere: "Walk With Frank" follows a former Vietnam infantry soldier who decides to celebrate his 70th birthday by walking across New York to help other survivors of PTSD and confront his own dark past. Directed by Matt Mayers, Ryan Mayers. Documetnary. 2021. 79 mins. Get tickets to "Walk With Frank" screening on May 19, 2022 at 5 p.m. More about GI Film Fest: This year’s film festival is scheduled for May 17-21, 2022 with all screenings happening in-person at the Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA) in Balboa Park. The 2022 festival features 27 films for, by, and about military and veterans. Virtual options are available. View the lineup of films and events Sign up to receive festival news and announcements. A project of KPBS, the GI Film Festival San Diego is a multi-day showcase of films for, by, and about military and veteran experiences. Films featured in the festival reveal the struggles, triumphs, and experiences of service members and veterans. The festival also provides veterans and service members with an opportunity to further their creative skills. Documentaries, shorts, narratives, and feature-length films are presented. Post-screening discussions with filmmakers, actors and documentary subjects are also part of the festival. This event takes place annually in May and is open to veterans, service members, military families, and civilians. All are welcome to catch a film, be inspired, and build community. Visit GI Film Festival San Diego on Facebook + follow @GIFilmFestSD on Twitter

Making its return to the big screen is the GI Film Festival San Diego, a multi-day military-themed event dedicated to presenting films and events for, by and about military and veterans. San Diego Premiere: "Stranger At Home" weaves the life-altering stories of the Navy Psychologist forced into whistleblowing, the Army Ranger involved in the killing of Pat Tillman, and the Vietnam Marine turned world-renowned trauma expert, as they work tirelessly to deliver their urgent call-to-action for radical military mental health transformation. Directed by Beth Dolan, Luis Remesar. Documentary. 2021. 78 mins. This film contains difficult subject matter and mature themes. Viewer discretion advised Get tickets for "Stranger At Home" screening on May 18, 2022 at 7:15 p.m. More about GI Film Fest: This year’s film festival is scheduled for May 17-21, 2022 with all screenings happening in-person at the Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA) in Balboa Park. The 2022 festival features 27 films for, by, and about military and veterans. Virtual options are available. View the lineup of films and events Sign up to receive festival news and announcements. A project of KPBS, the GI Film Festival San Diego is a multi-day showcase of films for, by, and about military and veteran experiences. Films featured in the festival reveal the struggles, triumphs, and experiences of service members and veterans. The festival also provides veterans and service members with an opportunity to further their creative skills. Documentaries, shorts, narratives, and feature-length films are presented. Post-screening discussions with filmmakers, actors and documentary subjects are also part of the festival. This event takes place annually in May and is open to veterans, service members, military families, and civilians. All are welcome to catch a film, be inspired, and build community. Visit GI Film Festival San Diego on Facebook + follow @GIFilmFestSD on Twitter

Making its return to the big screen is the GI Film Festival San Diego, a multi-day military-themed event dedicated to presenting films and events for, by and about military and veterans. San Diego Premiere: Three veterans trace their paths from war to erasure by the U.S. government. Winding through a seldom-told history of the Philippines, seized by the U.S. as a colony in 1899, through a 40-year stretch of lethal imperialist policies, Celestino Almeda, Rudy Panaglima and Feliciana Reyes find themselves inducted into the U.S. Armed Forces during WWII. After their service, Congress declares them, and hundreds of thousands more, to be “not on active duty.” These veterans are denied back pay, GI benefits and promised citizenship. From 1946-1948 the U.S. Army further disenfranchises these veterans by reconstructing rosters of service which also secretly refuse to recognize the service of women. Today, Celestino, Rudy and Feliciana represent the tens of thousands of elderly veterans who remain unacknowledged despite their evidence of service. As judicial solutions hit a brick wall and all eyes turn to Congress, this documentary asks the hard questions: Will America stand up for the values it claims? Will these veterans get the recognition they deserve before they are all dead? The plight of these veterans unfolds alongside interviews with family members, legal, legislative, and military advocates, archival footage, and 3D animation of rediscovered WWII art. Directed by Tammy Botkin. Documentary. English. Subtitled. 2021. 82 mins. Get tickets for "A Long March" screening on May 18, 2022 at 5 p.m. More about GI Film Fest: This year’s film festival is scheduled for May 17-21, 2022 with all screenings happening in-person at the Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA) in Balboa Park. The 2022 festival features 27 films for, by, and about military and veterans. Virtual options are available. View the lineup of films and events Sign up to receive festival news and announcements. A project of KPBS, the GI Film Festival San Diego is a multi-day showcase of films for, by, and about military and veteran experiences. Films featured in the festival reveal the struggles, triumphs, and experiences of service members and veterans. The festival also provides veterans and service members with an opportunity to further their creative skills. Documentaries, shorts, narratives, and feature-length films are presented. Post-screening discussions with filmmakers, actors and documentary subjects are also part of the festival. This event takes place annually in May and is open to veterans, service members, military families, and civilians. All are welcome to catch a film, be inspired, and build community. Visit GI Film Festival San Diego on Facebook + follow @GIFilmFestSD on Twitter

There is currently a critical need for blood donations across the country, so to help engage the community and encourage blood donations, the San Diego Automotive Museum and San Diego Blood Bank will be hosting a blood drive behind the Museum on the Pan American Plaza in Balboa Park. Additionally, the Automotive Museum will have exciting cars on display outside during the blood drive for participants to enjoy. There will also be special guests, like former NASCAR driver Austin Cameron, Paul Dyke, the owner of El Cajon Ford, and Sunny Trent, a Barona Driver and angler. Those who donate blood will receive two (2) free admission passes to the San Diego Automotive Museum that do not expire. Snacks and water will be provided, but all donors are highly encouraged to arrive hydrated before donating blood. Want to donate blood? Individuals who are interested in donating blood at this blood drive are encouraged to create an appointment online. A photo ID will be required during check-in at the event. Date | Sunday, April 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Location | San Diego Automotive Museum For questions, please contact Deputy Director of Guest Experience Brandi Wilson at (619) 398-0303.

Quintessential New Yorker, writer, social commentator and pop culture icon, Fran Lebowitz, who is the midst of an extensive world tour, is bringing her acerbic wit to the Balboa Theatre. Her essays and interviews offer her acerbic views on current events and the media – as well as pet peeves including tourists, baggage-claim areas, after-shave lotion, adults who roller skate, children who speak French, or anyone who is unduly tan. The New York Times Book Review calls Lebowitz an "important humorist in the classic tradition." Purveyor of urban cool, Lebowitz is a cultural satirist whom many call the heir to Dorothy Parker. Date | Monday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m. Location | Balboa Theatre Get tickets here! Ticket prices ranging from $31 to $66. For more information, please visit sandiegotheatres.org/event/2022/05/evening-fran-lebowitz or call (619) 615-4000.