Organizers for the upcoming GI Film Festival San Diego announced their selections Monday for what they’re touting as the largest military film festival in the United States.
Some 21 films were selected to screen at the Museum of Photographic Arts at the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park from May 6-11. The lineup includes full-length documentaries, student films, comedies and more that are for, by and about the military.
Festival officials say they search for films that “showcase military experiences that are often overlooked on the big screen. Festival-goers won’t see action-packed Hollywood blockbusters, but stories that highlight personal accomplishments, the transition home from war, post-traumatic stress, military homelessness, resilience, and healing invisible wounds that occur after service.”
Tickets for the festival go on sale March 1. Tickets for most screenings start at $10, or $8 for military and veterans.
The GI Film Festival San Diego was established in 2015. It is organized by KPBS in partnership with the Film Consortium San Diego.
More information can be found at GIFilmFestivalSD.org.
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The following films will be screened as part of the festival:
— “Black Uniform.” Twelve Black veterans, serving from WWII to present day, share their perspectives on what it felt like to be on the front lines. Featured veterans include Romay Davis, one of the very few surviving members of the only Black female battalion sent overseas during World War II, and former Congressman Charles Rangel, who received the Purple Heart for his sacrifice during the Korean War. Produced and directed by Robert Darwell. Documentary, 1 hour, 26 minutes.
— “Final Fight: When the Trauma of War Comes Home.” In the last 20 years, the United States has lost almost five times as many active service members and veterans to suicide than were lost on the battlefield in the War on Terror. This film explores the root causes of this tragic epidemic by profiling a diverse group of veterans struggling with either combat and sexual assault- related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Directed by Frances Causey. Documentary, 1 hour, 35 minutes.
— “Interpreters Wanted” follows Saifullah and Ismail Haqmal, brothers who served as interpreters alongside U.S. forces in Afghanistan for over a decade. Produced, edited, and directed by Robert Ham. Documentary, 1 hour, 24 minutes.
— “Jimmy in Saigon.” Explores the mysterious death and radical life of Jimmy McDowell, a 24-year-old Vietnam veteran who died as a civilian in Saigon in 1972. Produced and directed by Peter McDowell. Documentary, 1 hour, 30 minutes.
— “JULIAN: a Jiu Jitsu Story.” A double-amputee Marine, struggling to come to terms with the loss of his legs from an IED in Afghanistan, discovers the healing power of jiu-jitsu. Directed by Max Bloom. Documentary, 59 minutes.
— “Make Peace or Die.” U.S. Marine Corps veteran Anthony Marquez returned from Afghanistan deeply wounded and riddled with survivor’s guilt. Upon returning home, Anthony made it his mission to help Gold Star families. Directed by Manny Marquez. Documentary, 1 hour, 35 minutes.
— “Pueblo, A Year of Crises in America.” The true story of an ill- conceived, badly planned espionage mission with crewmen who had no knowledge or training for what they were being asked to perform. North Koreans attacked and took the crewmen hostage where they endured 11 months of torture and brainwashing, only to face prison time for treason in their own country upon their return. Directed by Bill Lowe. Documentary, 54 minutes.
— “The Volunteer.” During the Vietnam War, American soldier Bruce Nakashima formed a closed but unlikely friendship with L.V. Hendking, an African American from Alabama. “The Volunteer” follows Bruce’s 50-year search for L.V. Produced and directed by David Brodie. Documentary, 35 minutes.
— “Westermann: Memorial to the Idea of Man If He Was an Idea.” A 3D documentary about the life and work of artist, Marine and acrobat H.C. (Cliff) Westermann. A veteran of World War II and the Korean War, Westermann’s dramatic personal history can be traced through the beguiling, surreal art works he made to process the horrors he witnessed on the front lines. Written and directed by Leslie Buchbinder. 1 hour, 31 minutes.
— “Long Live Xander the Great.” Jordan looks back on his childhood and realizes that his parents were not the heroes he imagined them to be, just people with hopes, dreams and flaws like the rest of us. Written and directed by Devin Scott. Narrative short, 24 minutes.
— “More Than Brothers.” Since the retreat of the U.S. forces from Afghanistan in 2021 and the subsequent takeover by the Taliban, Afghans who helped the allies are being hunted down and killed. This film portrays the personal sacrifices and political engagement of two Green Berets in a race against time to save the Afghans who kept them safe during their deployments. Directed by Andrea von Siebenthal. Documentary, 23 minutes.
— “Stamp Our Story.” Every stamp has a story. The resilience and determination of Japanese American World War II soldiers, who were asked to fight for their country despite having their freedom taken away, is told as three elderly Nisei women share how they led a successful 15-year campaign to issue the Go For Broke: Japanese American Soldiers of WWII forever stamp. Produced and directed by Robert Horsting and Kaia Rose. Documentary, 19 minutes.
— “The Magic Ticket.” A homeless female veteran is camping outside a fancy restaurant on Christmas Eve when a kind stranger donates a gift card for a hot meal. When police try to escort her out, it triggers her trauma. Directed by Yelena Krivosheyeva. Narrative short, 15 minutes.
— “Chedder.” Scott’s night is thrown into chaos when an alien spaceship crash lands into his proposal picnic. Written and directed by Ryan Murtha. Narrative short, 15 minutes.
— “Peanut Butter Shot.” In the structured, bland environment of a federal government building, a young Army sergeant daydreams about a magical love. After realizing her crush is working Monday, she does her best to muster up the courage to ask her out. Directed by Paige Compton. Narrative short, 13 minutes.
— “We Carry On.” In 2022, Wounded Warrior Project and Community Building Art Works brought together 12 caregivers of severely wounded veterans through a six-week virtual poetry workshop that culminated in an on-stage performance in Washington, D.C. Directed by Sareen Hairabedian, Documentary, 11 minutes.
— “Cinemeta.” Two military veterans turned amateur filmmakers embark upon a mission to produce the perfect, festival-worthy, 10-minute comedy short film. Written, produced and directed by James Arterberry. 10 minutes.
— “THE SPRAYER.” In the land occupied with the sprayers army, no one has the right to grow any kind of plants either in public or private. One day a soldier finds a seed buried in the dust: His curiosity is just the beginning of something extraordinary and revolutionary. Directed by Farnoosh Abedi. Animated narrative short, 9 minutes.
— “The Steak.” A birthday ceremony preparation gets upside down as something horrible takes place. Produced and directed by Kiarash Dadgar. Narrative short, 8 minutes.
— “A Life of Honor.” When Joseph Patton joined the Navy in 1955, he had to serve in silence. At the time, the LGBTQ community could not be open while in the military. Despite being the “perfect sailor,” Joseph was kicked out of the Navy under the assumption that he was homosexual. Directed by Richard O’Connor. Animated, 3 minutes.
— “The Echoes of War.” U.S. Army Sgt. Harrison Wright, who was stationed in a small village in Belgium near the German border in WWWII, talks to his grandson about the honorable way he paid tribute to his fallen comrades. Directed by Richard O’Connor. Animated, 2 minutes.