30 military-themed films to debut at D.C. festival - Entertainment, Movies - Navy Times

30 military-themed films to debut at D.C. festival

The fifth annual GI Film Festival kicks off in the nation’s capital May 9 with a lineup that includes feature films, shorts and documentaries that span the centuries from ancient warfare to modern combat.

Designed to bring Hollywood and the military together to create a venue for artists to tell the story of the American GI, the weeklong fest will feature 30 film premieres, all movies either made by or celebrating U.S. service members.

“From start to finish, our 2011 festival offers an exceptional lineup of films covering all aspects of the life of an American GI inside and outside the arena of war,” says Brandon Millett, festival co-founder and president. Among the guests will be Emmy-winner William Devane, who co-stars with GiGi Erneta in Flag of My Father — the story of an Iraq veteran who tries to heal her fractured family while wrestling with her own haunting war memories. “Flag of My Father” is directed by Rodney Ray, who has two films showing in this year’s festival.

Emmy- and Golden Globe-winner Gary Sinise — better known to many as Lt. Dan in “Forrest Gump” — will serve as the keynote speaker at a congressional reception May 11 at the Capitol Visitor Center.

The festival also includes the D.C. premiere of Ironclad, a Hollywood big-budget flick of 13th-century sword-swingers starring James Purefoy, Kate Mara and Paul Giamatti.

That screening will serve as the centerpiece of the festival’s Wounded Warrior Appreciation Night on May 13 at the U.S. Navy Memorial. Director Jonathan English will be on hand for a Q-and-A following the screening.

Real stories behind the hit movie and TV comedy MASH will be among several films commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Korean War throughout the fest.

Enduring mysteries of World War II are the subject of two more films. The full-length docudrama Wereth Eleven retraces the ill-fated steps of 11 black artillerymen killed during the Battle of the Bulge, while Lost & Found: The Legacy of the USS Lagarto delves into story of an attack submarine missing in action since 1944.

Two documentaries focus on part-time soldiers sent to a full-time war. Hooligans at War follows 14 Army National Guardsmen through their tour of duty in Afghanistan, while Shepherds of Helmand follows 17 Oregon Guardsmen on counternarcotics missions there.

Another recurring theme will be films probing the emotional cost of combat. Created for servicewide distribution through the Army’s mental health program, The War Inside is designed as an immersive look at the psychological challenges of coming home with combat stress and the toll it takes on individuals, families and society.

A 22-minute short dubbed Journey Home — written, directed and acted by Iraq veteran Christopher Loverro — follows a soldier after he volunteers to return home from the battlefield to notify his friend’s wife of the death of her husband.

In the 15-minute short A Marine’s Guide to Fishing, combat veteran and amputee Matthew Pennington stars in the story of a war fighter returning to his old job fishing along the coast of Maine.

For a complete lineup of 2011 films, go to www.gifilmfestival.com.