Sebastian Junger (wrote “Perfect Storm”) and Tim Hetherington (won 1st place - out of 80,000 entries - in the 2008 World Photography Competition, with a photo of one of our guys) embedded with Battle Co. for much of their deployment...on the tiny Firebase on the side of a cliff. The movie is named “Restrepo” after the base - which was named in honor of one of their first fallen.
The SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL has just announced that “Restrepo” has made the cut - it will have it's World Premiere in Jan at SUNDANCE.
Once it comes out, we should all call the WH and recommend they watch it. Maybe they'll get a clue.
The country will know what our wonderful troops are doing. I think it will open a lot of eyes and our troops will get more respect from even the ignorant.
Blurb: “Restrepo (Directors: Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington)—Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington’s year dug in with the Second Platoon in one of Afghanistan's most strategically crucial valleys reveals extraordinary insight into the surreal combination of back breaking labor, deadly firefights, and camaraderie as the soldiers painfully push back the Taliban. World Premiere “
link
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/awards/2009/12/2010-sundance-film-festival-announces-film-lineup.html
As I post this, the unit is packing and heading back to the Kunar/Nuristan for another year - into the brutal winter of the high Hindu Kush - and NONE of the new 30,000 troops will go to them. Indeed, only 5,000 of the 30,000 will be fighters. The rest will be ‘trainers’ etc.
I hope this movie accurately depicts the reality, but anything that will show at Sundance will be pressured to “advance the agenda”.
I would not be surprised if soldiers disillusioned with their government (Bush/Karsai) were featured, or if it had the flavor or Fallujah I or Vietnam. Or if soldiers are showed dying because Cheney was egging on impossible actions.
In the words of Lily Tomlin, no matter how cynical I become, I can’t keep up. I’d advise caution in your enthusiasm till you see the actual product.