by Barbara Smith
Telling good stories gets people talking. This simple axiom might be one of the most important goals—and outcomes—of the GI Film Festival San Diego, which runs from October 18 – 22. Organized by KPBS in partnership with the GI Film Festival Group and Film Consortium San Diego, the festival is in its third year, and promises a robust experience of storytelling, showcasing a variety of military-themed films, many featuring veterans and military personnel as writers, actors and involved in all facets of production. Documentaries and shorts, local films, a Hollywood preview, filmmaker appearances, panel discussions, a local film showcase and an awards gala are all part of the 5-day festival. San Diego is the perfect place to host such a festival, with one of the largest veteran populations of any community in the country, hosting seven major military bases and over 100,000 active military.
So often, the Hollywood-produced films that deal with war and military themes, are filled with spectacular explosions and special effects designed to sell tickets, but don’t present a realistic picture of the horror, honor, tragedy and bravery of combat and its aftermath. For Marine Corps veteran and actor Jay Jee, the GI Festival San Diego allows people to peek behind the curtain and help the civilian population get a better understanding of what war-time is really like. “To get perspectives from actual military folks who have served in war zones, to hear about their struggles first hand is a humanizing experience,” he says. “With only about 1 percent of the population in America serving in the military, there’s often a misunderstanding or disconnect about what we actually do as military personnel. The film festival is one piece in bridging that divide,” adds Jee, who serves on the festival’s advisory committee and stars in “Refuge,” which screens on Saturday. Shot entirely in San Diego, with some of the scenes filmed across from the 32nd St. Naval Base, the film is a futuristic depiction of a rogue element in society, gambling with experimental science to save women from a forced breeding program. Jee is nominated for Best Actor and the film for Best Film in the Local Film Showcase.
Themes of soldiers returning from combat and reintegrating into society is a theme that resonates with many military veterans. Making the transition to civilian life can be difficult, agrees John Brooks, Jr., whose over 20-year service in the US Air Force spanned 11 duty assignments in different combat zones. Brooks stars in “Black Christmas,” a 9-minute short in which a man is accused of attacking a woman and he must convince an angry mob of his innocence. The story line stemmed from a chance encounter at a grocery store that Brooks posted online, which caught the attention of the director Susan Davis. “I made the comment that I served this country and yet when I returned home, there was no recognition for that status in the simplest of things as going to the store,” he said. “Events like the GI Film Festival and military festivals all over the world allow people to see beyond their own experience or what Hollywood has disguised with glitz and glamour. They help us take a step back and realize that the explosion on screen is not real, but in war, that noise is real, and lives are lost.”
Venues for this year’s festival include AMC Mission Valley 20, Regal Carlsbad 12, Balboa Park Museum of Photographic Arts, a special Family Movie Night aboard the USS Midway for a screening of the Warner Brothers comic blockbuster “Wonder Woman,” and the Awards Celebration to be held at KPBS on the SDSU campus.
Among this year’s films are “The 2 Sides Project,” which screens on opening night Wednesday, October 18, at the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park, and is a post-Vietnam documentary, that follows the journey of American and Vietnamese sons and daughters who had all lost fathers fighting on opposite sides of the war; “After Fire,” an intimate portrait of the lives of three women veterans and the strength they need to overcome military sexual trauma, combat injuries and bureaucratic dysfunction; “The Rifleman’s Violin,” a documentary about 90-year old violin virtuoso Stuart Canin, who at age 19, deployed to the German front, fought on the front lines and, later, was tasked to play his violin to break the ice in negotiations with Harry Truman, Winston Churchill and Josef Stalin; “The Vietnam War,” featuring excerpts from the Ken Burns/Lynn Novick 18-hour documentary which explores personal stories from all sides, told through testimony and interviews of Americans and Vietnamese; and “Comedy Boot Camp,” which follows a class of veteran comedians as they learn to use humor as a way to share their journeys and connect their stories to others.
“After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world,” novelist Philip Pullman wrote. The GI Film Fest promises stories that are honest, accurate and compelling and are sure to stimulate thought and dialogue. “It’s important for us as Americans to support the military and veterans,” says veteran/actor/advisor Jay Jee. “It’s not just about helping, but just giving us a chance to be successful and to connect. That’s all anyone really wants. The films, the talkbacks and the conversations that follow are very revealing and very therapeutic. With the movies being shown, it’s definitely good medicine.”
For ticket information and screening schedules, visit www.GIFilmFestivalSD.org. Discounts are available for KPBS members, veterans and current service members.
