THE GI FILM FESTIVAL MARCHES BACK TO WASHINGTON, D.C.
11th ANNUAL “SUNDANCE FOR THE TROOPS”
RUNS MAY 24th– 28th
The Nation’s Only Military Film Festival Announces 2017 Lineup
Fest Program includes 50+ film premieres and scheduled appearances
by Tom Berenger, Judd Nelson, Jamie Kaler, Ayla Brown, VA Secretary Dr. David
Shulkin, Rep. Tim Walz, and Rep. Jack Bergman
The GI Film Festival (GIFF), the
nation’s premiere entertainment
enterprise exclusively dedicated to presenting the veteran experience
through film, television and special events, today announced its lineup for the
11th annual event, running May 24 – 28, 2017 in Washington, D.C.
(See www.gifilmfestival.com.)
This year’s five-day program boasts a
dynamic lineup of 50+ films, interactive Q&As with filmmakers and on-screen
talent, an embassy soiree, live music, stand-up comedy, star-studded red
carpets, and awards ceremonies, all honoring and lending a voice to the veteran
community.
“The quality, depth and diversity of
this year’s GI Film Festival film line-up is staggering,” says GI Film Festival
Chairman and Co-Founder Brandon Millett.
“We have packed this year’s fest schedule with films of every genre,
from action films to historical documentaries, animated comedies to dramas,
thrillers to sci-fi films. Start to finish this is the best group of films
we’ve ever showcased.”
Hailed by Bloomberg News as “Sundance for the Troops,” the GI Film Festival’s
mission is to preserve the stories of military veterans through film,
television and dynamic live special events. Since 2007, the GIFF has
spearheaded the lead-up to Memorial Day in our nation’s capital by offering the
country’s most expansive view of military themes on film.
In addition to its film line-up, the
festival also provides a wide range of other entertainment and educational
experiences. Including, for the first time, a live two-hour variety show
entitled, “The Cinematic Salute to the Troops” on Saturday night, May 27th at
the Howard Theater. Hosted by Navy veteran, television host and comic Jamie
Kaler, the event will also feature appearances by actors Tom Berenger and Judd
Nelson, a musical appearance by former American Idol contestant Ayla Brown, a
short film presentation and awards.
The festival will also hosts a Congressional
Reception, “Veteran Health: A New Hope,” featuring guest speakers Dr. David
Shulkin, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and Congressmen Tim Walz and Jack
Bergman. On Friday, May 26th, GIFF will host a “Pitchfest” where
filmmakers will present their best film and television ideas to top industry
professionals. Sunday night, May 28th, the festival will close with
a special sneak peek of the epic 18-hour documentary series The Vietnam War, including a special
message from Director Ken Burns during the festival’s “Best of Fest” Awards
show.
Ticket prices range from $15 for a matinee
screening with filmmaker Q&A to $375 for a festival “all access” pass
providing access to select official GIFF screenings and special events. See www.gifilmfestival.com for a full schedule of events and to purchase tickets.
GI FILM FESTIVAL 2017 SELECT FILMS AND
DESCRIPTIONS:
(Note: Details, including screening times, subject to
adjustment.)
·
2 SIDES PROJECT (Documentary
Feature): American and Vietnamese sons and daughters—who had all lost fathers
fighting on opposite sides during the war—gather together in Vietnam seeking
healing, closure and peace. [Thursday,
May 25, 2:30 – 4:30 pm, U.S. Navy Memorial Theater.]
·
THE RIFLEMAN’S VIOLIN (Documentary
Short): Revisit an extraordinary intersection of history and music that took
place in July 1945 as Harry Truman, Winston Churchill and Josef Stalin prepared
to negotiate the post-WWII fate of the world. With wit and verve, 90-year-old
virtuoso violinist Stuart Canin recounts how, as a 19-year-old GI, he performed
privately for the Big Three to break the ice of tense negotiations over the
division of Europe and the prosecution of the war against Japan. [Thursday, May
25, 6:30 – 8:30 pm, Embassy of Canada. Part of International Warrior film
block.]
·
AMERICAN VETERAN
(Documentary Feature): An intimate documentary portrait of Army Sergeant Nick
Mendes, who was paralyzed from the neck down by a massive improvised explosive
device in Afghanistan in 2011, when he was 21 years old. The film weaves
together Nick’s past and present to show a nuanced portrait of a quadriplegic
soldier’s sometimes harrowing, sometimes romantic and often surprisingly funny
life. [Friday, May 26, 2:50 – 4:30 pm, U.S. Navy Memorial Theater.]
·
AFTER FIRE (Documentary
Feature): AFTER FIRE highlights the
challenges faced by the fastest-growing group of American veterans: women, who
now account for one in five new recruits to the U.S. Armed Forces. Demonstrating
courage during their military service and resilience in its aftermath, these
women warriors confront the fallout of their experiences on their personal
lives as they adjust to the civilian world. [Saturday, May 27, 12:30 – 2:30 pm,
U.S. Navy Memorial Theater. Part of “Women Warriors” film block.]
·
COMEDY BOOTCAMP (Documentary
Short): Meet the newest class of veteran comedians as they learn to use humor as a
way to share their journeys and connect their stories to others. With a
concluding White House performance, the participants share their stories of
resilience, hope and humor. [Saturday, May 27, 3:00 – 5:00 pm, U.S. Navy
Memorial Theater. Part of “Returning Home” film block.]
·
THE JOCKSTRAP RAIDERS (Animated/Narrative
Short): THE JOCKSTRAP RAIDERS takes place during World War I in Leeds, England.
A group of underdog misfits are excluded from the war due to various
abnormalities. Threatened by the invading German Kaiser and his army, they must
learn to become a team and overcome their deficiencies in order to save Britain
and the world. [Saturday, May 27, 6:45 – 9:15 pm, The Howard Theater. Part of the
“Cinematic Salute to the Troops.”]
·
THE COLONEL (Narrative
Short): THE COLONEL begins in 1969 when a heralded Marine, Hap Tasker, on the
brink of promotion to Brigadier, is told he has a deficient heart that prevents
him from future military service. Crestfallen, he turns his disappointment into
determination to continue serving his country through instructing his nation’s
youth in his “time honored values,” by building a football program at a private
high school battling rebellion, entitlement and bankruptcy. Based on a true
story. Starring Kevin Durand. [Sunday, May 28, 12:30 – 2:30 pm, U.S. Navy
Memorial Theater. Part of “Honor and Sacrifice” film block.]
·
STEALING VALOR (Documentary
Short): This film examines military impostors and the phenomenon known as “stolen
valor.” Veterans who make up an informal network of watchdogs work to expose
these impostors and bring their lies to public exposure. [Sunday, May 28, 12:30
– 2:30 pm, U.S. Navy Memorial Theater. Part of “Honor and Sacrifice” film
block.]
·
GARY SINISE: ALWAYS DO A LITTLE MORE (Documentary Short): Long before his role as Lt. Dan in the
wildly successful film FOREST GUMP, Gary Sinise had developed a passion for the
men and women who step into harm’s way to secure the freedom we enjoy as
Americans. This film takes a look at the origins of Sinise’s commitment to the
U.S. Military community, Veterans, First Responders and their families, and his
unwavering dedication to serve them at every opportunity. [Sunday, May 27, 3:00
– 5:00 pm, U.S. Navy Memorial Theater. Part of “Honor and Sacrifice” film
block.]
·
THE LIBERATION OF KUWAIT (Documentary Feature): Twenty-five
years after the tanks of Saddam Hussein’s vaunted Republican Guard rolled into
Kuwait, THE LIBERATION OF KUWAIT tells the story of a resilient Kuwaiti people
skilled in diplomacy, and one of the most stunning, lopsided military victories
in history, led by a brilliant American military. [Sunday, May 27, 5:30 – 7:30
pm, U.S. Navy Memorial Theater. Part of “Remembrance” film block.]
2017 GIFF XI sponsors include: TriWest Healthcare Alliance, USAA, The Military Times, The
Gary Sinise Foundation, American Airlines, Pentagon Federal Credit Union, Got
Your 6, Stars and Stripes, WMAL, and many more sponsors and partners. See here:
https://gifilmfestival.com/sponsors-2017/.
