On July 1 I was in Colorado Springs, CO with America, Ryan, and Wilmer for our first screening on a military installation at Ft. Carson. We had two screenings actually, one at Ft. Carson for soldiers and their families and one in Colorado Springs for the public. The Windrider Forum sponsored and hosted the event (http://windriderforum.org/). Will Stoller-Lee from the Windrider Forum organized both screenings and brought America, Wilmer, Ryan and I in for the events. If anyone has ever tried to organize an event on a military installation you would know how incredibly difficult this can be. With a great deal of hard work and tenacity Will was able to organize the screening on post. The screening at Ft. Carson was incredible! The day started with us meeting the Garrison Commander COL McLaughlin at the memorial for fallen soldiers at the main entrance of the post. I was really taken aback by the amount of casualties Ft. Carson has seen.
Before our screening we met with several Chaplains, officers and people from the Army Hospital. We also met Dr. Erin Wilkinson, LTC. Dr. Wilkinson is a psychologist on post who we asked to join us for both of our Question and Answer sessions at the end of our screenings. It was very informative to speak with her about the system at Ft. Carson and some of the ways they treat soldiers with PTSD. After the lunch we headed over to the theater. The theater seats approximately 1,000 people. I was blown away when I found out there were roughly 400+ soldiers and family members in the audience. The majority of the soldiers in the audience had either recently returned from Iraq or Afghanistan or were preparing to go. I was very impressed by the mid-afternoon turnout before the July 4th weekend. Before the screening we were called onto stage to meet the Commander of Ft. Carson, Major General David G. Perkins. We were very honored when he presented us with a certificate for our visit.
Watching the film with this audience was intense. I’ve gotten to the point where it is sometimes too difficult to sit in the audience. I become very restless, and having my system constantly pumped with caffeine doesn’t help anything. Nonetheless, I usually end up pacing in the back of the room more than sitting in my seat. This screening was different; I really wanted to feel the reaction of the crowd. At this point we have showed the film to many audiences, but being on post really set a different tone. After the film ended I was shocked by the cheers that came from the audience. As we made our way up to the front of the audience we were met by many soldiers who shared their thoughts on the film. We were met by many handshakes, thanks and many emotions. It was overwhelming. The cast, Dr. Erin Wilkinson, LTC, and I spoke after the film and answered questions from the audience.
The first soldier to speak said that he had served in Afghanistan and that he came home and sought help for his mental health. He said he had never admitted this before in public and that he strongly recommended that his fellow soldiers seek help if needed as well. The next woman said that she is a Chaplin on post and also has a son in the war. She said the film was phenomenal. Her reaction was so powerful it made me well up. I think going into this screening I didn’t know what to expect. Every screening has proven difficult for me. Still to this day the film brings out so many raw feelings. The one comment the Chaplin had that made me think for days after the screening was that she wished there was a mention of religion in the film. I’ve thought hard about this. At the time I didn’t have an answer for her, but now I wish I could have explained it a little better. My response is that in the same way we don’t ever mention Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in the film I did not want to mention any specific religion or faith. I want the audience to bring their own beliefs to the table. I do believe that James’ journey is very spiritual.
After the Q&A we met with about a hundred plus people from the audience. The first two people I met were two Gold Star mothers – mothers who have lost a child in war. The two mothers told us how much it meant for them to watch the film. As the mothers began to cry Ryan, Wilmer, America and I made a circle around them. We all hugged for a bit and listened to their thoughts about the film. I felt very sad for their loss. There was one soldier who asked me about why I chose Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” for the soldiers to play in the hospital scene. He said that he had kept himself together the entire film, but that was the moment when his emotions cracked. I gave him a long convoluted story about why I picked the song and immediately felt stupid for telling it. I could tell his connection was far deeper, so I just listened to him. He said that in Iraq he was responsibly for the safety of a group of soldiers. He said that unfortunately there was no way to keep the soldiers safe. He implied that something terrible happened. He told me that he use to listen to “Redemption Song” while he was in Iraq at night because it allowed him to get out his feelings without feeling bad about himself. He thought the song was perfect for the moment in the film. It’s a song so full of emotion and soul but feels strong and powerful at the same time. I was very honored that the soldier shared this story with me.
After the Ft. Carson screening we screened the film for the community in Colorado Springs. The screening was great. I realized that it is so important that we screen the film not only for soldiers and their families but for the general public close to military communities as well. It is very important that the public become more aware of the issues soldiers deal with when they return home so they can offer the understanding and support soldiers and families need. Someone at our Q&A said that a healthy soldier helps build a healthy community and vice versa. This couldn’t be truer. One cool observation I made was that during the Q&A the audience asked Dr. Wilkinson more questions than to the filmmakers. I thought this was very encouraging.
In the lobby there were paintings created by veterans who were going through PTSD treatment. As a part of their treatment they painted in order to express their feelings about their trauma. America and I were moved by them and decided to purchase four. We met one of the artists who shared his experience of creating the painting and how it has helped him deal with his PTSD. The best part is that all of the proceeds from the paintings go back into helping pay for their program.
For more info check out this article:
http://www.ppbhg.org/Newsroom/Soldiers+Artwork+Inspires+Cast+and+Crew+of+the+Film+The+Dry+Land-249.html
The day was incredible. Being able to screen our film on military installations and in military communities is truly our reward. When I set out to make this film I wanted to bring about a greater conversation about PTSD. I can’t even express how awesome it has been to screen the film for soldiers, their families and communities. I’m looking forward to more screenings of this nature in the near future.
Read an article posted on the Official Army website about our Ft. Carson screening:
http://www.army.mil/-news/2010/07/08/42022-carson-premieres-movie/
Check out some pictures from the events:
http://www.facebook.com/editalbum.php?aid=186541&add=1&id=191686873211#!/album.php?aid=186541&id=191686873211
A post about our USO tour to Iraq is coming soon!
- Ryan Piers Williams, Writer/Director
