The Documentary Group is proud to present the U.S. theatrical release of OPERATION HOMECOMING, a film by Richard E. Robbins. Following its premiere at New York’s Film Forum in February, the film begins a multi-city engagement March 30th, 2007.
Praised by the Village Voice, the New York, Times, Salon.com, and numerous others, OPERATION HOMECOMING is a unique documentary that explores the firsthand accounts of American troops through their own words. The film is built upon the Operation Homecoming initiative created by the National Endowment for the Arts to gather the writing of soldiers and their families who have participated in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Through interviews and dramatic readings by such actors as Robert Duvall, Josh Lucas, Beau Bridges, Blair Underwood, Justin Kirk, Aaron Eckhart, Chris Gorham and John Krasinski, the film transforms selections from this collection of writing into a deep examination of the experiences of the men and women who are serving in America’s armed forces. At the same time it provides depth and context to these experiences through a broader look at the universal themes of war literature.
The writing in OPERATION HOMECOMING covers the full spectrum – poetry, fiction, memoir, letters, journals, and essays. Through an extraordinary group of men and women, it offers a profound window into the human side of America’s current conflicts. The film also includes interviews with great American war writers from other conflicts including Tim O’Brien, James Salter, Tobias Wolff, and Anthony Swofford.
At the core of the writing in OPERATION HOMECOMING is a deep desire by all those who have served in war to come to terms with their experiences. Throughout the film the soldiers, young and old, express a profound hope that people will listen to their stories and try to understand what they have seen. As with all of the great war writers, stretching back as far as the Iliad, the soldier writers of OPERATION HOMECOMING are trying to find meaning in the chaos and brutality of war. The film is a deeply humanizing look at those who suffer the de-humanization of war.
OPERATION HOMECOMING will be part of the series America at a Crossroads, beginning April 15, 2007 on PBS. America at a Crossroads is a major public television event premiering on PBS in April 2007 that explores the challenges confronting the post-9/11 world — including the war on terrorism; the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan; the experience of American troops serving abroad; the struggle for balance within the Muslim world; and global perspectives on America’s role overseas. Funding for Operation Homecoming was provided by The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, The Boeing Company, and the Independent Television Service.
———–
Operation Homecoming is and official selection at numerous film festivals, including Full Frame, True/False, Dallas AFI, and the Florida Film Festival.
www.operationhomecomingthemovie.com
