CBS 6 WLNS: ‘Brothers after war’ documentary highlights veterans’ struggles
EATON RAPIDS, Mich. (WLNS) — The VFW National Home hosted a Veterans workshop and a free screening of the documentary “Brothers After War,” a film that follows the lives of soldiers during the war in Iraq.
The film follows director Jake Rademacher and his powerful journey with his brothers and the soldiers that he met during the height of the Iraq War between 2005 and 2007.
“Once I got there, I fell in love with the men and women that served, and was sort of blown away by the depth of their spirituality, the depth of their perspective,” said Rademacher. “The things that they were wrestling with.”
At least a dozen veteran and their families came to watch the film, which was released back in February.
Ahead of the screening of the film, Rademacher talked about the purpose of the film, which he says is to open up dialogue about the trauma and the struggles veterans face while transitioning back into society.
“And when we introduce the film, we’re gonna encourage the veterans to also be emotionally courageous, and also open up about their experiences, you know, as a group,” said Rademacher.
Eric Calley, Senior Vice President for the VFW National Home, says the seminar unlocks a chance for relatives to also understand the hardships of what a soldier’s experience is after returning home.
“This is a little insight for the Veterans’ families to understand what the Veteran has went through to not only help the families understand some of the battles that they fight every day, but to be able to have tools to be able to help them in the future,” said Calley.
The film tackles hard topics such as suicide and even offers an emotional perspective from the relatives of those served.
Rademacher says the film was inspired by his brothers and what they’ve gone through.
“Looking back on it. I did it for love. Love of my brothers. I wanted to reconnect them,” said Rademacher. “They were distant to me, after going to war and coming back.”
The film was sponsored by the Gary Sinise Foundation, a charity organization that supports veterans and first responders.
Sinise played Lt. Dan in the 1994 film Forrest Gump.
The film Brothers After War is on Amazon Prime.
