Posted on 01/24/2010 8:55:40 AM PST by Saije
Veteran war correspondents Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington want Sundance audiences to feel the sand in their eyes, hear the gunfire and listen to the soldiers' themselves describe their experiences in Afghanistan. The two spent most of 2007 embedded with the 2nd Platoon of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, living with and reporting on 30 young soldiers defending a remote outpost in the Korengal Valley.***
"I think we have succeeded in making you feel like you are on the battlefield for 90 minutes," says Junger.***
"This experience is a rich, intense one in a way that it wouldn't have been if I made just a movie or just a book. Something would have been missing," said Junger, adding that his book about Outpost Restrepo, entitled "War," will be published in May.***
Junger also made a decision early on to avoid making a political movie.
"We restricted ourselves completely to the experience of the soldiers. We didn't interview any generals or think-tank specialists. Our cameras never left the sides of the soldiers," he said. Over the course of five month-long stays at Restrepo, Junger said, "with the exception of pulling guard duty or firing weapons, our living situation was identical to the soldiers'."
"At first there was no shelter at Restrepo. You slept on the ground. When I went back, there were these little huts which were heated minimally by little gasoline stoves ... There was no running water, no phone, no Internet, no hot food and we went on just about every patrol out of the base."
After carrying 80 pounds of gear including food, camera, bulletproof vest, helmet and water up a mountainside to get to the outpost, Junger admits, "it was some of the hardest work I've done."
(Excerpt) Read more at parkrecord.com ...
Just the mention of Sundance makes me queezy in remembering the on the ground expose’ pieces by Dan Rather during VietNam.
I’ll reserve judgement, as I should, until seeing it.
You can see the Trailer Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HEyTyBGk10
To be honest, I’m not sure what to make of it?
Just saw it. Very powerful. No spin or moralizing, just straight up footage of what our guys go through. Every “journalist” should do his job like Junger.
I Tivoed Restrepo and will watch it no later than Saturday.
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