UA Student Film Earns Praise, Facebook Post from VA

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A film produced by students at The University of Alabama about the challenges faced by returning military veterans has been recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs and posted on the federal agency’s Facebook page.

Students in UA’s Documenting Justice filmmaking class produced the documentary film, “Searching for Normal” that features veterans discussing life after tours in Iraq. The film began to receive praise and appreciation from the U.S. military community after the VA posted the film’s link to its Facebook page.

In the documentary, Dick Powers, student filmmaker and Iraq veteran, tries to make sense of his experiences, and talks with other veterans who describe their combat experiences in order to find answers.

Brandon Friedman, director of new media for the VA, met Powers at a conference in Washington, D.C. On Jan. 22, Friedman placed the film’s link to www.facebook.com/VeteransAffairs (scroll down to Jan. 22 post) with this message: “The short video below is a powerful one – especially if you’ve served in combat or you’re close to someone who has. I had the chance to meet the creator – an Iraq veteran himself – last weekend, and I wanted to share this. It’s about coming home from war. Let us know what you think.”

Powers and Elizabeth Jones, the other filmmaker on the project, created “Searching for Normal” for Documenting Justice, a program of the UA Center for Ethics & Social Responsibility and the department of telecommunication and film. Documenting Justice is a nationally unique, interdisciplinary course in documentary filmmaking (for non-film majors) that focuses on issues of justice and injustice in Alabama. It’s an initiative of CESR as a university-based program that supports the study of ethics and develops projects to nurture social responsibility and reflective, thoughtful citizenship.

“Ethical citizenship requires a strong sense of empathy and compassion,” said Stephen Black, CESR director. “Developing such qualities requires the ability to imagine what others see, feel and experience. A central focus of CESR, therefore, is the development of courses such as Documenting Justice in which students learn the personal stories of people outside their immediate sphere. The recent response to ‘Searching for Normal’ illustrates the capacity of this course to positively affect not only UA students, but people throughout the country and the world.”

Students in the 2009-2010 class will premiere their final film projects at a public screening at the Bama Theatre in Tuscaloosa on April 27 at 7 p.m. A reception honoring the filmmakers will be held prior to the screening at Harrison Art Gallery from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

As of Jan. 25, 44 people noted that they liked the post and another 29 took the time to thank the filmmakers, share their own experiences or express support for returning soldiers.

“It did exactly what we were hoping – spur a discussion about what it’s like for soldiers after they return home,” Powers said. “It’s also something people who deploy can identify with and something people who live with people who deploy can identify with. It’s a universal story – and it’s not specific to one war.”

Jones said she was honored that “Searching for Normal” could bring comfort and understanding to the nations’ heroes and their families.

“The veterans’ responses further verify the point of our film: every man and woman who serves our country returns home from combat not at the end of their journey, but at the beginning,” she said. “My hope is that civilians who watch the film will have a better appreciation and understanding of what those who serve our country sacrifice to protect us.”

A few comments posted to the fan page:

• “Very powerful … does an excellent job of showing that “back to normal” is so very different for everyone who has been in combat. Bravo Zulu to Ms. Jones and Mr. Powers.”

• “Great video. I’m a 26-year-old infantry vet who fought hard with the 101st … You never really come back to normal after the things you see and do, but that doesn’t make you any less of a person, just different.”

• “As a mother who has a son and a daughter-in-law in the Air Force, this video means a lot to me. Sadly it took someone close to me joining for me to understand the sacrifices made. I will never look at a veteran the same again. Thank you to all who serve and give us the right to be free.”

• “I work at a Vet Center (Veterans Readjustment Center) and our staff works with veterans from Korea, Vietnam up to our current veterans who have served in Afghanistan and Iraq. I appreciate this short film.”

To learn more about Documenting Justice contact 205/348-6490, cesr@ua.edu or www.cesr.ua.edu.

Watch the film at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vQTIIQTm1o