DENVER, Sept. 10, 2011 - One of the best things a filmmaker can learn about is a remarkable story no one has captured on film - yet.
Director Gary Mortensen discovered just such a tale after completing his first documentary about U.S. soldiers in Iraq. The result is “Shepherds of Helmand,” a film festival darling available now on DVD.
Movies in Toto caught up with Mortensen to find out more about his latest film and his thoughts on how Hollywood responded to the attacks of 9/11.
Toto: How did you learn about the Afghan battalion at the heart of "Shepherds of Helmand," and was it difficult to gain the right kind of access needed to fully tell this story?
Mortensen: I had made a documentary about the Oregon National Guard serving in Iraq "This is War-Memories of Iraq" and one of the Sergeants from that film told me I had to meet this group that had just gotten back from Afghanistan. I was told that this small, 17-man all-volunteer team had returned as one of the most decorated units in Oregon National Guard history, and no one was telling their story. The access to working with the team came through the Oregon National Guard and I have to say they have been incredibly easy to work with. I also needed permission from the Army which took a more effort but was able to get done.
Toto: What was the most dangerous moment of your time shooting "Shepherds?"
Mortensen: To me, one of the most interesting aspect of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq is that this generation of solider is truly digital. This means that with the easy access to flip phones, digital cameras and video we are getting possibly the most intimate glimpse into a soldiers world that has existed. Now some of these soldiers are even wearing helmet cams giving us first person perspective into life in a war zone. Because these images are so authentic, honest and intimate, I did not travel to Afghanistan. What you see on film is truly their perspective. That being said, the intense firefight captured from Patrol Base Attal in Helmand Province is absolutely harrowing.
Toto: What did you learn about the Afghans that surprised you in the making of the film?
Mortensen: Two things: 1) How impossibly young many of the recruits in the Afghan army are. Some as young as 14, most younger than 20 (with a small sprinkling of grizzled veterans). Almost all can't read or write and see joining the army as a chance to improve their lives. 2) How completely tribal Afghanistan is. A typical Afghan Army unit could contain men from the three major ethnic groups (Pashtuns, Tajiks and Hazaras) but even soldiers from the same ethnic group could harbor grudges that go back generations. The 500-man Afghan battalion covered in "Shepherds of Helmand" even had members of the Taliban in it (including the company commander). When our team complained about it, they got nowhere as the Regional Afghan Commander was his brother-in-law.
Toto: Talk about the non-political nature of your work. Why do you take that path, and how do you ensure that politics don't enter the equation?
Mortensen: My motivation for making these documentaries was based on the films that were coming out a few years back on Iraq. Features films and documentaries were heavily politicizing the war to fit political agendas and lost in the noise were these incredible stories of Americans at war. As a historian I feel I have an obligation to tell these stories in as non-political nature as possible. The best way to do this was simply to let the soldiers tell their stories in their own words with their own images. If my films are at all political, it is from the perspective of the individual soldiers giving their personal views and not from anything I am trying to slant. However, at then end of the day, these are war stories.
Toto: Why do you think Hollywood hasn't addressed 9/11 with the intensity and sense of patriotism found in films made immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941?
Mortensen: One thing for sure is purely the sophistication of the film makers and the viewing public. Imagine if "Wake Island" or "Sands of Iwo Jima" had more resembled "Saving Private Ryan" or "Flags of My Father" the very realism of these films, regardless of political slant, make war seem so much more real and the death so much more possible than the mostly propaganda-fueled films of WWII. The bottom line is our sons and daughters are serving in these hostile war zones right now. The news validates it. I don't think the public has the stomach for it directly so they watch proxy movies like "Battle LA" instead. I also think films like "Redacted" and "Lions for Lambs" found no audience because people don't want our soldiers to be perceived as pawns in some end game. Not when those soldiers are our sons and daughters.
Toto: Tell me about the National Combat History Archive and how you got involved with the project.
Mortensen: The Archive was founded out of the need to help preserve the legacies of our veterans. With our country losing over 1,000 WWII veterans each day, the archive was established as a way to preserve the individual veterans stories, images and film before they were lost forever. It's been amazing what we have been able to preserve, truly priceless images, much of it intercepted on its way to estate sales, eBay and dumpsters.
Toto: You've had success on the film festival level. What kind of roadblocks have you encountered in mainstream film circles? Any anecdotes to share here?
Mortensen: I can say I am not alone when discussing the huge disconnect between making films like this and breaking into mainstream film circles. There seems to be a lot of headwind out there (especially for non-political ones) that prohibit meaningful distribution. A bright light for people wanting to make films about the military is right here in Washington, D.C. at the "GI Film Festival." This is the only film festival in the nation that caters to films like mine and the founders (Brandon and Laura Millett) started the festival because they wanted to give film makers an outlet for to tell these important stories. It's a fantastic festival.
Toto: Do you have any future film projects lined up, and can you share anything about them?
Mortensen: I am currently in the process of launching the "Veterans Legacy Sharing Project," a website/database dedicated to the preservation and online sharing of our veterans personal images, stories and film. This not-for-profit program will be completely free to use. The goal is to have a site where all veterans from all wars can share their incredible legacies. Our motto is "No forgotten wars - no forgotten stories." if anyone wants to contact me regarding this project, I can be reached via email at gmortensen@thecombatreport.com.
Note: Net profits from Mortensen's films benefit HAVA (Honored AMerican Veterans Afield) a non-profit that assists combat wounded veterans reintegrate.
Christian Toto is a veteran journalist and film critic whose work appears in The Denver Post,Box Office Magazine and PajamasMedia.com. His movie reviews are heard on WTOP radioand "The Dennis Miller Show," and he blogs on film at What Would Toto Watch? Read more of Christian's work at Movies in Toto in the Communities at the Washington Times. You can also follow him on Twitter.
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