SOLDIERS OF CONSCIENCE
Directed by
Catherine Ryan & Gary Weimberg
United States, 86 mins.
Documentary
Saturday, 4:45 PM, Salem Cinema
Filmmaker Gary Weimberg in Attendance!
A frank, emotional and thought-provoking journey into the lives of combat veterans as they reflect upon their wartime experiences, Soldiers Of Conscience broaches a subject that's generally taboo within military circles, revealing these soldiers’ gravest concerns about killing and about the moral grounds on which it's justified. As West Point grads, drill sergeants, Abu Ghraib interrogators, and low-ranking reservist-mechanics alike trace their paths from recruit to vet, they demonstrate that every soldier must confront dire questions about war, peace, and personal responsibility. And, although most decide to kill, far more soldiers refuse to kill than we might expect. Made with official permission from the U.S. Army, this stellar, stand-out documentary contains never-before-seen footage from basic training as well as the front lines. It is a wrenchingly real but optimistic look at war, peace, and the power of the human conscience.
Film Hosted by Salem MonthlyFilmography: Three Women and a Chateau (06); The Double Life of Ernesto Gomez-Gomez (99)
Awards: Foyle Film Festival Best Documentary; Hamptons Film Festival Best Film (Conflict & Resolution Competition); Rhode Island Film Festival Best Documentary
Listen to an NPR interview with Gary Weimberg
Gary Weimberg (Co-director)
Catherine Ryan and Gary Weimberg have spent the last two decades making award-winning documentaries as editors, directors and producers. Their awards include 2 national primetime Emmy Awards and a Director’s Guild of America nomination for Outstanding Documentary Director. Two films edited by Gary were nominated for Academy Awards and one film produced by Catherine was short listed for an Academy Award nomination. Their films have been broadcast and seen at film festivals around the world, winning more than 10 “Best Documentary in Festival” awards.
