Tickets for GI Film Festival:
Guest Blogger: Barbara Autin
The G.I. Film Festival (GIFF), the premiere festival showcasing films focused on the military experience, is gearing up for another successful run. This year, over fifty films will be screened from May 24-28 in Washington DC.
The tales span from World War Two era stories to the current stories of soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The G.I. Film Festival was started in 2006 in order to change the prevalent, one-dimensional depictions of service members in the media. The success of the films has resulted in the festival’s unofficial nickname as the “Sundance for the Troops.” With most Americans lacking first hand knowledge of military service, the G.I. Film Festival is a great platform for military members to communicate our stories about our service to the civilian community.
In doing this, the GIFF has created a reputation of screening some of the best military films produced today, as well as creating a thriving community of veterans and filmmakers.
A perception still exists that the military and the entertainment industry are worlds apart, and the G.I. Film Festival is helping to change that by connecting the two groups. Veterans who are interested in getting involved in the entertainment industry now have the opportunity to get to know other veterans who’ve already gained experience in film making by attending events throughout the festival.
Taking time for military service can put you behind your peers in the entertainment industry, but it doesn’t have to be a deal breaker if you’re willing to work hard and make the right connections.
The projects screened at GIFF are all real stories, and film students, veterans- in fact, anyone who enjoys military stories should attend if they’re in the DC area. GIFF truly is the premiere platform for military stories to be brought to a mainstream audience.
Not only can you meet filmmakers and veterans, but you can gain a lot of insight in what veterans go through, and get connected to additional veteran oriented organizations through GIFF, like the Veterans in Film and Television, which help hardworking veterans get connected with opportunities in the film industry.
Hope to see you there!
Guest Blogger: Barbara Autin
Barbara Autin served as an engineer in the Army for eight years before pursuing her dream of writing. Her first short movie, Drawing Tinkerbell, will premiere on the LACMA website in April. She was a military consultant on Mary Jane Wells' play "Heroine" and is currently working on two military themed scripts.
GI Film Festival Tickets:
Military Times article:
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Fulton Film Company
Fresno, California
