|
Body of War On March 21 Bill Moyers opened his weekly PBS program with the comment: “The only way truly to understand the human cost of this war is to know someone who is bearing it. Someone like Tomas Young.” Inspired by President Bush speaking from the rubble of Ground Zero, Tomas enlisted on 9/13/01, thinking he would be sent to Afghanistan . At Fort Hood he learned he was to be sent to Iraq . Body of War is an intimate and transformational feature documentary about the true face of war today. Meet Tomas Young, 25 years old, paralyzed from a bullet to his spine-- wounded after serving in Iraq for less than a week. Body of War is Tomas’ coming home story as he evolves into a new person, coming to terms with his disability and finding his own unique and passionate voice against the war. The film is produced and directed by Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro. Donohue met Thomas at Walter Reed Hospital and was taken with him, and so their collaboration began. Body of War is a naked and honest portrayal of what it’s like inside the body, heart and soul of this extraordinary and heroic young man. Body of War unfolds on two parallel tracks. On the one hand, we see Thomas evolving into a powerful voice against the war as he struggles to deal with the complexities of a paralyzed body. And on the other, we see the historic debate unfolding in Congress about going to war in Iraq . Phyllis Grady |