CLEARLAKE — Second Sunday Cinema”s free film for August is “Restrepo,” a documentary about young American soldiers stationed at the most dangerous Taliban-held valley in Afghanistan.
The film will be shown at 6 p.m. Sunday at the Clearlake Community United Methodist Church. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Admission is free.
According to publicist Shannon Tolson, there are several striking things about this film that combine to make it a very compelling experience. For example, the documentary was Sebastian Junger”s first film and was nominated for an Oscar. Junger is well-known for his book, “The Perfect Storm,” which was made into a feature film starring George Clooney.
Secondly, this film, unlike many documentaries, does not take a point of view. It simply observes. According to Junger, “It”s a completely apolitical film. We wanted to give viewers the experience of being in combat with soldiers and so our cameras never leave their side. There are no interviews with generals; there is no moral or political analysis. It is a purely experiential film.”
“Restrepo,” which was named after a beloved medic killed in action, earned a very “Fresh” rating of 96 percent on RottenTomatoes and won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.
According to Tolson, viewers can expect to see young people during a year of danger and high stress: bad language, occasional glee at killing, grief over the death of a friend but no gore and one incredibly beautiful scene: young men in a moment of great, open joy.
For more information about Second Sunday Cinema, call 889-7355.
