PBS has an upcoming project: What it means to go to war. This project is an upcoming hour-long PBS documentary , featuring journalist Sebastian Junger and Marine veteran/author Karl Marlantes. The film will portray the experience of combat and its aftermath through the voices of combat veterans themselves. We’re looking at war as a universal experience that transcends geography and generations, and will include veterans from a multitude of conflicts and countries, without delving into the politics or individual histories of each war. We’d like to answer the question of what is timeless and universal in the experience of combat through firsthand testimony.
Because we will have minimal narration in the film, we are looking for dynamic storytellers to share their experiences and speak for themselves, from why they joined the military in the first place to the details of their training, combat and eventual return to civilian life.
The goal really is to make something that takes an honest look at combat without fetishizing it and educates the audience on what war really means (as best as an hour-long documentary can). It’s not about judgment or stereotyping. We’re in the very early stages right now, so at this point I’m trying to talk to as many combat vets as possible for research before we start filming this fall. The goal is to spend the next two months or so talking to vets so we can narrow down to a group of 20-30 by the end of the summer.
Point of Contact: Prisca Pointdujour | Associate Producer
