The box office opened Friday for the in-person 2022 GI Film Festival San Diego scheduled for May 17-21 at the Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA) in Balboa Park
After a two-years, the GI Film Festival San Diego makes its way back to the big screen with tickets ranging from $10 each for in-person screenings and $8 each for military and veterans. Tickets are available to purchase online at GIFilmFestivalSD.org.
A multi-day military-themed event dedicated to presenting films and events for, by, and about military and veterans. This year’s festival includes a selection of 27 films reviewed by members of the GI Film Festival San Diego advisory committee and festival organizers, including full-length documentaries, animated shorts, student projects, local films, and international films.
“Each film selected for the festival presents a different perspective of the military experience and reassures our veterans and their families that they are not alone and their service is appreciated,” the GI Film Festival wrote in a statement.
The lineup also covers events from World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War, and present day. In addition, film themes and plot lines this year include mental health, military sexual trauma, post-traumatic stress, the untold Filipino American military experience, women in service, transitioning to civilian life, life as a military spouse, veteran suicide, prisoner of war (POW) experiences, and much more.
The festival will also feature 13 narrative stories and 14 documentaries.
Making its San Diego premiere is “STRANGER AT HOME: The Untold Story of Military Mental Health.” Directed by Beth Dolan and Luis Resemar, the film weaves three veteran stories as they work tirelessly to deliver their urgent call-to-action for radical military mental health transformation.
Also making its San Diego premiere is the documentary feature film “A Long March.” Director Tammy Botkin shines a light on the treatment of Filipino American veterans, from war to erasure by the U.S. government. Another documentary, “Walk With Frank,” documents a Vietnam veteran as he walks across New York to raise awareness and support those struggling with PTS. The film makes its West Coast premiere during the festival.
The GI Film Festival San Diego also honors local filmmakers through a partnership with the Film Consortium San Diego.
This year’s festival will feature 13 San Diego premieres, five World premieres and four West Coast premieres.
“We’re very excited to return in-person this year after two years of online screenings,” says Jodi Cilley, founder and president, Film Consortium San Diego. “There’s nothing better than sitting in a theater next to the WWII veteran you see on screen or hearing first-hand from a film subject on their war experience, or even talking to a filmmaker who served in the Vietnam War finally getting to tell their story. The GI Film Festival San Diego brings together our troops and civilians, and that is what makes this event so special, unique and an experience like no other. ”
In addition to the film screenings, attendees may participate in post-screening discussions with filmmakers, film subjects, actors and subject-matter experts. The panel discussions explore the important topics and issues raised in the films, give audience members an opportunity to engage directly with the filmmakers, and create a space for dialogue, camaraderie, and listening.
All films shown at the in-person screenings will also be available as a video on demand rental (VOD), beginning the day after its festival debut through Memorial Day, May 30, 2022. This gives festival fans who are not able to attend the screenings in person, the flexibility to participate and enjoy the films whenever and wherever they choose within the rental window.
The festival culminates with the Awards Celebration, also taking place at MOPA on Saturday, May 21 with Los Angeles-based stand-up comedian, musician, radio broadcaster, and U.S. military veteran and advocate Thom Tran, returning as event host.
Tickets to the Awards Celebration will also be available via the online box office beginning April 1.
For up-to-date information on this year’s film festival, the film line-up, how to attend, and ways to get involved, visit GIFilmFestivalSD.org.
