In November 2017, POV asked Almost Sunrise filmmakers Michael Collins and Marty Syjuco what's happened since the cameras stopped rolling.
Have you kept in touch with Tom and Anthony? How are they doing? Have the benefits they gained from their trek persisted?
We're in close touch with both of them as they often join us at screening events and are very involved with our campaign activities. They are both doing well. Anthony is working full time but also organizing treks for veterans. And Tom has recently moved to California. He has been helping to set up Power Breath Workshops all over the country for Project Welcome home Troops and continues to find creative ways to help veterans. They both continue to share their experiences as a way to help inspire, uplift and heal others.
Have Tom, Anthony and their families seen the film? If so, what were their reactions?
Tom and Anthony often joke that they were planning to make their own documentary about the trek on their Go Pros, and when we called them they were so relieved. Their goal was to use their own healing journeys to inspire and help others, and since they have been traveling with the film and campaign for the past year and a half, they've expressed how fulfilling it is to see how the film is able to amplify their message and touch so many lives.
How has the film been received by other veterans in the US?
The reaction from veterans is often of gratitude that their story was relayed in a way that doesn't depict them as a stereotype. Many are left in a place where they feel more open to share their experience with their community and their families. We continue to receive many comments from veterans across the country sharing how they feel hopeful and that now they see new paths towards healing that they weren't aware of before.
What do you hope American audiences will take away from the film?
We hope that we may all consider our responsibility in welcoming veterans home in a way that supports a healthy reintegration into society - and that we'll take a proactive approach in supporting their families both while their loved-ones are deployed, and after they come home. We hope this sparks meaningful conversations about what it means to serve, and fosters connections within communities.
Ultimately we hope that we collectively realize that these wars are our wars, and when young men and women are sent into harms way, it's because of the decisions that officials we've elected are making. We hope the film serves as a reminder that we are presently engaged in the longest war in our history in Afghanistan, which is only one of many armed conflicts we are involved with. We hope people ask themselves why, and if they don't have the answers, that they actively seek them out.
How do you hope the US will confront and deal with the issue of moral injury amongst veterans?
Anthony has said "The PTSD wakes me up in the middle of the night, and the Moral Injury is what stops me from falling asleep in the first place."
Dr. William Nash, Director of Psychological Health for the U.S. Marine Corps has said, "I would bet anything, that if we had the wherewithal to do the research, we'd find that Moral Injury underlies veteran homelessness...and suicide." It is Moral Injury, not PTSD, which experts believe will eventually be known as the defining wound of this generation of veterans.
We hope that as a country, knowing the gravity of these injuries and what is at stake, we will ask ourselves why we put soldiers in these situations in the first place; becoming more engaged in civil discourse so that we enter armed conflict as an absolute last resort, and when we do so, to enter with clarity of mission and attainable goals that our leaders will be held accountable for. And for those who are now dealing with Moral Injury, we hope that an integrative medicine approach to healing is embraced systemically by the VA. There is a wide range of evidenced-based modalities that are no longer seen as "alternative" therapies that need to become more mainstream.
What are you working on now?
When we began making this film, we knew from day one we wanted to create a robust impact camping as part of our distribution strategy. We've been very fortunate over the past 18 months (since our world premiere at Telluride Mountainfilm on Memorial Day) to connect with hundreds of audiences, partnering with incredible organizations and getting the film and campaign to those who can benefit most. What makes us happy is to see that whether it is a veteran, a military family member, a service provider, or a civilian, the film is resonating on a very deep and personal level with so many. So right now we are very much focused on the campaign and invite everyone to visit our website to learn more: AlmostSunriseMovie.com