WINTER SOLDIER
The Savoy Theater, 26 Main
Street, Montpelier, VT
Wed., Sept. 21 &
Thurs., Sept. 22
4:00 - 6:30 - 8:45
In February 1971, one
month after the revelations of the My Lai massacre, a public inquiry into war
crimes committed by American forces in Vietnam was held in Detroit, and a
collective of 18 filmmakers was on hand to record the testimony. The New York
Times: “Like a live hand grenade brought home from a distant battlefield, the
34-year-old antiwar documentary "Winter Soldier" has been handled for decades as
if it could explode at any moment. Now, the film - which has circulated like
16-millimeter samizdat on college campuses for decades but has never been
accessible to a wide audience - is about to get its first significant theatrical
release in the United States. Seldom has a film seen by so few caused so much
consternation for so many years.”There will be a discussion with local Vietnam
Veterans after each 6:30 show.
Winter Soldier - The Film
![Winter Soldier - The Film]()
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In February 1971, one month after the revelations of the My Lai
massacre, a public inquiry into war crimes committed by American forces in
Vietnam was held at a Howard Johnson motel in Detroit. Vietnam Veterans
Against the War organized this event called the Winter Soldier
Investigation with support from Jane Fonda and Mark Lane. More than 125
veterans spoke of atrocities they had witnessed and committed. "The major
that I worked for had a fantastic capability of staking prisoners," goes
one piece of testimony, "utilizing a knife that was extremely sharp, and
sort of fileting them like a fish. . . . Prisoners treated this way were
executed at the end because there was no way that we could take them into
any medical aide and say, 'This dude fell down some steps.'"
Though the event was attended by press and television news crews
almost nothing was reported to the American public. Yet, this
unprecedented forum marked a turning point in the anti-war movement. It
was a pivotal moment in the lives of young vets from around the country
who participated, including the young John Kerry. The Winter Soldier
Investigation changed him and his comrades forever. Their courage in
testifying, their desire to prevent further atrocities and to regain their
own humanity, provide a dramatic intensity that makes the film Winter
Soldier an unforgettable
experience.
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