Vietnam Film Festival to honor lessons learned from the Vietnam War

September 4, 2015

The University of Richmond’s Department of Journalism is sponsoring a film festival, “Documenting the Vietnam War: Journalism, Scholarship and Film,” to mark the 50th anniversary of the beginning of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. The festival is meant to engage students, veterans, journalists and other community members in reflecting on the war through several cinematic perspectives.

All screenings are free and open to the public. The films will include:

  • “A Bright Shining Lie” on September 9, including commentary from guest speaker Peter Arnett, a Pulitzer Prize-winning war correspondent
  • “Platoon” on September 23,
  • “We Were Soldiers” on October 7, including commentary from guest speaker Joe Galloway, a renowned author, newspaper correspondent and columnist. Galloway co-authored the best-selling 1992 book “We Were Soldiers Once… And Young,” which the film is based on.
  • “The Hanoi Hilton” on October 21, including commentary from guest speaker Paul Galanti, American P.O.W. during the Vietnam War
  • and “Full Metal Jacket” on November 11.

A complete film schedule, including directors and film descriptions, can be found online.

“The Vietnam War started 50 years ago this year, and we thought this would be a good time to teach our students about a war that is, for the most of them, as distant as the Crimean War,” said Robert Hodierne, Department of Journalism chair and event organizer. “We decided films would be a good way to engage their interest.”

“We think it’s also a good way to get people from the community, including Vietnam Vets, to interact with our students about this war, whose damage and lessons echo yet today,” Hodierne added.

This event is co-sponsored by the American Studies program, the Film Studies program, the Department of Rhetoric and Communication Studies and the School of Professional and Continuing Studies.

# # #