GIFF Shorts Block I

10:00 am – 11:25 am

Spitfire 944 (Documentary Short): A WWII veteran is given an unusual look at a remarkable moment from his past when he reviews 16mm footage of his 1944 Spitfire crash-landing for the first time, sixty-one years after the event. Directed by William Lorton. Runtime 14 minutes.

Witt’s Daughter (Narrative Short): The story of a young man driven by expectations and love for his family as he returns from the Korean War and finds himself coldly rejected by his three year old daughter. Directed by Carole Holliday. Runtime 39 minutes.

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Kapisa (Narrative Short): Caught in the crossfire of the intensifying war in Afghanistan, members of a small team of U.S. Army soldiers are forced to choose between promises made to one another and those assured to their loved ones back home. Directed by Kyle Hausmann Stokes and Paul Sage. Runtime 19 minutes.

Triangle of Death

11:45 am – 1:20 pm

Triangle of Death (Documentary Feature): GI filmmaker Folleh Tambah takes you on a journey through one of Iraq ’s deadliest regions known as the Triangle of Death.” Know what it feels like to survive through a tour of duty during the largest combat engagement since the Vietnam War. WARNING: GRAPHIC FOOTAGE. Directed by Folleh Tambah. Runtime 90 minutes.

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About Face: The Story of the Jewish Refugee Soldiers of WWII

1:40 pm – 3:25 pm

The remarkable, yet previously untold story of thousands of young

Jewish immigrants who fled Germany and Austria in the early days

of Hitler's regime, and returned to confront their oppressors as

American GI's and British Tommie's in WWII.  Directed by Steve

Karras. Runtime 97 minutes.

Bedford: The Town They Left Behind

3:55 pm – 5:05 pm

During World War II, men from all over the United States went into

combat, but it was Bedford, Virginia that earned D-Day's most chilling

distinction: the country's highest losses per capita. This award-winning

documentary not only recalls Bedford’s unique place in history but also

places it in contemporary context: In 2004, Bedford's National Guard

troops were called up for the first time since 1945. Directed by Joe Fab. Runtime 75 minutes.

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GIFF Shorts Block II

5:25 pm – 6:40 pm

A Touch of Home (Documentary Short): Armed only with smiles, the Vietnam War’s RedCross Girls brought entertainment, a smiling face, and a reminder of home to millions of young American men who otherwise faced the grim daily reality of death. Directed by Cheryl Fries. Runtime 39 Minutes.

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Where Life Is (Documentary Short): Where Life Is provides an intimate portrait of three severely injured veterans pursuing sport as a means of rehabilitation and readjustment to civilian life. Directed by Coyote Marino. Runtime 27 Minutes.

The Way We Get By

7:10 pm – 8:45 pm

It's the deep well of compassion behind it that helps make 'The Way We Get By' such a stirring experience.

- Chris Barsanti, The Hollywood Reporter

FOUR STARS - 'The Way We Get By' manages to be touching, honest, and thought provoking at the same time.

- Mariko McDonald, Film Threat

Grade: A...There are moments in 'The Way We Get By' that cut right to your heart.

- Clint O'Connor, Cleveland Plain Dealer

Filled with a rare honesty and intimacy that makes for a rewarding film experience. 

- Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times

This one will leave you breathless. 

- Mike Riggs, Washington City Paper

The Way We Get By is an intimate story of three senior citizens as they struggle with the losses that come with growing old and rediscover their reasons for living by dedicating their lives to greeting troops at a tiny airport in Maine. Directed by Aron Gaudet. Runtime 83 Minutes.

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VIP Reception

9:00 pm – 11:00 pm

The GI Film Festival will host a VIP reception following the primetime

screening with special guest Gary Sinise.