VOICES IN WARTIME is a moving documentary that looks at war through the eyes of poets, war veterans and experts. Poets and words featured in the film include: Sam Hamill (Poets Against the War), Sinan Antoon and Ali Habash (Iraqi poets), Chris Abani (Nigerian war survivor/poet), Marilyn Nelson (poet laureate of Connecticut), anti-war activist Sherman Pearl, LA poet-preacher Saul Williams as well as words from poets past like Langston Hughes, Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson.
The people behind the film also have a website where they promote poetry about the experience of war (www.voicesinwartime.org) and are putting out an anthology of poems, "Voices In Wartime - The Anthology" available from Whit Press.
“’Voices in Wartime’ addresses a critical but often overlooked issue facing our society. What are the real consequences of war?” said Bill Belding, President and CEO of Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace for their work on land mines). “By being forced to look beyond the weapons, tactics and geopolitical aspects of conflict and consider the human side of war, we see the deeper costs we are asked to bear - the shattered limbs and minds not only of the innocent civilians but of returning soldiers. These costs linger far longer than most of us are willing to admit."
Bill Belding, President and CEO Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, VVAF was awarded Nobel Peace Prize (’97 land mine campaign)
Entertainment Insiders: “Fascinating and extremely literate”
http://einsiders.com/reviews/archives/show_theatrical.php?review_theatricle=252 “Rick King's fascinating and extremely literate documentary "Voices in Wartime" manages to present the poet's position on war without turning completely into an anti-Bush film. This is because he has assembled a varied group of soldiers, journalists, historians, and experts on combat to put their hands around war poetry. While the catalyst for this project may have been First Lady Laura Bush's White House invitation to poets to join her in honoring Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, and Langston Hughes, the film focuses smartly on the nature of poetry and war rather than providing a soapbox for present day anti-war poets to slam Administration policies. And this is important because awareness is raised uniquely by "Voices in Wartime" leaving interpretation ultimately to the viewer.”
LA Times: “Strong, riveting’”
http://www.calendarlive.com/columnists/cl-ca-shaw30jan30,0,6210906.column
