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One out of every three veterans not only deals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but also experiences a sense of inadequacy in accessing the necessary mental health services. "Lonesome Soldier," a film that portrays a soldier’s experience during the Iraq War, was recently released to encourage servicemen, women and veterans and educate civilians on the impact of PTSD, actor Alex Randazzo said.
The film was released by independent film production company Military Movies and is based on a novel by Linda Lee of the same title.
Randazzo, who co-wrote the screenplay, stars as Jackson Harlow, a young man whose life takes a dramatic turn after joining the National Guard. Upon his return from serving in Iraq, Harlow is haunted by the war, revealing that the ongoing battle he confronts has merely transformed rather than concluded.
Randazzo comes from a military family and has a personal connection to the character. He said being handpicked to play Harlow by Harlow's mother at the age of 19 has been one of his life's greatest and most humbling experiences.
"I felt an incredible responsibility taking on this role," he said. "While this entire journey has been extremely humbling and surreal, the most powerful experience was when I spoke to the real-life Jackson's daughter and heard the story through her eyes. From that moment forward, the importance of this film and this role being as authentic, accurate and powerful became my sole focus in order to honor the real-life Katy."
Nino Aldi directed the film, and the producers included C. Charles Pappas, Mark Wallace and Randazzo, with executive producers James Dillon, Steve Monroe, Richard Randazzo and additional investors. The ensemble cast included John Ashton, Allison McAtee, Steve Monroe, Jesse James, Dion Earl, Flavia Watson, Leah Grosjean and Michael Southworth.
"I hope this film really helps everyone who watches this film, who might otherwise never have even a small glimpse of how PTSD affects our heroes and their families and their communities," Randazzo said.
When he started this project, Randazzo said the film would be considered a success if it saved a single life, but that goal has since changed.
"Less than a week before the film opened in theaters across the country, I found out that a very close friend of mine, someone who worked on this film with me for over four years, someone who not only fought against their own PTSD but was also actively assisting others in this fight, tragically left us. My friend's PTSD played a major part," he said. "'Saving lives' isn’t enough. 'Lonesome Soldier' was made, is currently succeeding and will continue to be successful, not on a scale of box office records or fancy movie reviews, not festivals and awards."
The film's team believes the military community is underrepresented in contemporary entertainment media and aims to bring its project to the big screen. The producers plan to open the film nationwide by targeting theaters in military communities and areas supportive of previous military films.
Randazzo said starting Dec. 1, "Lonesome Soldier" will play in theaters on U.S. Army bases around the world. They are also targeting streaming and DVD releases for early February. In the meantime, the film's team is planning events, screenings and Q&As across the country.
Military Movies, involved in theatrical distribution, has several scripts in development. Plans include rolling out more military offerings, service-oriented documentaries and character-focused stories. The company intends to collaborate with nonprofit organizations serving U.S. veterans for marketing initiatives and raising awareness of the film's message. A percentage of proceeds will support veterans in need of mental health support.