The Pen is Mightier than the Sword
by G.I. Film FestivalImagine being sent to the front lines in World War II. Not to destroy the enemy, but to record the war with your pen and paint brush. In Art in the Face of War, eight WWII veterans recount the experience of their lives as war recorders in a documentary directed by David Baugnon. Ignoring their fear and shaking hands, these brave men embraced their skills and found the creativity needed to record an accurate portrayal of what was occurring overseas.
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These war artists served in all theaters of operation and in all branches of the U.S. Military, including the once-secret Army division known as The Deception Corps. Their powerful imagery – some done on the spot, some done years later from haunting memories – will enlighten, challenge, even amuse, showing that war is hell but also that creativity can still exist, even in the face of utter destruction.
These artists/veterans share how they used their art for journalism and to preserve their own sanity.
Director David Baugnon
Filmmaker David Baugnon resides in New York. His directing credits include the feature documentary Art in the Face of War, 2006 (winner of the Newport Film Festival Special Jury Prize 2007 and Audience Award Winner for Best Documentary at Connecticut International Film Festival, 2006); the short documentary Matisyahu (screened in 50 film festivals worldwide and Grand Prize Winner at AOL Moviefone Short Film Festival, 2006 and the Special Jury Prize at the God on Film Festival 2004). He currently teaches screenwriting in New York at Writers Boot Camp and at Pratt Institute.
The GI Film Festival is delighted to announce Art in the Face of War as an official selection of the 2009 Festival. The GI Film Festival is a 501-c-3 non-profit organization whose mission is to honor the service and sacrifice of the men and women in uniform. Please consider supporting our festival to further our mission by bringing awareness to more great movies like David’s.
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6 Comments
My dad had an undying love for Bill Mauldin, the soldiers' artist who captured the experience of GIs like himself in North Africa and Italy in images as well as that other national treasure, Ernie Pyle, did in prose.
Art looks really good. I liked the trailer for Lioness as well. I'm glad I could help support something good.
Whatever happened the the Liberty Film Festival?
Sounds like a great documentary. I had the privilege some years back to look at 40 Soviet era WWII original posters. They were remarkable; the Soviets were pictured as valiant soldiers and the Nazis were rats in SS uniforms. The Russians also portrayed the Americans and British as noble warriors. America lost 400,000 in WWII, Russia lost nearly 40 million and virtually all citizens participated in the war effort against the nazi machine. The Nazis captured over 330,000 sq kilometers of Russian soil and were approaching the gates of Moscow. The people needed inspiration against what seemed to be insurmountable odds; in some ways artists provided this. Imagine cartoonists in this day and age portraying islamists as swine or rats? Seems inconceivable from our gaggle of politically correct cowards.
I detest communists but I will say that no one writes better than them about the Russian front, particularly about the Stalingrad Street Fighters that beat back the nazis and ultimately chased them back across Europe to Berlin where they lay waste to the Third Reich.
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My grandfather was an artillery officer in Europe during the war. A few years ago, he gave me his copy of a first edition book of Maudlin's called "Up Front". It is amazing.
I own an original copy of UP FRONT that my old man bought in 1945. I grew up looking at the pictures and not understanding them until I was old enough to read and understand the text. I've been a Mauldin fan ever since. I didn't agree with his politics, but the man knew what the dogface went through and pissed off Patton, which is the ultimate of talking "truth to power"
"If that little son-of-a-bitch sets foot in third Army, I'll throw his ass in jail!" Gen. George Patton on Bill Mauldin
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