The Pointy End of the Spear Film Program

Around the country, veterans are working to address PTSD with time outside. Presented by the TKF Foundation and MC’d by Hawah Kasat, this evening film program showcases how the lessons we are learning from their experiences can be applied to the 90% of the American population that experiences trauma at some point during their lives.

Tickets for this and all other SHIFT events may be purchased here.

FILM LINEUP

Nature Rx 

Writer and Director: Justin Bogardus | Narration: Jed Lazar | Run time: 1:33 minutes

Set in the world of a spoofed prescription drug commercial, Nature Rx offers a hearty dose of laughs and the outdoors – two timeless prescriptions for whatever ails you. Side effects may include confidence, authenticity, remembering you have a body, and being in a good mood for no apparent reason.

Behind the humor and parody of Nature Rx is good science. Research shows that spending more time in nature improves your health, wellbeing, and leads to making better environmental decisions. An award winning comedy series, Nature Rx also offers environmentalism a needed dose of fun and satire. Nature Rx is a friendly reminder to us Earthly inhabitants what feels good and what is worth protecting once we take an adventure outdoors.

Chandalar

Production: Colorblind Media | Produced by: Cavin Brothers and Brian Dolen | Directed and filmed by: Cavin Brothers, Jay Johnson and Andy Anderson | Run time: 14:19

In person: Chad Brown

On a clear morning in Portland, Oregon, fourteen youth with oversized backpacks await a long day of travel. Along with five veterans, a few volunteers and “Axe the Service Dog,” they are headed to Fairbanks, Alaska. From there they will pile into bush planes and fly into the Arctic Circle.

This is Soul River, a non-profit organization founded by decorated Navy veteran Chad Brown, and their three-week deployment to the Chandalar River is the culmination of outdoor conservation education, collective strengthening, leadership development, healing, and a whole lot of fly fishing. Many of the participants come from different worlds and while they know that their experience with trauma is what initially binds them together, it isn’t what defines them.

This is a story of how U.S Veterans can change lives and find purpose by volunteering their time. It is a story about the bonds formed between the veterans and youth on the river and about the importance of the natural world to mental health. More than anything, it is a story of resilience.

The Green Road

Produced by: TKF Foundation | Run time: 5:59 minutes

In person: Erin Robertson

This short film tells the story of The Green Road project, the result of a years-long effort to create a therapeutic nature space on the grounds of the National Military Medical Complex in Bethesda, and to incorporate nature into the treatment of veterans struggling with the unseen injuries of war – namely PTSD and traumatic brain injury (TBI). To learn more, visit natureeffect.org/warrior-care/

Mercy, Love & Grace: The Story of Force Blue

Producer/Director: Bobby Sheehan / Working Pictures | Run time: 1o minutes

In person: Jim Ritterhoff

FORCE BLUE is a program that unites the community of Special Operations veterans with the world of coral reef conservation for the betterment of both. Join us and discover how, when we are one team with one fight, we can indeed change the world.

Sacred Strides

Run time: 12 minutes

In person: Dustin Martin

Bears Ears National Monument is one of the most talked-about public lands under threat, though the dialogue often glosses over how sacred it is to many Native Americans. In March 2018, a group of tribes put their differences aside and came together to run 800 miles to Bears Ears—and to send a message of unity. The Sacred Strides for Healing Prayer Run wove from tribal homelands across the Southwest to Bears Ears. Watch to meet the people who are participating in the public lands conversation with their feet, and learn about why this land is so important to them.

Legacy Health

Producer/Director: TKF Foundation | Run time: 6:35 minutes

In person: Erin Robertson

Legacy Health, an expert in the development of healing gardens in healthcare settings, created a garden at The Family Birth Center and Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit in Portland and has studied its impact. This short film shares some of the science—and the stories—behind this exciting initiative.

Fly by Light

Producer: Hawah Kasat | Director: Ellie Walton | Run time: 60 minutes

In person: Hawah Kasat

FLY BY LIGHT is an award-winning documentary about District teenagers breaking cycles of violence. The film follows four unforgettable young people on an eight-day journey into the mountains of West Virginia, leaving the streets to participate in an ambitious peace education program.

Under the mentorship of artist educators and conflict resolution specialists, Mark, Corey, Martha and Asha begin to process and move on from the shootings, abuse and neglect of their past. But as they return to DC, each young person faces an unforgiving series of hurdles and roadblocks that challenge their efforts to build a better life. Through breathtaking visuals from street corners to mountaintops, FLY BY LIGHT is an intimate exploration of the chaotic, confusing and emotional journey to rewrite a young person’s future.