The GI Film Festival is coming to a theater near you.
If traveling to Washington, D.C., for the weeklong event in May isn’t an option, check out one of your local theaters to see if the festival’s new one-night event is playing in your hometown.
Tickets went on sale Friday for the festival’s Cinematic Salute to the Troops — a two-hour program that will be shown in more than 400 movie theaters across the country on April 7.
“We’ve taken the best parts of actually attending the festival and packed it into a two-hour show,” said Brandon Millett, co-founder and president of the event that’s been dubbed “Sundance for the troops.”
Audiences will see two short films, “Climb” and “The Real Inglorious Bastards,” plus an interview with World War II veteran Fred Mayer, star of “The Real Inglorious Bastards.”
The pre-taped show features interviews with Gary Sinise and Danny Trejo as well as on-screen appearances from first lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden. Marine veteran and actor Adam Driver, known for his roles in “Girls” and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” will deliver a message about what it’s like to be a veteran in the entertainment industry. Cinema audiences will also get a behind-the-scenes sneak peek at the military zombie film “Range 15.”
“We know people are going to love it because we used the same winning formula: great films, real heroes and a little star power thrown in for good measure,” Millett said.
Millett said the GI Film Festival, which is celebrating its 10th year, attracts people from around the world, and that the first question they ask is when the festival is coming to their hometown. The Military Base Road Show brought the festival to select military installations, but Millett said for there to be a truly national presence, festival organizers had to find a way to be in more than one place at one time.
The GI Film Festival worked with Fathom Events to bring the show to audiences across the country.
Kymberli Frueh, vice president of programming for Fathom Events, said the company is able to customize any event with data on the best locations to reach an intended audience.
“We have military who lives in our communities all across the U.S., and sometimes we don’t really understand the struggles they’re facing or the support that they need,” Frueh said. “As a community, it’s our job to help them and understand their needs.”
Frueh said hopefully events like GI Film Festival’s Cinematic Salute to Service will shine a light on these issues and how others can support service members and veterans.
Navy veteran Jamie Kaler, host of “America: Facts vs. Fiction” on American Heroes Channel, will be the audience’s emcee as they watch the show, which he likens to a “highlight reel” of the festival.
He said the event is a great way for people to come out and support the troops and feel connected to them.
“People always say, ‘thank you for your service,’ but I think that this in particular is something you can do to actually give back,” he said.
DETAILS:
What: GI Film Festival’s Cinematic Salute to the Troops
When: 7 p.m. local time April 7
Where: More than 400 theaters nationwide
Cost: $15
