The film’s central character is James (an impressive Ryan O’Nan) who returns from Iraq to face a new battle – reintegrating into his small-town life in Texas. His wife (America Ferrera, Golden Globe and Emmy award winner for Ugly Betty), his mother (Melissa Leo, Academy award nominee for Frozen River), and his friend (Jason Ritter, who played Kevin in Joan of Arcadia) provide support, but they can’t fully understand the pain and suffering he feels since his tour of duty ended. Lonely, James reconnects with an army buddy (Wilmer Valderrama, award-winning actor from That 70’s Show), who provides him with compassion and camaraderie during his battle to process his experiences in Iraq. But their reunion also exposes the different ways that war affects people – at least on the surface.
This moving, taut story of redemption and reconstruction extends beyond a post-traumatic-stress-disorder narrative. O’Nan is heartbreaking as he explores the depths of his internal struggles; Ferrera fearlessly tackles her role of a young wife in turmoil. The Dry Land is about one man’s fight within his own terrain – his country, home, and mind – and his journey to rebuild what he’s lost. THE DRY LAND is a superbly crafted film that introduces the work of first time feature director, Ryan Piers Williams, and demonstrates the meticulous background research on PTSD that inhabits the arid landscape of this extraordinary film.
The film is unrated, but because of content it is recommended for mature audiences only (17 and older).
Past and Future Screenings.
Film Festival Screenings. Premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. Won award for Best Narrative Feature at the 2010 Dallas International Film Festival. Has also screened at the Seattle International Film Festival and the Marfa Film Festival. Foreign premiere scheduled in June at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. Additional screenings scheduled at the Provincetown International Film Festival (June) and the New York International Latino Film Festival (July).
Military Support for the Film. Military Advisor for the Film, Lt. Col Greg Bishop, US Army’s Entertainment Liaison. Washington, DC, premiere on May 24, 2010, at the Naval Heritage Center to support Blue Star Families. Army Chief of Staff General George Casey attended this event. Cast and crew screened the film on June 5, 2010, for the Association of US Army and attended the AUSA Army Ball. The cast and crew for the film recently completed a June USO tour with the troops in the Gulf.
Theatrical release scheduled for July 30, 2010.
This will be the Colorado premiere of the film. And, the screening at Ft Carson will be the first time the film has been shown at a military installation in the US.
Interview with Cast and Crew at 2010 Sundance Film Festival
http://www.thekindlings.com/2010/01/28/the-dry-landpodcast-live-from-sundance-2009-at-the-windrider-forum-segment-1-of-1/
This moving, taut story of redemption and reconstruction extends beyond a post-traumatic-stress-disorder narrative. O’Nan is heartbreaking as he explores the depths of his internal struggles; Ferrera fearlessly tackles her role of a young wife in turmoil. The Dry Land is about one man’s fight within his own terrain – his country, home, and mind – and his journey to rebuild what he’s lost. THE DRY LAND is a superbly crafted film that introduces the work of first time feature director, Ryan Piers Williams, and demonstrates the meticulous background research on PTSD that inhabits the arid landscape of this extraordinary film.
The film is unrated, but because of content it is recommended for mature audiences only (17 and older).
Past and Future Screenings.
Film Festival Screenings. Premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. Won award for Best Narrative Feature at the 2010 Dallas International Film Festival. Has also screened at the Seattle International Film Festival and the Marfa Film Festival. Foreign premiere scheduled in June at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. Additional screenings scheduled at the Provincetown International Film Festival (June) and the New York International Latino Film Festival (July).
Military Support for the Film. Military Advisor for the Film, Lt. Col Greg Bishop, US Army’s Entertainment Liaison. Washington, DC, premiere on May 24, 2010, at the Naval Heritage Center to support Blue Star Families. Army Chief of Staff General George Casey attended this event. Cast and crew screened the film on June 5, 2010, for the Association of US Army and attended the AUSA Army Ball. The cast and crew for the film recently completed a June USO tour with the troops in the Gulf.
Theatrical release scheduled for July 30, 2010.
This will be the Colorado premiere of the film. And, the screening at Ft Carson will be the first time the film has been shown at a military installation in the US.
Interview with Cast and Crew at 2010 Sundance Film Festival
http://www.thekindlings.com/2010/01/28/the-dry-landpodcast-live-from-sundance-2009-at-the-windrider-forum-segment-1-of-1/
THE DRY LAND