The War in Afghanistan may have come to an end, but the struggle for veterans to recover from its aftermath is still an every day battle. AMERICAN SONS follows Combat Veteran Lance Corporal Rios on his quest to find healing through reconnection with his Marine brothers, 10 years after one IED explosion sent him home disabled and another took the life of his best friend, JV. Through JV’s intimate video diary of his deployment to Afghanistan and photos capturing his final moments alive, AMERICAN SONS blends past and present to get a raw, authentic look at the human costs of war and explores the devastating consequences that ripple through the lives of the friends and family of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
With more combat veterans returning home, it is imperative to amplify their voices and share their stories. Not only to create a greater sense of empathy and understanding amongst civilian (non-veteran) audiences, but to remind veterans of the War in Afghanistan and Gold Star Families everywhere that they are not alone. Thanks to our film’s scheduled national PBS broadcast we will reach a large, diverse audience of civilians and veterans across demographic and cultural backgrounds. To reach specified veteran audiences, we will be holding targeted screenings with partner organizations that share our mission support veterans in find healing and reconnection.
American Sons seeks to create a more intimate context for veterans and families on their journey to recovery and integration. We see this as an opportunity to create partnerships and use our film as a tool for discussion, promoting awareness, compassion, and encouraging our viewers to be agents of change in their own life and community. We hope this film will encourage veterans, their loved ones, and their care providers to explore veteran-centered models of treatment that go beyond medication with more focus on holistic mental health and BIPOC cultural consideration.
Director and Cinematographer Andrew Gonzales is a 2-time NALIP Latino Media Market fellow, a 2-time recipient of Latino Public Broadcast’s Public Media Content Fund and a recent recipient of the San Antonio Individual Artist Grant for his film AMERICAN SONS. His short documentary, HERE: The Garrett Scott Story in which he Co-Directed, won awards at the Hollywood International Moving Pictures Film Festival, the Festigious International Film Festival, the Top Shorts Online Film Festival and the IndieFest Film Awards.
Laura is a documentary filmmaker whose work is shaped by her roots growing up on the US/Mexico border. Varela’s documentary, As Long as I Remember: American Veteranos was broadcast on PBS from 2010 to 2016. She is a recipient of awards from The National Association of Latino Arts and Culture, Humanities Texas, Latino Public Broadcasting’s Public Media Content Fund, ITVS Diversity Development Fund and Best Director Award at the San Antonio Film Fest.
PRODUCER
Telles’ thirty-five year career in film and television includes the production of numerous documentaries and segments for PBS, ABC, NBC, National Geographic, Discovery and Univision. Among the honors he has received are the Columbia DuPont, Peabody, Emmy and Alma awards. Telles is an Associate Adjunct Professor in the Department of Ethnic Studies and Artist in Residence at the Latinx Research Center, University of California, Berkeley.
Fernando Cano
CONSULTING PRODUCER
Fernando tackles production logistics for the best of them. His production credits include feature films like Syriana, Selena, The Newton Boys, All The Pretty Horses and Miss Congeniality. He has also served as Production Supervisor and Production Coordinator on two PBS/ITVS-funded narrative programs: Come & Take It Day and the Foto-Novelas II series, respectively. He also produced the PBS documentary As Long as I Remember 2010-2016; broadcast nationally via American Public Television. He is on the Texas Film Commission’s Media Development Zone advisory board, a member of the Dallas Producers Association (DPA).
We have about 10% of this project left to shoot and are moving into post production beginning January 2023. If you are aligned with our mission to tell this relevant story and help veterans heal from the trauma of combat, please connect and help us develop the partnership opportunity that suits your contribution needs.
We are currently fundraising for costs related to:
• Remaining Production Costs
• Editorial
• Sound Design and Composition
• Archives and Music Rights.
FOR UNDERWRITING INFO AND TAX DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS:
Please email us at americansonsfilm@gmail.com
or visit our website americansonsfilm.com
Each contribution matters. Please help us complete this timely and relevant film.
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