POSTER GIRL was nominated for an ACADEMY AWARD! -Documentary (Short)

Join Sara and Robynn at Artrage for the screening and discussion!

Apple pie cheerleader turned tough-as-nails machine gunner in the Iraq War, Sgt. Robynn Murray comes home to face a new kind of battle she never anticipated. POSTER GIRL is Robynn’s story, an all-American high-school cheerleader turned “poster girl” for women in combat, distinguished by Army Magazine’s cover shot. Now home from Iraq, her tough-as-nails exterior begins to crack, leaving Robynn struggling with the debilitating effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Shot and directed by first-time filmmaker Sara Nesson, POSTER GIRL is an emotionally raw documentary that follows Robynn over the course of two years as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery and redemption, using art and poetry to redefine her life.

IRAQ PAPER SCISSORS (2007-) 45 min. – Documentary

Right now, 18 veterans commit suicide every day. As more veterans seek help from the Veterans Administration (VA) they must wait in line behind the backlog of 400,000 claims for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). While this rising “epidemic” is mostly overlooked by society, the government is preparing to send more troops to fight a deadly war in Afghanistan and veterans home from Iraq and previous wars are left to suffer alone. Yet, in an old Vermont papermaking mill, one group of veterans have discovered a unique way to cope – by transforming their uniforms worn in combat – into paper, books and art. IRAQ PAPER SCISSORS is a documentary film (in-progress) that takes us into the lives of five Iraq War veterans who struggle with PTSD as they discover that they have dreams and talents beyond machine guns and combat.

Over the course of two years, director Sara Nesson, intimately captures the young men and women deconstructing their uniforms, while sharing their memories as soldiers and uncertain futures as civilians. Through following their creative and emotionally difficult yet healing journey, the dark space war that occupies their minds, gives way to light, allowing us to see more clearly, those who have served refuse to be forgotten and more importantly, ask to be understood.

-Sara Nesson-

Those of you who attended our grand opening exhibition in October 2008, Combat Paper, may remember meeting Sara and Robynn. We screened the trailer of the film Sara was working then working on, Iraq, Paper, Scissors. Robynn read her poetry for us in another ArtRage event featuring the Warrior Writer’s Project. Even though Sara’s newest film, Poster Girl is up for an Academy Award, she is still willing to return to ArtRage for this special screening. A discussion with her will take place following the screening. We also hope to have Robynn there as well.  Don’t miss it!

$10 suggested donation