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Executive Producer Kmele Foster and actor Michael Cuomo discuss two films that honor separate generations of US Veterans
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-- angle -- so glad that you're here with us today this is chance for us to.
-- -- talked to a lot of different people in this entertainment world we've been talking to musician.
A filmmaker and now joining us here on -- we also have an executive producer.
And an actor two totally different films but both centralized around the theme of honoring our veterans.
Through film and of course all this very timely because that Tuesday's next week.
And we want to welcome both of you to my right Bill Foster executive producer of the documentary film honor flight.
And Michael Cuomo who's the actor.
-- happy new year which is a film -- -- Published we'll get to in a minute but first -- want to start with Camille.
And talk to us about honor flight.
-- you know reading about this you're just you get a lump in your throat.
And knowing what people have been doing to help our -- asset the -- -- before we take a look at the -- and tell people what this is all.
-- honor flight is a film about a community.
Really coming together trying to give World War II veterans.
A trip.
To DC to visit the memorial that was built in their -- you know the memorial to the number of years to sort of comments -- -- by the time it was.
Finally completed a lot of these guys were were much older and now most -- in their eighty's and ninety's.
And it's quite a -- for them to be able to travel from.
Very far away and -- particular case we follow -- chapter from Wisconsin.
So it's it starts with a very humble beginnings and it grows into something really spectacular an incredible.
And now they're at the point where they fly hundreds of that -- -- time to the memorial.
And it's an incredible journey.
You know and reading -- some about this film some of the information on this.
It's so hard to imagine and believed but it we know that it's true.
That in some cases this is the first time they've actually been packed yeah fight by groups yeah by people and you just think how can not beat.
Yeah yeah it's it's really has a lot to do with sort of the rate at which these guys were coming home in the number of cases so.
You know we declare victory and and folks come home from the theater at their own pace and -- -- we'll talk about sort of what is what's what it's like.
And in a modern sense when you're coming home -- a conflict and we understand posttraumatic stress and trauma center and now.
That there may not have been the same attention sort of paid a lot of these guys so they had.
Have these incredible stories.
Heroism.
And oftentimes haven't really talked about the conflict even with their own families so as they take this trip.
They share these incredible stories and sort of take you along the journey -- What what let's go ahead again look at the clips of the U.
I have a little taste for what honor -- all about Lincecum.
It's just one minute.
And I want to say.
We're standing here today in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial.
Think carved in granite on that -- the words of our sixteenth president reached your time.
He said that the world will little note nor long remember.
What any of us stay here.
But he could never forget when you -- veterans and had done for this republic.
And that's the promise of honor flight to.
Good as you've faced this final chapter of your extraordinary lives.
We will never.
Have earned her again.
Right that's a clip from honor flight and -- and it hit yet talk about the lump in the throat I mean I seen another cut before that I hadn't seen not one that you really.
And you can feel it -- you you can feel the effort that has been put into this and to getting those veterans.
To these memorials yet.
-- when you see the Clinton and I assume that the response has been overwhelming and it follows a designed specifically at the follows you know the whole effort.
But therefore people that are.
Far right.
We really document.
That the journey of four particular veterans and one chapter in the on a flight has well over a hundred hugs right across the country that are worth doing this work in the the -- are all little different.
But yet we follow for stories and I'd invite people to visit on the -- the movie -- -- -- we actually just released a brand new trailer today.
Which also features some footage from our Miller Park about the film first premiered.
Adam Miller Park in Milwaukee was before 28000 people -- -- but really phenomenal film really phenomenal group of volunteers and obviously.
Some phenomenal characters as well.
All right so -- we put up the website we're gonna get back to that as -- before we leave you and we also encourage people to follow.
The film -- Camille Foster on at free think media on Twitter.
And don't go anywhere want to stay with me because we also want to introduce to -- here at the table as well.
Michael Cuomo was after -- another film totally separate films here but again in the same theme of honoring our vets the film is called happy new year.
And you describe it is America welcome to the show thank you so much for being here today I describe for us what this film is all about you this is not a docs and you're playing an -- you know you're an actor.
Planes and -- of them -- do you play.
Right so I play staff sergeant -- Lewis who is four -- combat marine in Iraq and Afghanistan conflict who has come home.
And due to.
His experience.
He is now a paraplegic.
And is.
You know.
Gravely injured and is recovering in the post traumatic stress -- of a VA hospital.
And the film basically details his experience coming into the hospital meeting some of the other guys to.
Are not only from Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts but also there's a Vietnam vet and even a World War II vet.
And it is important.
For that because the the film -- they both sit post war trauma.
And how it spans the generations of war there and the reintegration process I had the opportunity.
Two.
To meet with veterans with -- -- the director and writer of the film.
And talk about their experience coming home some of -- stories which inspired the characters and inspired the through line of the piece which really is.
Looking at the reality of what's going on right now.
How that's in some cases led to the alarming rate in military suicide -- And what is being done at a public policy level and would still can't be done not just.
From a government but as a society because with -- only 1% of the military.
1% of the US population directly impacted.
It's easy for this -- to be kind of kind of overlooked and I think -- we're very fortunate.
-- you have in this city.
That's -- New York this year which is the inaugural year Gerry -- and a host of folks have put together.
-- we dedicated to honoring service.
And despite the catastrophe of hurricane sanity I think it's very interesting to see.
How all of the military you know response has been whether it's national garter different specialists or even in the army.
Where.
You know we it's dedicated to -- service they're literally serving this city right now helping people get out of their homes -- -- it and save them from you know this situation so.
We're gonna have a -- -- state premier on November 12 the disease screening room and then we'll open the film on December 7.
Which happens to be his 71 anniversary of the attacks on Pearl Harbor.
How well let's go ahead -- quick look.
At the clip we want thank you very much for that and we'll watch this now this is up from happy here.
Only in -- -- -- You know that they discussed symptom.
My mom's a little freaked out about it and I think he'll be OK he's always been.
-- -- -- -- And.
Powerful performance there from the film happy new year.
I'm continuing -- to join us here on set Michael Cuomo.
The actor that you saw there so I need to get ready for that role must've been.
You know you -- it sounds like he didn't do a lot of talking with that's.
We did a lot of talking and actually this this film began as an off Broadway play here in New York.
A little bit over five years ago.
-- Manning wrote and directed the peace happy new year which I had the fortune to the end.
That became a short film and then eventually has become a feature film and the interview process in the research that went into the feature.
Was very -- -- to playing the role we had the opportunity to bring line.
Military advisors and in fact.
The footage in the film is actually real footage shot I read I'm real hand Mike Scotty who is -- -- -- combat marine.
The documentary was made about his experience and he just wrote a book called the blue cascade.
Detailing his experience coming home and overcoming post -- stress of the film is really.
Contending and and has been successful thus far.
It really raising a dialogue around post war trauma and helping to take away the stigma about coming forward.
And ultimately.
Opening up for an opportunity to -- Looks fantastic and again people can find this film happy new year there's a web site.
That we encourage people to go to as well and also people can follow you on Twitter at MP CR and and why film and there is the website I do have to recognize that it -- it -- -- good for both you'd be sitting here.
I you have two very different projects.
In the -- but looking forward to next week and and just really shining the bright light.
On the fantastic work that the veterans done for our country and to remind people that we need to keep thanking them.
-- and keep honoring them.
So -- thank you both very much for being here and we definitely want you to catch.
Both honor flight happy new year all of the Twitter handles in the web sites on our Fox News -- -- -- you guys so much for being here thank you.
An honour to speak with both of you thank you that -- for fox for one want to get on Laura Ingle and we'll have some clips the.
