Last night I had the opportunity to attend a screening of the Magnolia Pictures Oscar Nominated Foreign Film A War here in Fayetteville. Writer/Director Tobias Lindholm along with SoFluential wanted to bring this film to a place where it could be shared with those it was meant to impact the most – Military Spouses and Families.
To say that this movie left an impact would really be putting things lightly. I remember as I watched the trailer for A War thinking I wasn’t to sure my husband would want to watch it. Why? As a military spouse, I know that my soldier doesn’t always enjoy watching reenactments and real to life portrayals of situations he has actually lived through. As he says, I lived it I don’t necessarily want to watch it on a screen. *This is a personal decision and one I advise you or your Military Spouse come to on your own.
That said, I went into this movie expecting realistic action and yes even violence but what I didn’t expect was the true sense of connection I walked away with. From getting to know the struggle of Claus Pedersen between protecting his family of soldiers while still balancing his role as protector of his family at home to his wife Maria’s constant pursuit of finding a balance of telling him how she and their kids are doing to protecting him from the worry of her own struggles.
A War As A Spouse…
For me watching A War as a Military Spouse, I instantly felt a connection to Maria. The struggle of trying to keep your deployed spouse updated with your at home life while not overwhelming them with the difficulties of adjusting to that life without them. I knew first-hand how it feels to have a crisis at home and want to vent it as soon as you get that call from your spouse. Yet as I watched his side of the conversations, his point of view and the things he was dealing I gained even more insight into what it must have been like for my husband and I became grateful for the times when I chose to not tell him everything because I knew he needed to hear a bit more of the good than the bad.
A War As A Soldier…
Like I said, my husband did not attend the screening with me. Yet as I watched I knew that he would relate to the times when Claus had to make the tough decisions as a soldier to protect the family of his unit much like he would his family at home. I have often heard my husband speak of ‘his guys’ much like he does our children. For him they are no less family than we are. To this day we still stay in touch with and love them just like we do any other family members.
I don’t want to give away the full details of the movie because it is truly worth watching and experiencing for yourself to see why it has earned the honor of an Oscar Nomination BUT I will tell you that from the perspective of a Military Spouse A War has given me a chance to see that being a soldier means so much more than simply fighting a war. Soldiers develop relationships, friendships and support systems that are put through tests and trials like no other. It is that which makes a solider strongest. They learn to develop into someone who protects not only their blood family but their war bonded family as well – sometimes at all costs.
If you decide to see A War you will definitely be given a glimpse into the life of both a Solider and their family during a deployment as well as the family that Soldier finds while at war.
My night didn’t end as the credits rolled. Once the movie was over, we headed over to the After Party Meet & Greet at PRESSED a local and Military Spouse owned space focused on Creativity and Community. Owner, Ashley stayed open just for us and made us feel more than welcome!
PRESSED is not only THE place to go right there in Fayetteville for all your Branding needs but her store also offers something for the quirky side of all of us. From Coffee mugs and tumblers, a full collection of another Military Spouse owned brand R.Riveter to handmade soaps and candles. PRESSED is the perfect destination for a unique gift or something to spoil yourself a bit.
ReLive The A War Screening With Me…
Okay so you guys know I had to Vlog my night so be sure to check out what I captured and relive a bit of the A War Screening with me!
I am so happy to be a part of the SoFluential team and I can’t wait to see where the future takes them. Founders Adrianna D. Lupher and Krystel Spell are always focused on supporting not only the Military Spouse cause but the Military Spouse behind the cause. Stay Tuned because I promise you there is so much more ahead!
“Believe in yourself, your passions, and your dreams. Your voice is unique – build on that. Embrace what is different about you and make it your greatest asset!”
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