A soldier’s story that ripples behind the headlines is the focus of “Poster Girl,” the 2011 Oscar-nominated documentary showing at the Puffin Cultural Forum on Wednesday, June 1. Discussion with director Sara Nesson and Robynn Murray follows. The free event is at 7 p.m. at 20 Puffin Way (off Teaneck Rd.) in Teaneck. Call 201-836-3499 or visit www.PuffinCulturalForum.org.
Citing an average of 18 suicides per day among military veterans, a US Appeals Court ruled recently that the Department of Veterans Affairs violated veterans’ rights to treatment for war injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), through extensive delays. One of the affected veterans was Robynn Murray, whose story is the focus of “Poster Girl.” The 38-minute film unveils the unraveling life of a high-school cheerleader who enlisted in the Army and ended up on combat patrols in Iraq, becoming a “poster girl” for women at war, featured on an “Army Magazine” cover. Back home, Sgt. Murray battled the debilitating effects of PTSD and bureaucratic bungling by the VA.
Shot and directed by filmmaker Sara Nesson, this emotionally raw work follows Robynn on a home front journey of anguish, rage and renewal, gaining vital assistance from activist veterans’ groups to finally get much delayed VA aid and using art and poetry, arresting displays of tattoos and feisty public speeches, to lance festering war memories.
The showing at Puffin is cosponsored by Military Families Speak Out, Bergen County; Veterans For Peace, Chapter 21 NJ; Teaneck Peace Vigil, Bergen Grassroots, Central Unitarian Church Social Action Team, Leonia Peace Vigil Group, Bergen County Green Party, Rockland Coalition for Peace and Justice, Haiti Solidarity Network of the North East, NJ Peace Action, and People's Organization for Progress, Bergen County Branch.
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