Brothers at War : Award-winning film debuts near three US Bases

“This is a documentary that celebrates the courage and integrity of the American Soldier and the American military family. It is also a film about a man’s love and respect for his two brothers and his dedication to telling their story. A great film that I am proud to be a part of.”
*Gary Sinise, Actor, Presidential Citizens Medal Recipient

Executive Producers are Gary Sinise (Forrest Gump’s “Lt. Dan,” “CSI New York”), recently awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal for exemplary service and support to US troops, and David Scantling, awarded the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service. Producers are legendary Norman S. Powell (“American Valor,” “24,” “Gunsmoke”) and newcomer Jake Rademacher. Jake Rademacher—filmmaker, actor, brother—makes his directorial debut. BROTHERS AT WAR is a Samuel Goldwyn Films release.

On March 13, BROTHERS AT WAR—the award-winning film about US soldiers in a critical time in Iraq, from a brother’s point of view—opens in four US cities near three important military bases before rolling out in wider release:

• Fayetteville, NC (Fort Bragg) Carmike 12 Cinemas
• Jacksonville, NC (Camp Lejeune) Carmike 16 Cinemas
• Columbus, GA (Fort Benning) Carmike 15 Cinemas
• Raleigh, NC (location TBA)

Early screenings across the country have drawn standing ovations from war fighters, veterans, military families, and Hollywood Celebrities. “Rademacher’s film is a great piece of work; he ‘get’s it,’ wrote Col Kirk Johnson to his collogues at the Pentagon. After viewing the film in Bagdad, Sgt. Brent Pool of the KY National Guard remarked, “Brothers at War captures the sacrifice we go through. What life in Iraq is about and the bond we as soldiers have after being here. This film really hit home for me.” Former California National Guard Commander and Battlion Commader in Vietnam, Major General (ret.) Frank Schober states, “The combat footage is the best to have come out of Iraq. Jake Rademacher doubtlessly endangered himself in capturing it because he is obviously standing up to film a firefight engaging an enemy position and there is quite obviously lead flying all around him at the time.” Upon viewing the film, multiplatinum singer songwriter, John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting was so inspired, he went home wrote and then recorded “Brothers in Arms” based upon the characters in the film. The original song now plays over the end credits of the film. Upon viewing the film, Actor/advocate Jon Voight put it: “One of the most important films I have ever seen.”

BROTHERS AT WAR is an intimate portrait of an American family during a turbulent time. Jake Rademacher sets out to understand the experience, sacrifice, and motivation of his two brothers serving in Iraq. The film follows Jake’s exploits as he risks everything—including his life—to tell his brothers’ story. Often humorous, but sometimes downright lethal, BROTHERS AT WAR is a remarkable journey where Jake embeds with four combat units in Iraq. Unprecedented access to US and Iraqi combat units take him behind the camouflage curtain with secret reconnaissance troops on the Syrian border, into sniper “hide sites” in the Sunni Triangle, through raging machine gun battles with the Iraqi Army. Ultimately, the film follows his brothers home where separations and life-threatening work ripple through their parents, siblings, wives, and children. BROTHERS AT WAR is a rare look at the bonds and service of our soldiers on the frontlines and the profound effects their service has on the loved ones they leave behind.

“The film takes place in the darkest hours of the insurgency, before the successful Surge changed US fortunes,” Rademacher says. From Army Intelligence units on secret reconnaissance missions near the Syrian border, to a ‘hide site’ of National Guard snipers, to the first Iraqi unit—trained and led by US Marines—to receive responsibility for its own battle space, the film gives unparalleled access to the daily lives of men and women in war.”

Rademacher’s war covers a wide cast of characters:

• Capt. Isaac Rademacher, a decorated West Point graduate, serving his second tour in Iraq, third in a war zone, welcomes his brother, Jake, to his Army unit’s headquarters in Iraq.
• Sgt. Joe Rademacher, a Ranger and Army sniper who served with Isaac in Iraq, is skeptical of Jake’s attempts to understand his struggles.
• SSgt. Edward Allier, a tough Marine tasked with training Iraqi soldiers, pushes them, struggles with them, and ultimately cheers their successes.
• Cpl. Frank McCann, a National Guard sniper team leader, wrestles with his team as they learn of the death of a comrade and then leads them on a dangerous mission into a sniper a “hide site” in the Sunni Triangle.
• Sgt. Ben Fischer, a Recon paratrooper, stands on top of his Humvee reconning the Syrian border while wrestling with his reenlistment decision.
• Ali, an Iraqi translator whose brother was murdered by insurgents because of Ali’s work with an American unit, provides a tour of Kurdistan and insight into why he continues to fight on the American’s side.

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