Producers Lisa Nemzo and Mary Ann Skweres in conjunction with Dream Wild Productions have announced the release of “Arlington” – a music video honoring America’s fallen and injured military servicemen and women.
Directed by Skweres, “Arlington” will premiere June 1 at 2:45 p.m. during the Dances with Films Festival, (Chinese 6 Theatre, Hollywood-Highland Complex). The video recently received the prestigious Merit Award for best music video at the 2012 Accolade Competition held in La Jolla, Calif. Featuring the song of the same name written by Nemzo and now deceased lyricist Artie Colatrella, the story was inspired by the tragic account of one serviceman – Private First Class Michael A. Arciola – who died Feb. 15, 2005 while serving in Iraq.
“I first learned of Michael’s story in the summer of 2011 and was immediately moved to write a powerful song that would memorialize the fallen heroes and the countless families affected by war,” said Nemzo. “As a country, we cannot turn a blind eye and forget what these families have sacrificed and continue to struggle with.”
When Skweres heard the song, it was an easy decision to join in creating the video. “I don’t know of any music videos that make an audience cry,” she commented. “But the emotional resonance of this song goes straight to our most primal feelings – the bond between a mother and a child.”
The film is a visual and musical journey of the inevitable grief caused when a loss of life occurs during times of war. The viewer witnesses the story of a son, highlighting his military service as a naïve young man, his relationship with his mother and her remembrance of him as she regularly travels from her home in Elmsford, New York to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia where she visits his grave, bringing red roses and reading his favorite childhood story.
Starring Nemzo as the mother, Tyler Schnabel as the son and Mark Travis Fuller as the captain, the cast also includes Navy SEAL veteran Geoff Reeves and Navy veteran Ben Sandler, who was seriously injured during a tour in Iraq. The song includes performances by Freebo and Debra Dobkins.
Principal photography was shot in locations around the Los Angeles area including Chino Airport. Cinematographer Rachel Wyn Dunn also created several breathtaking visual effects shots. Bob Bayless edited the film along with director Skweres, who also wrote the screenplay adaptation.
The film was also released to encourage donations to two organizations. David Lynch Foundation’s Operation Warrior Wellness funds research and implements programs in transcendental meditation techniques to help veterans and active-duty military personnel and their families who suffer from PTSD. GlobalStress Initiative is an organization focused on the early detection, intervention and prevention of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and ongoing research for returning military men and women and their families.
“This is a passion project for our cast and crew,” says Nemzo. “Each and every one of us volunteered our time for this project because we want Americans to understand the utmost sacrifice these servicemen and women have made. We hope that those moved by our film will donate to Global Stress Initiative and Operation Warrior Wellness to ensure that our returning veterans and their loved ones and families of the fallen are taken care of.”
For more information, visit http://www.Arlington-Film.com.
