When a young boy’s father returns from Afghanistan wounded and suffering from PTSD, the boy looks to an Iraq vet for guidance, healing and answers. With compassion they heal each other of their grievous traumas.
ARTISTS STATEMENT
As a storyteller I find the plight of our veterans from all wars in dire need of support not only from our government but our culture as well. Thirteen years after September 11th, veterans today have the highest suicide rate of any population in the US. Telling a story like Palisade encompasses not just the traumatized soldier, but the family unit, the spouses, the children, the man or woman on the street. Post Traumatic Stress when it becomes a disorder is characterized by any traumatic event that is re-triggered. It can be any violent incident like abuse or rape, a natural disaster, a car accident, a plane crash, or repeated exposure to war. Visually I see the actual trauma sequences and flashback memories as hyper-real. Warm and golden from the desert and saturated with color. The returning veteran’s experience would be monochromatic in tone, i.e. cool, sanitized and steely with blues and grays to further emphasize isolation, the loop, the rut, the pattern that is characteristic of this disorder. When the color seeps out of life, depression is very real and suicide seems to be the only exit strategy for some of these soldiers. But it doesn’t have to be. At least 20% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have PTSD and/or Depression. 50% of those with PTSD do not seek treatment. PTSD needs to be de-stigmatized. The government should make good on its to commit to taking care of the men and women that served and fought for our freedom and safety. PTSD is largely misunderstood, but we, as storytellers hope to bring understanding and compassion to this issue.
THE CREATIVE TEAM
KATIE MAGUIRE (Producer) As an actor/producer Katie’s mission is to continue bringing to life beautiful thought-provoking compelling stories. Behind the camera she has produced several award winning short and feature films. “The Session” in which Katie wrote and produced with her sister has played in over 10 film festivals and has been selected by SNAG films for distribution. Some of her most recent work includes associate producer on the feature film “Hank and Asha”. The film was an official selection at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah and was awarded the “Audience Award” for best narrative feature along with 11 other “Best Narrative Feature Film” awards at various festivals across the country. “Hank and Asha" can currently available on Amazon and iTunes. Katie has just completed principal photography on the feature film she produced “Gold Star” starring Robert Vaughn. She is currently filming the comedy series LI Divas in which she co-wrote, produced, and is co-directing. She is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA, AEA, and New York Women in Film and TV.
WHITNEY HAMILTON (Director/Producer) Whitney recently began production on her Civil War epic, UNION, co-directed the short “Jeremy” with Canadian TV star Gabriel Miller of “Corner Gas” and Lorraine Farris, currently on the festival circuit. She was hired to direct "TuLips" another short film still in post. Whitney’s films include “A Rogue in Londinum” currently on VOD in Europe on Jeridoo and the US on Amazon and Vimeo VOD. “Rogue” premiered at the Lucerne International Film Festival in October 2011 and New Hope, PA Film Fest 2012. “My Brother’s War” premiered at the Methodfest Film Festival 2005 and was nominated for best low-budget indie and for best actress Whitney Hamilton. It went on the festival circuit and has North American distribution. Her short Sci-Fi film “Circle” won second place as best sci-fi short at the Dragon Con Sci-Fi Film Festival in Atlanta 2003. It was nominated as best sci-fi short at the Shockerfest film festival in California.
MAX RHYSER (Producer)
FILM FESTIVALS
Hailed as "An actor to watch!" by Backstage, Max Rhyser acts and produces for both stage and screen. His first film, CHASER (TLA Releasing,) premiered in 2012 and boasts more than 500,000 views. Additional producing credits include the award-winning web-series IN BETWEEN MEN currently airing on Launch TV and the stage plays, BURN THIS, THE TWILIGHT OF THE GOLDS, COVER and PERVERTS. In 2015 he will producing his 3rd film, PALISADE, and his latest feature film FRANKENSTEIN VS THE MUMMY will be released world-wide. Max is very excited to bring OCCUPY ME to audiences everywhere and is delighted to be co-producing alongside Fifty2&Nine Productions. Awards: Outstanding Lead Male in a Full-length Play, COVER (Midtown International Festival), Best Male Performance in a Full-Length Play, THE AUSTERITY OF HOPE (Fresh Fruit Festival). Nominations: Best Male Performance, ROLE PLAY (Dublin Gay Theatre Festival) www.maxrhyser.com
EFFIE FRADELOS (Producer)
Effie's start in the film industry was working as an actress on independent and projects. It was from her acting roots that she discovered a new passion for directing. Working behind the camera was the start to a new journey that lead her to create her debut short film "Blooming Road". The film was well received at the Queens World Film Festival in March 2013, and was featured in the Queens Courier and LIC Magazine. Blooming Road also screened at the Female Eye Film Festival in Toronto, Canada in June 2014. Effie has attended The New York Film Academy, and The New School for Film Production and Media Studies. She is a producer on the feature film, GOLD STAR.
FRACTURED ATLAS
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