Korengal Exposes the Heresy of War

What does war feel like from the inside?

“The experience of soldiers doesn’t vary that much, whether they are in a ‘good war’ or a ‘bad war,'” says director and author Sebastian Junger, whose newest film, Korengal, begins a nationwide roll-out this weekend. “It’s easy to politicize war,” he continues, “and war is a terrible thing and should absolutely be argued about. For soldiers, though, it is such an intense experience that when they come home, they miss it and want to go back. That is a little heresy.”

Korengal aims to show, without judgement, what soldiers miss about war. It is the obverse of Junger’s previous film, the Oscar-nominated Restrepo. Restrepo thrust audiences into the experience of combat; it had no musical score or narration because that doesn’t happen in real life. Korengal is different. “Combat is morally and psychologically damaging, but it is also invigorating,” explains Junger. “Korengal tries to sort out that confusing territory for soldiers and for civilians.”

Both films were shot by Junger and director and photojournalist Tim Hetherington in Afghanistan in 2007-2008. Hetherington was killed in 2011 while covering the Libyan civil war. Junger completed Korengal on his own, and went to Kickstarter to raise more than $100,000 to distribute the film himself.

“When you distribute your movie yourself, you don’t have to answer to anybody and no one can disappoint you.” says Junger. “But it is terrifying. In the long run, though, it pays off.”

Restrepo is among the greatest war documentaries ever made. With its release this weekend, Korengal completes the soldiers’ story, exposing how the seemingly external conflict of war burrows inside us, to become the conflict of our hearts and minds.

Korengal Official Trailer from Saboteur Media on Vimeo.

Learn more, buy tickets and pre-order the digital download at the film’s website, http://korengalthemovie.com/

Korengal Screening Schedule

SUNSHINE THEATER New York, NY May 30, 2014
NUART THEATER Los Angeles, CA Jun 13, 2014
KENDALL SQUARE Boston, MA Jun 20, 2014
UNIVERSITY 6 Irvine, CA Jun 20, 2014
E STREET Washington, DC Jun 27, 2014
OPERA PLAZA San Francisco, CA Jun 27, 2014
SHATTUCK Berkeley, CA Jun 27, 2014
RITZ BOURSE Philadelphia, PA Jun 27, 2014
CAMELVIEW Phoenix, AZ Jun 27, 2014
ARBOR 8 Austin, TX Jun 27, 2014
FOX TOWER 10 Portland, OR Jun 27, 2014
CHEZ ARTISTE Denver, CO Jul 04, 2014
LAGOON Minneapolis, MN Jul 04, 2014
MIDTOWN ART Atlanta, GA Jul 04, 2014
VARSITY Seattle, WA Jul 04, 2014
GATEWAY FILM CENTER Columbus, OH Jul 11, 2014
BIJOU AT CROSSROADS San Antonio, TX Jul 11, 2014
TINSELTOWN Colorado Springs, CO Jul 11, 2014
DOWNTOWN WEST Knoxville, TN Jul 11, 2014
PARK TERRACE Charlotte, NC Jul 11, 2014
HIGH RIDGE 8 Albuquerque, NM Jul 11, 2014
DEVARGAS 6 Santa Fe, NM Jul 11, 2014
SETH CHILDS 12 Manhattan, KS Jul 18, 2014
CARMIKE 8 Lawton, OK Jul 18, 2014
SUNDANCE CINEMAS Houston, TX Jul 18, 2014
RITZ 13 Columbus, GA Aug 01, 2014
CARMIKE 16 Jacksonville, NC Aug 01, 2014
MARKET FAIR 16 Fayetteville, NC Aug 01, 2014
WYNNSONG 10 Ft. Benning, GA Aug 01, 2014

Top image: Returning on the eastern cliff face of Restrepo. Photo by Outpost Films.

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