Story
THREE VETERANS TRACE THEIR PATHS
FROM WAR TO ERASURE BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT
Winding through a seldom told history of the Philippines and United States, Celestino Almeda, Rudy Panaglima, and Feliciana Reyes find themselves inducted into U.S. Armed Forces during WWII. After their service, Congress declared them, and hundreds of thousands more, to be “not on active duty.” These veterans were denied backpay, GI benefits, and promised citizenship.
Today, Celestino, Rudy and Feliciana represent the tens of thousands of elderly veterans who remain unacknowledged despite their evidence of service. As judicial solutions hit a brick wall and all eyes turn to Congress, this documentary asks the hard questions:
Will America stand up for the values it claims, and will these veterans get the recognition they deserve before they are all dead?
Accolades
“There’s never been a better moment to lift up and reflect stories from history to provide a greater perspective
on what we’re experiencing now.”
-Ken Burns, Documentarian
Better Angels Lavine Fellowship Announcement
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