GI Film Festival
The GI Film Festival is an annual film festival focused on military and veteran experiences, held in San Diego, California. Films featured in the festival reveal the struggles, triumphs, and experiences of service members and veterans.
The festival was held in Washington, D.C. from 2008 to 2018. Since 2018, it has been held in San Diego. The next festival will take place May 7-9, 2025, at the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park.
History
The inaugural event was held in 2008 over Memorial Day weekend at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. The inaugural GI Film Festival San Diego event was held in October 2015 with the British film Kilo Two Bravo as the opening night film.Venues
Venues in the Washington, D.C. have included the Embassy of Canada, Angelika Film Center at Mosaic, Cannon House Office Building, Howard Theater, Carnegie Institution for Science and the US Navy Memorial Theater, among others. Venues in San Diego have included the USS Midway Museum, Balboa Theatre, Village Theaters in Coronado, UltraStar Cinemas and DoubleTree hotel in Mission Valley, as well as the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park.Notable events
2007
- General Richard Myers, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, hosted a special screening of Forrest Gump.
- Actor Gary Sinise received the G.I. Spirit Award.
2008
- Film screenings were presented by Hollywood actors and directors Gary Sinise, Jon Voight, Robert Duvall, James Franco and others.
- A congressional reception honoring members of Congress who served in the military.
- Vince and Linda McMahon received the "Corporate Patriot Award" for their philanthropic work on behalf of the American Armed Forces.
- An "Armed Forces Action Fest" featured World Wrestling Entertainment stars and Buck Rogers star Gil Gerard.
- Panel discussions included "The 100 Greatest War Films of All-Time"; "War Stories", featuring Medal of Honor recipients; and "The Portrayal of GIs in Film and the Media".
2009
- Valkyrie - opening night film
- Notable attendees: US Senator John McCain, Kelsey Grammer, Fred Thompson and Robert Duvall.
2010
- Notable appearances: Glenn Close, Bob Woodruff and the band Drowning Pool.
2011
- Ironclad - opening night film.
- Notable attendees: Gary Sinise, Lou Diamond Phillips, and William Devane,
2012
- Notable appearances: Ross Perot, Pat Sajak, Joe Mantegna, Sally Pressman and Brian McNamara.
2016
- Official Selections: The Finest Hours, Return to Dak To, The Last Man Club
- Featured guests: Gary Sinise, Stephen Lang, J.W. Cortes, Dominic Fumusa.
- Special Screenings: Top Gun, X-Men: Apocalypse.
2017
- Notable attendees in DC: Judd Nelson
- On May 17, filmmakers Ken Burns and Lynn Novick presented over an hour of preview footage from his latest PBS series The Vietnam War at San Diego's Balboa Theatre. In attendance were several guests who were interview subjects in the film.
- On October 18, the west coast opening night film was ''The 2 Sides Project.''
2018
- Notable attendees in SD: George Takei, Jeffrey Wright
2019
- Family Movie Night on the USS Midway
Award winners
2007
- Feature Narrative: Divergence - .
- Documentary Short: Shakey's Hill.
- Best Short Feature: Old Glory -.
- Feature Documentary: Speed & Angels -
- Founder's Choice: Patriot Act -.
- GI Spirit Award: Gary Sinise
2008
- Feature Narrative: Soldier's Heart - Anthony Lover.
- Documentary Short: Spitfire 944 - .
- Narrative Short: God and Country -.
- Feature Documentary Winner: Brothers at War -
- Family Film: The Flyboys -
- Founder's Choice: The Last 600 Meters - .
- American Pride Film: SWIM - by Chantz Hoover.
2009
- Feature Documentary - Perfect Valor
- Feature Documentary Runner-Up - Bedford: The Town They Left Behind
- Best Narrative Feature - Everyman's War
- Founder's Choice Award - The Triangle of Death
- Best Documentary Short - A Touch of Home
- Best Narrative Short - Witt's Daughter
- Best Student Film - Kapisa
- Best First Time Filmmaker - The Inheritance of War
- Best Military Family Film - Lioness
- Best Short Film - ''Looking Back''
2011
- Military Channel Award - Shepherds of Helmand, directed by Gary Mortensen
- Best International Film - The Telegram Man, by James Francis Khehtie
- Best Student Film - Thule, by Robert Scott Wildes
- Best Narrative Short - A Marine’s Guide to Fishing, by Nicholas Brennan
- Best Documentary Short - Last to Leave, by Pat Clark
- Best Narrative Feature - Flag of My Father, by Rodney Ray
- Best Documentary Feature - Patrol Base Jaker, by David Scantling
- Founder's Choice Award - The Wereth Eleven, by Robert Child
2012
- Best Documentary Feature - Lost Airmen of Buchenwald
- Best Documentary Short - Survive. Recover. Live
- Best International Film - Bridges: A Living Graphic Novel
- Best Narrative Feature - Memorial Day
- Best Narrative Short - 8:46
- Best Short Short - The Jockstrap Raiders
- Best Student Film - Stateside
- Founder's Choice Award -
- The Military Channel Award - ''The Borinqueneers''
2013
- Best Short Short - Fallout,
- Best Student Film - Choice,
- Best International Film - Gefallen,
- Best Narrative Short - The Fifth Horseman,
- Best Documentary Short - The Real Inglorious Bastards,
- Best Documentary Feature - Honor Flight,
- Founder's Choice - 16 Photographs at Ohrdruf,
2014
- Best Short Short - The Knee Deep Sailor
- Best Student Film - Kingdom Coming
- Best International Film - Last Call
- Best Dramatic Feature - Field of Lost Shoes
- Best Narrative Feature - Fort Bliss
- Best Narrative Short - Present Trauma
- Best Documentary Short - Travis: A Soldier’s Story
- Best Documentary Feature - Rickover
- Founder's Choice - Riding My Way Back
- American Heroes Channel Award - Forgotten Flag Raisers
- Best Original Screenplay - Christmas Leave written by David Brock
- Best Music Video - ''Nothing Real''
2015
- Veteran Filmmaker Award - Day One
- Veteran Filmmaker Award - Haebangchon
- Best Student Film - Drone
- Best International Film - Who’s Afraid of the Big Black Wolf
- Best Short-Short - Beautiful Sunset
- Best Documentary Short - The Next Part and Climb
- Best Narrative Short - Birthday
- Best Documentary Feature - The Millionaire’s Unit
- Best Action Feature - War Pigs
- Best Narrative Feature - Kajaki
- American Heroes Channel Award Winner - The MIAs on Tiger Mountain
- Best Screenplay - Text Messages to God written by David Bryant Perkins)
- Founder's Choice Award - Nomadic Veterans and ''Battle Scars''
2019
San Diego:- Best Actor: Frankie Muniz
- Best Actress: Scottie Thompson
- Best Narrative Short: #3 Normandy Lane
- Best Documentary Feature: The Donut Dollies
- Best Documentary Short: Remains
- Best Student Film: A Rodeo Film
- Best First Time Filmmaker: Brenda Strong
- Best International Film: Entrenched
- Best Film Made By or Starring Veterans or Military: War Paint
- Founder's Choice Award: Homemade''
2022
San Diego:Museum of Photographic Arts
- Best Documentary Short: Veterans Journey Home: On Black Mountain
- Best Narrative Short: American Hero
- Best Local Narrative Short: My Happy Place
- Best Student Film: BRAKE
- Best Actor: Evan Hall, Shell Shocked
- Best Actress: Jomarla Melancon, Blood and Glory
- Best Narrative Directed by Military or Veterans: THAT NIGHT
- Best Narrative Starring Military or Veterans: Landing Home
- Best Documentary Made by Military or Veterans: Walk With Frank
- Best Documentary Feature: Dear Sirs -
- Local Choice Award: We All Die Alone
- Founders’ Choice Award: HERE. IS. BETTER.
- Best First-Time Director: Ryan Mayers and Matt Mayers, ''Walk With Frank''