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Meet the Filmmakers
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Tristan Dyer was born and raised in Mid-Coast Maine. He joined the Army after graduating high school. During his five years of active duty service he spent one year deployed to Camp Taji, Iraq. Upon honorable discharge he enrolled in the Visual Journalism Program at the Brooks Institute of Photography in Ventura, California. While attending Brooks he created several short form documentary pieces and co-created one 60 minute film. Tristan is married to his longtime sweetheart, Ineke, and lives in Thousand Oaks, California. Tristan Dyer’s project examines substance abuse among Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans. The film will combine personal accounts of veterans plagued by addiction with stop-motion animation and will take us on a journey from the beginning of the subject’s service, through the challenge of recovery. |
| Kyle Hartnett is a veteran of the 82nd Airborne Division who served a six-month tour of duty in Afghanistan. After his honorable discharge, Kyle took advantage of the GI Bill and enrolled in San Francisco State University where he earned a BA in Film Production. Kyle now lives in Los Angeles where he’s pursuing a career in film and television writing and directing and he currently has a short film making the rounds of the film festival circuit. Kyle’s project is about his personal quest to gain a better understanding of the challenges Muslim-American service members and veterans face. |
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Chris Mandia is a U.S. Marine veteran who served as infantryman in Iraq where he operated machine-guns, automatic grenade launchers, and later in his service, tracked and monitored troops movements on the battlefield using satellites. Now Chris is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter, and he currently attends Film School at the University of Southern California. Christopher Mandia’s project is about the transitional journey American service members make when they go from the battle field to a college campus. |
| Victor Manzano is a decorated U.S. Combat Veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan as an Infantryman. He is also an entertainment entrepreneur and Veterans advocate. He is founder of VIMA Entertainment Group, M.I.D.R.A.T.S. MUSIC and The Executives Management Group; companies that deal with a broad range of entertainment-related businesses including producing, directing, recording, music publishing, talent management, film and television. Victor is also the proud father to sons, Victor Demetrius, and Christian De Angelo Manzano. Victor Manzano’s project chronicles the turbulent life of fellow Marine veteran, Rudy Reyes, who overcame immense hurdles to become a highly skilled combat Marine, a successful actor and an inspiring self-help author. |
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Marine Sergeant Clint Van Winkle served as an A.A.V. section leader during the initial invasion of Iraq. His unit fought in the Battle of Nasiriyah and conducted combat operations throughout Iraq. After completing his enlistment, Clint earned a B.A. in English from Arizona State University West and a M.A. in Creative and Media Writing from Swansea University in Wales, in the United Kingdom. Clint is also the author of Soft Spots: A Marine’s Memoir of Combat and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (St. Martin’s Press, 2009). His website is www.clintvanwinkle.com Clint Van Winkle’s project examines survivors guilt among Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans. The story focuses on a former Marine Staff Sergeant who is grappling with the loss of his friend in Iraq and the emotions of escorting his friend’s body to his final resting place. |
