No matter your political party, one thing everyone can agree on is that we owe an enormous debt of gratitude to the men and women in the armed services. These brave souls put their lives on the line to fight for their country, often experiencing horrific trauma along the way. Historic events are seen through their eyes and are often written about in their letters and emails.
With America celebrating its veterans this month, one man has been dedicated to preserving their correspondence since 1998. Andrew Carroll, a New York Times best-selling author and founding director of the Center for American War Letters at Chapman University, has made it his life’s mission to protect war letters from being discarded and the stories they contain from being lost to history.
Carroll’s story and that of the veterans he meets along the way are being told in the new documentary Behind the Lines. The film is currently making the festival rounds, racking up laurels, and seeking distribution. It was screened at Chapman University for friends and family on November 7.
From email to stage to screen
At the helm of this documentary is John Benitz, a screen acting and theater professor at Chapman’s College of Performing Arts, who is making his feature film directorial debut with the documentary. It was Benitz who first emailed Carroll in 2007 about the possibility of a play. If All the Sky Were Paper became a reality three years later and traveled around the country.
Famous actors including Annette Bening, Laura Dern, and Ed Asner used their talents to bring the war letters to life. The only thing that stopped the play’s momentum was the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Shows had to be canceled because of the public health crisis.
But the great COVID pause did not derail the larger mission of collecting and archiving war letters. Benitz and Carroll kept their partnership going, deciding to simply change mediums to further tell the important stories of the letters, the veterans, and their families. Film would give them an even wider audience. They brought on film producer Bryce Cyrier to round out their team.
The documentary’s expansive coverage includes American conflicts from the Revolutionary War to present day, even international wars. It breaks from the traditional form, utilizing actors to make the letters come to life.
Again, Hollywood heavyweights wanted in on the action. Stars such as Gary Cole, Michael C. Hall, Rachel Bloom, and Dern lent their talents to the written words. Narration by Bening is the glue that ties it all together.
The film premiered at the Woodstock Film Festival in New York, where it was one of six finalists for the Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film. It also appeared at the Roundtop Film Festival in Texas.
As the filmmakers continue to hunt for distribution—and ultimately a streaming home for the movie—you can follow their social media for updates. Check out the trailer below.