In Waves and War
Description
A gripping and deeply personal documentary, In Waves and War explores the mental and physical toll of war on former US Navy SEALs. Trained to navigate extreme danger during adrenaline-fueled missions, these veterans return home to face even greater battles: PTSD, survivor’s guilt, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and chronic depression. Traditional treatments fail to address their suffering, pushing them toward experimental therapies that offer a glimmer of hope. At the heart of the film is Marcus Capone, a decorated soldier who seeks alternative healing methods in the face of treatment-resistant PTSD. His journey leads to a groundbreaking therapy combining two powerful psychedelics, unapproved in the US but showing remarkable success. Blending intimate interviews, powerful animation depicting hallucinogenic experiences, and cutting-edge neuroscience, Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk’s (Audrie and Daisy, Festival 2016; The White House Effect, Doc Stories 2024) latest film is an emotional and inspiring odyssey of resilience and healing, and an urgent call for better veteran care. —Amir George
Jon Shenk is an award-winning director and cinematographer based in San Francisco. He directed and photographed The Island President (2011), which won Best Documentary at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. Shenk directed and photographed Film Independent Spirt Award-winner Lost Boys of Sudan (Festival 2003), and co-directed and photographed Democracy Afghan Style (2004). Early in his career, he directed and photographed The Beginning (1999), a chronicle of George Lucas’s Star Wars: Episode 1 (1999). More recent films include Lead Me Home (Doc Stories 2021), a short, and The White House Effect (Doc Stories 2024).
Bonni Cohen is the co-founder of the Catapult Film Fund and of the San Francisco-based documentary production company Actual Films. She has produced and directed numerous award-winning films, including The Island President (2011), The Rape of Europa (Festival 2007), Audrie and Daisy (Festival 2016), An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power (2017), and Athlete A (2020). She is a producer of the Festival film Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore.
Film Details
LanguageEnglish
Year2024
Runtime108
CountryUSA
DirectorJon Shenk, Bonni Cohen
ProducerJessica Anthony, Bonni Cohen, Jon Shenk
Executive ProducerJeff Skoll, Diane Weyermann, David Linde, Paula Froehle, Steven Cohen, Shizuka Asakawa, Kent McCleerey, Joseph Schull, Harriet Gugenheim, Blake Mycoskie, Eliza Dushku Palandjian, Peter Palandjian, James and Rebecca Neary, Justine Nagan, Jamis MacNiven, Lovell Foundation, Regina K. Scully, Geralyn Dreyfous
EditorDon Bernier
CinematographerJon Shenk
Closed CaptionsClosed Captions are confirmed for this film
Audio DescriptionAudio Descriptions are not currently confirmed for this film
American Sign Language (ASL) InterpretationAmerican Sign Language Interpretation is not currently scheduled for this film
