 "Photo: Courtesy of Ellen Spiro")
When UT radio-television-film professor Ellen Spiro received a phone call from former talk show host Phil Donahue in June 2005, she did not expect the surprise call would lead to a possible Oscar nomination.
"He called me one day and asked me to work with him. He had never made a documentary, and he was inspired by this kid to make one," Spiro said. "I would sooner have expected a call from Snoopy or Pippi Longstocking."
The film Donahue envisioned featured Thomas Young, a 26-year-old Iraq war veteran who was paralyzed from a bullet in his spine while fighting in Iraq. After Sept. 11, 2001, Young was an advocate of the war and joined the military, but his opinion changed as his life was transformed. "Body of War" shows a family with different ties to and opinions on the war.
The film has been selected as one of 15 titles competing in the Best Documentary Feature category at the 80th Academy Awards.
"The wonderful thing about this family that we portray is that every part of the political spectrum is represented in this family," Spiro said. "They have a lot of love and a lot of political
disagreement."
Young's brother is serving in Iraq, and like their father, he is for the war. Young and his mother are anti-war.
"There's a big part of the story that's told through the eyes of his mother, who has one son who has come home paralyzed, and the other is still abroad," Spiro said. "It's a complicated story with many dimensions."
Spiro also said making the film brought her a deeper understanding about the war.
"The war was an abstraction for me - it wasn't real for me until I met Thomas Young. The war is no longer an abstraction when people see the film," Spiro said. "I hope the film gives young people who are not personally connected to this war a personal connection through knowing the story of Thomas Young, whose life was forever changed. I think that change in the world starts with change in people's hearts. The film has been changing people's hearts and minds."
Donahue was not the only celebrity to become involved in "Body." He ran into Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, who volunteered to talk to Young and write songs for the film.
"When we heard the songs, we realized that we wanted to use as much of them as we could. We waited nervously for [Vedder's] reaction," Spiro said. "He was very moved to have his songs in the film, and so were we. It was fun, hanging out with rock stars."
"Body of War" has been shown in 22 cities so far, and Spiro said she is planning for a wider theatrical release in the spring and an eventual DVD release. She said she is looking forward to showing the film in Austin.
Be the first to comment on this article!