WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Endeavoring for consolation while in the grip of anguish is no small feat to endure. The means by which we might choose to assuage the heaviness of burdens born through varied conflicts and hence borne within ourselves as we attempt to move forward can seem elusive at best, if not simply harder to find than they should. What is it to take for granted the unveiled turmoil residing in the heart, mind, body, soul, and/or spirit of a person who appears to be settled on the surface but struggles desperately inwardly? It’s real, it’s deeply personal, and a concept that needs to be paid attention to, heeded, and given the due respect, empathy, and path to solace those who battle it face, sometimes daily, and the ultimate search for one final resolution–release.
Next, my Mind:
To date, I’ve had the privilege of screening and offering my opinion on seven indie documentary projects from prolific filmmakers Stacey Stone and Diane Mellen, consistently accompanied by the same level of anticipation the duo will always provide material that is just as bold and provocative as it is evocative and, quite frankly, necessary in order to convey needed concepts through real life circumstances and the associated individuals who continue to be impacted by them. Often focused on our military vets or environmentally based themes and explorations, one common thread runs through them all–the dire need for intelligently presented yet candidly blunt awareness these efforts bring so effectively to the viewer’s attention and, ideally, mind and heart. With their newest short, this remains intact but is delivered in a fresh new manner for the filmmakers via animation replacing live action and voiceover work from Joel Asher replacing interviews.
The narrative here, upheld on a foundation laid via based-on-a-true-story groundwork from writer Anthony Cesario, utilizes the notion of a man having an encounter with an Army Ranger whom we know by conjecture is most likely having recently returned from active duty and is now facing the daunting and often debilitating task of reacclimating to “normal” life while attempting to cope with the ghosts of what he’s seen and done–the ominous indicators of PTSD. What transpires from this starting point is a deftly candid, poignantly but still emphatically presented exploration both literal and metaphorical pertaining to one of a soldier’s most commonly utilized elements associated with the uniform–a backpack. Seems straightforward enough, but it’s the compelling nature of what this illustration is used for that makes the heart and soul of this film the forever relevant and equally needed journey into mental wellness, our need for awareness of it, the urgency to treat it, and to realize it all goes well beyond just those who’ve served.
It’s emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental, the weight of whose portrait is painted across this animated tapestry, and it convincingly portrays the isolation, loneliness, sense of hopelessness and having no clear direction or path out of it that not only soldiers but ANY of us can or could experience throughout our lives courtesy of the circumstances and situational engagements we confront that cause us inward pain or unsettledness, yet so often remain hidden under facades of an all-too-easy “I’m ok” demeanor. How finding like individuals with whom shared experiences and the stories that accompany them can become the cathartic balm it should be is given just due here, the bridges that are formed between people in order to genuinely connect with those who can truly help, who WANT to help, even if life still ultimately takes them on a separate path from ours. It is still the timing and the healing gained while we interact that leaves the lasting bond born from real, empathetic understanding and sincere listening ears.
What I also admire and cherish about this film is, quite literally, the timing of it given a world that has been SO overtly upended by COVID-19, political and social instability, and just an overall, overwhelming sense that so many are only out for themselves and it doesn’t matter who gets proverbially run over to attain their satisfaction, having no compassion or remorse for the upheaval, anxieties, and turmoil left in their wake. It is these reminders we get when certain instances arise, causing that potentially brutal reflection upon the traumatic moments trying to dictate our lives, “mental explosions”, and strife within that storm and boil beneath an exterior that may not remotely or obviously mirror the conflict occurring. Whether this is birthed from the actual horror or war or through other forms of violence perpetrated against us, it all becomes the argument for just how much we desperately need a return to unity as human beings and start being there FOR one another instead of just out for our own supposed “glory” while ignoring others’ suffering.
Everything about this indie short exudes beautiful simplicity of execution (aka: NO NEED for intricate or fanciful CGI, folks) in order to give absolute focus to the grander messages it conveys, again whether you choose to attach it solely to the plight of our veterans or more so expand upon this cornerstone concept and apply it to ANYONE when it comes to the importance of mental health and the desire we should have to see it addressed and lives liberated from its pain, torment, and judgement. And so, in total, “The Ranger & The Backpack”, while standing firmly and with utter conviction on what could be accurately presumed is the primary and essential context of its PTSD-related implications, projects a grander statement about the importance of mental health here that targets the fact that we ALL carry burdens, “backpacks”, that aren’t visible on the surface. Therefore, as the statement proceeding the film’s end credits advises: “CHOOSE KINDNESS, because you never know what someone else is facing”. May we all take this to heart and put it into practice as lovingly and often as possible, as just because you may not struggle with something doesn’t invalidate it for someone else who does.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
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