SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The GI Film Festival will take over the Museum of Photographic Arts next week. It's about bringing together veterans from all eras and showcasing the talents of our local military community.
One shot out of 16 hours worth of thrift home films of families Spring Valley residents Devin Scott and his wife have never met is what it took to spark the storyline of their latest short, Long Live Xander the Great.
"What's unique about this is that the story is universal. It's a theme that everyone can relate to," Devin Scott said. "At some point in their lives, they grew up and had either a great relationship with their parents or a not-so-great relationship with their parents."
It's one of 21 films that will premiere at the GI Film Festival, and it is a six-day military-themed film festival that spotlights the creative talents of our military community.
Amber Cournoyer, an Advisory committee member and army veteran, said that veterans often struggle when they leave the military and adjust to normal life.
"This festival makes us feel seen. We get to see ourselves in these films. We get to see stories that we are all too familiar with playout, and that makes us feel so connected-connected to other veterans [and] Makes us feel connected to the communities we are a part of," Cournoyer said.
Scott is a military spouse. His wife, the producer of Long Live Xander the Great, is an Army veteran. They fell in love while living out their passion.
"I met my wife at a production company I worked for. We started working together, and it became a great fit. We left and started our own company, and now we're celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary," Counoyer said.
Long Live Xander the Great premiers next Friday.
Tickets for most individual screenings are $10, but for our military community, it's $8.
