Why We're Doing This
A Female Veteran in Nevada is six times more likely to commit suicide than anyone in the United States. Did you know this? If not, you must see Lioness, a documentary on women in combat.
Women veterans, especially those who have served in direct combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, are a severely underrepresented population. And the failure to reintegrate them into society is reflected in that devastating statistic. As a group of women combat veterans, we are looking to screen Lioness to bring awareness to community leaders and members in order to shed light on not only issues with female veteran reintegration, but their extraordinary accomplishments as well. This will be a FREE screening to the public.
The Film: Lioness
Lioness tells the story of a group of female Army support soldiers who became the first women in American history to be sent into direct ground combat in violation of official policy. Without sufficient training but with a commitment to serve as needed, these young women ended up fighting in some of the bloodiest counterinsurgency battles of the Iraq war. Lioness makes public, for the first time, this hidden history.
Told through intimate accounts, journal excerpts, archival footage, as well as interviews with military commanders, the film follows five Lioness women who served together for a year in Iraq. With captivating detail, this probing documentary reveals the unexpected consequences that began by using these Army women to defuse tensions with local civilians, but resulted in their fighting alongside Marine combat units in the streets of Ramadi. Together the women's candid narratives describing their experiences in Iraq and scenes from their lives back home form a portrait of the emotional and psychological effects of war from a female point of view.
What We Need & What You Get
We are looking to pay for the license to screen this film, the space to screen it, in addition to bringing members (by paying travel, lodging, and board) of Team Lioness to Las Vegas, NV as panel guests after the film ends.
All funds will be used to make this screening possible in addition to providing peer support and empowerment groups in Las Vegas, NV for female combat veterans. We seek to make an impact by reducing the suicide rates in women veterans by raising awareness on this issue and honoring those who served and often go unappreciated -and sometimes mocked by the media and general public.
Other Ways You Can Help
Some people just can’t contribute, but that doesn’t mean they can’t help. Help us raise awareness on our goal by getting the word out on our project. Help make some noise about our campaign by using the social media share tools here on Indiegogo or email this campaign to your friends.
