Nathan Fitch. USA. 85 Minutes. More Info.
Island Soldier opens with a sobering shot; we’re at the funeral of a fallen soldier, Sapuro Nena. In the Federated States of Micronesia, the Islanders are able to enlist in the U.S. military and receive financial assistance for their service as per the contract set out in the Compact Free Association. But even though they risk their lives fighting for the land of the free, they have none of the rights of a U.S. citizen. As foreign citizens, they have no voting rights and no access to Veterans Affairs benefits or support groups.
The film is moving and brings attention to a topic that many, including myself, may not have known about. It’s a little hard to keep up with the film jumping back-and-forth in time, but where the film works best is when the focus is brought back to the Islanders and Sapp’s family. This is their story and it needs to be heard.
Rating: 6.5/10
Screening Times: May 4 – 8:30 pm, May 6 – 3:30 pm
[…] days in Toronto this year, I had the pleasure of speaking with some of the filmmakers behind Island Soldier. I was glad to hear that director Nathan Fitch and producer Bryan Chang were able to enjoy some […]