By Myrriah Gossett
As SCAD President Paula Wallace put it during her opening speech, Savannah has rolled out the “Spanish moss carpet” for the honored guests and attendees on opening night of the Savannah Film Festival.
Opening the night was the awards ceremony for both Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson for their achievements in cinema. Following the awards was a viewing of the new film featuring both actors.
“The Messenger,” starring Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson, kicked off the film festival. The film, directed by Oren Moverman, takes viewers on the emotional roller coaster of Iraq War veteran Will Montgomery (Foster), as he explores his new job title after returning from combat.
Foster’s character is assigned the job of notifying families after their soldier is killed during combat. Tony Stone (Harrelson) is his commanding officer shows him the scripted ways in which they have to work.
The movie takes viewers through day-to-day life as a soldier, who not only has the stress of postwar injuries but the emotionally draining job of the U.S. Army’s Casualty Notification service.
Foster and Harrelson give phenomenal performances in the film. They draw the viewer in to the situations of their characters, causing an intense wave of emotions with each scene, from the actual scenes of notification, to the intimate lives of solders trying to find the normalcy after war.
After the film, the audience at Trustees Theater was given a chance to ask questions of the director, Foster, Harrelson and a producer.
The cast and crew described the filming and research that went into the making of the movie, from the one-take scenes between Foster and Harrelson with the families they notify to the intimate moment between Foster and co-star Samantha Morton.
“What you see is the rehearsal,” said Foster.
Foster also described the multiple stories they listened to in order to prepare, along with time spent in the actual Army Casualty Notification office.
“Pending, pending, pending, pending, pending…” read the notices all over the board of information as they walked through the offices, explained Foster. The overwhelming sense of death is expressed clearly and beautifully in “The Messenger.”
Two members of the U.S. Army were actually present during the screening and expressed their appreciation for its accurate depiction of post-war army life.
The after party started up after the Q&A at River Club. For footage of the after party check out 16×9.
