Hell and Back Again Directed by Danfung Dennis

“Astonishing! A tour de force that breaks new ground.” The New York Times

In 2009, U.S. Marines launched a major helicopter assault on a Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan. Within hours of being dropped deep behind enemy lines, 25-year-old Sergeant Nathan Harris’s unit is attacked from all sides.

Embedded in Echo Company during the assault, photojournalist and filmmaker Danfung Dennis captures the frontline action with visceral immediacy. When Sergeant Harris returns home to North Carolina after a life-threatening injury in battle, the film evolves from stunning war reportage to the story of one man’s personal apocalypse. With the love and support of his wife, Ashley, Harris struggles to overcome the difficulties of transitioning back to civilian life. The two realities seamlessly intertwine to communicate both the extraordinary drama of war and, for a generation of soldiers, the no-less-difficult experience of returning home. An unprecedented exploration of the moving image and a film of uncommon intimacy, HELL AND BACK AGAIN comes full circle as it lays bare the true cost of war.

Bonus Features

Audio Commentary with Director Danfung Dennis and Editor Fiona Otway; Technical Gear Demo: How HELL AND BACK AGAIN was filmed; Willie Nelson’s “Hell and Back: Slide Show"; Deleted Scenes

Awards:

Ida Awards - Jacqueline Donnet Emerging Filmmaker Award
Nominee - Academy Awards - Best Documentary
Nominee - Gotham Independent Film Awards - Best Documentary
Nominee - Cinema Eye Honors - Outstanding Achievement In Direction
Nominee - Cinema Eye Honors - Best Debut Feature
Nominee - Cinema Eye Honors - Outstanding Achievement In Best Cinematography
Nominee - Cinema Eye Honors - Outstanding Achievement In Production
Winner World Cinema Jury Prize Documentary – Sundance Film Festival 2011
Winner World Cinema Cinematography Award– Sundance Film Festival 2011
Winner – Best Film Of The Documentary Competition — Moscow Int’l Film Festival
Winner Harrell Award For Best Documentary- Camden International Film Festival 2011