Produced in Association with Shine Global by Sesame Workshop, Through Our Eyes: Homefront will be available for free virtual viewing, April 7-14, 2022.

Live Q&A and Expert Panel Discussion with Homefront Director Kristi Jacobson, Headstrong CEO Jim McDonough, Blue Star Families CEO Kathy Roth-Douquet, and Travis Manion Foundation President Ryan Manion, moderated by Former Acting Secretary of the Army Honorable Patrick J. Murphy, to Discuss Film and the Veterans’ Mental Health on April 12

LIVE Panel Discussion and Filmmaker Q&A
Tuesday, April 12th
7pmET/4pmPT
RSVP

ABOUT THE FILM

In the US, more than three million children live in homes with service members and veterans who rely on caregiver support. Gabby, Terry, and Luther all have parents who were injured while serving, and each family has found a way to heal the wounds of war. Homefront shows how Gabby (9), a fierce animal lover with a stock of chickens, rabbits, bees, and dogs, loves her family and faces her fears about her Dad’s traumatic brain injury and PTSD via equine therapy. Terry (10), an enthusiastic boy and his parents, Taniki and Brandon, share their experiences and mental health struggles as they work to heal and help each other cope with depression and PTSD through honest conversation and embracing joy. Luther (9) is a charismatic boy who wants to be “like my dad when I grow up.” His father, Joe, a Navy veteran who lost his leg in an IED explosion, struggles through chronic pain to put family first.

Running Time: 38 minutes | Recommended for ages 8 and up

The Honorable Patrick J. Murphy – Moderator

Patrick J. Murphy began serving our nation at age 19, when he enlisted in the United States Army ROTC program at the University of Scranton. For the past 28 years, in one role after another, he has maintained that commitment to serve—as a soldier, as the first Iraq War Veteran elected to Congress, as the Under Secretary and Acting Secretary of the Army, and as a champion for Veterans’ issues with an extensive background in health care management and innovation. Patrick’s leadership harnesses the power of public, private, and nonprofit partners to support Veterans in finding jobs, starting businesses, and securing quality health care and mental health services. His mission is to help provide all of America’s 20 million Veterans—including the more than nine million who rely on the Department of Veterans Affairs—with the opportunity to realize stability and success.

Ryan Manion, President, Travis Manion Foundation

Ryan Manion has dedicated her life to supporting our nation’s military, veterans, and families of fallen heroes. She is inspired by the character, leadership, and sacrifice of her brother 1st Lt Travis Manion, USMC, who made the ultimate sacrifice in the Al Anbar province of Iraq while drawing fire away from his wounded comrades on April 29th, 2007.

Serving as the President of Travis Manion Foundation since 2012, Ryan leads a national movement focused on assisting veterans and families of the fallen to take the next step in their personal journeys, and inspiring the next generation of leaders.

Ret. Col. Jim McDonough, Jr., CEO of Headstrong

Colonel (U.S. Army, Retired) James (Jim) D. McDonough, Jr., is the Chief Executive Officer of Headstrong, a leading, national-facing mental health network for our nation’s military connected members and their families. Prior to serving as CEO, Jim held several key leadership assignments within the veterans’ sector. These included two stints as Director of the New York State Division of Veterans’ Services, Senior Fellow for Veterans Affairs within the New York State Health Foundation and Managing Director of the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University, where he was responsible for the global deployment of the Institute’s widely recognized programs and services. Jim also served as Chief Executive Officer for Veterans Outreach Center in Rochester, New York, where he led the nation’s oldest continuing serving nonprofit dedicated to the needs of military connected individuals and families.

Kathy Roth-Douquet, Co-Founder and CEO of Blue Star Families

As Co-Founder and CEO of Blue Star Families, the nation’s largest grass-roots military family support organization, she is a national spokesperson for military-connected families. Kathy is a commentator on patriotism, civil-military affairs, the value of service, and the experience of military families. She has appeared on the Today Show, Fox and Friends, NPR, CNN, and other media outlets. Her work has appeared in magazines and newspapers across the country. She is a frequent speaker at universities, policy forums, military audiences, and civic groups. Kathy has served in the White House and in the Department of Defense. In the latter role, as Principal Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Acting), she received the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service for her work on defense reform. She is also a recipient of President George H. W. Bush’s Daily Point of Light Award, and received the Chief of Staff of the Army Outstanding Civilian Service Award. She is also a military spouse of 24 years, four deployments, and 9 moves.

Kristi Jacobson, Director of Through Our Eyes: Homefront

Kristi Jacobson is an Emmy Award-winning director and producer of non-fiction features, series and short-form content. Recent work includes SOLITARY (HBO), winner of the Emmy Award for Outstanding Investigative Documentary and Independent Spirit Truer Than Fiction Award nominee; episodes of the Season 1 of the Netflix Original Series DIRTY MONEY and season 2 of DOGS (to be released summer 2021); I AM NOT GOING TO CHANGE 400 YEARS IN FOUR, co-directed with Angela Tucker (ITVS/ Independent Lens); A PLACE AT THE TABLE (Magnolia Pictures/Participant Media) which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, won the IDA Pare Lorentz Award, and was a nominee for Best Feature Documentary by the PGA. Earlier films include TOOTS (Tribeca Film Festival premiere/Sundance Channel), and AMERICAN STANDOFF (Sundance Film Festival premiere/HBO).

Jacobson is producer of the upcoming AN ACT OF WORSHIP, Nausheen Dadabhoy’s directorial debut feature. She is a member of the AMPAS, the Director’s Guild of America, and a two-time Sundance Creative Producing Fellow. She and her work have appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Moyers and Company, CBS Morning News, The Hollywood Reporter, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, Vanity Fair, Filmmaker Magazine, Time Magazine, and many more.

About Shine Global

Shine Global is a non-profit media company that gives voice to children and their families by telling their stories of resilience to raise awareness, promote action, and inspire change. We produce inspiring films and compelling content about underserved children. Through tailored distribution and outreach, we connect with our audiences in communities, classrooms, museums, and on Capitol Hill as part of a powerful engagement campaign to encourage social change.

Since our founding in 2005, Shine Global films have won more than 100 major awards, including an Academy Award® for Best Documentary Short Subject for Inocente and an Academy Award®-nomination and two Emmys® for War/Dance. Recent films include the documentary-animation hybrid Liyana, the hit documentary The Eagle Huntress, and Through Our Eyes: Homefront which is available on HBOMax.