MiraCosta College Presents Military Documentary

'Fighting for Life'

In partnership with the City of Oceanside Arts Commission, MiraCosta College will present the documentary film “Fighting For Life” in two screenings on Thursday, November 5, with an evening presentation by the film’s director, Terry Sanders.

“Fighting for Life” is a powerful and emotional feature documentary film, a real-life “MASH” for our times, and is a portrait of American military medicine that interweaves the stories of military doctors, nurses and medics, wounded soldiers and marines, and students of military medicine who are on track to becoming career military physicians.

“For me, ‘Fighting For Life’ is a portrait of the compassion, skill, dedication and bravery of military doctors and nurses, and the courage, dignity and determination of the wounded to survive,” says director Sanders. “It is also a meditation on war, and a call to action to never forget the wounded, to commit ourselves to their support now, tomorrow and far into the future.”

The filmmakers had extraordinary access to combat support hospitals in Iraq, to medevac flights with wounded soldiers, and to military hospitals in Germany and the United States. The film follows 21-year-old Army Specialist Crystal Davis as she travels from Iraq to Germany, and then to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington D.C., as she fights to recover after losing a leg.

“Oceanside’s Arts Commission’s mission includes promoting a broad spectrum of the arts, to inspire and reflect on ‘artistic vision, viewpoints, perspectives, sounds and voices’”, says Oceanside Arts Commission Chair Carolyn Mickelson. “‘Fighting for Life’ has a strong connection to our military and medical communities, and is an inspiration for it’s citizens, at a time in our history of war and conflict, directly affecting the people of Oceanside.”

Two screenings of the film are scheduled: 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., in Room 3601 at MiraCosta College, 1 Barnard Drive, Oceanside. Sanders will attend the evening showing and will lead a discussion following the film. Admission to the film is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Dana Smith by e-mail or (760) 795-6818. A photograph from the film and a movie poster are available for download here.