Soldiers Returning from Combat Struggle to Find Home Again in “Searching For Home: Coming Back from War”

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — EC Productions, the independent film production company helmed by acclaimed documentary writer/director/producer Eric Christiansen, has announced that its award-winning documentary Searching for Home: Coming Back From War was renewed by NETA for five more years and will return to public television stations across the U.S. this Veterans Day on Nov. 11, 2019.

The documentary, which initially launched on KCET (Southern California) in 2015, provides an emotional and unflinching look at returning veterans and their search for the “home” they left behind–physically, mentally and spiritually. The film has enjoyed critical and commercial success during its national three-year run on public television. The 90-minute documentary has aired more than 2,300 times to an estimated 10 million viewers, with 100% penetration in the top 25 U.S. markets as well as major markets in Canada. In addition, the film has received 9/10 on IMDB, five-star ratings on iTunes and Amazon Video, and garnered several awards on the national festival circuit including “Best Feature Documentary” in the Burbank Film Festival.

The New York Times said of the film, “Searching for Home is strikingly photographed by Mr. Christiansen is sure to give comfort and support to countless veterans and their families.”

“We are overwhelmed at the enduring message of hope that Searching for Home: Coming Back From War has been able to send over the past three years on public media,” said director Christiansen. “The film has gone a long way to help end the stigma associated with veterans’ enduring mental health issues and build empathy and compassion for those who have bravely served our country. We’re thankful that the film’s messages of hope and empathy will reach new audiences over the course of five more years.”

Weaving together the emotional stories from multiple generations of veterans through storytelling three pillars: The Truth, The Healing and The Hope, the film captures their struggles with such issues as grief and PTSD upon coming back from war. Through deeply personal interviews, their experiences––some from as long as 60 years ago––transcend boundaries of time, age, background and circumstance.  Searching For Home shows that the lasting psychological effects of war on military families and their communities often prevent soldiers from ever really going back to the homes they left behind.

Indiewire noted, “…the candor with which they speak about their trauma and recovery is intimate and inspiring.”

In addition to spotlighting their hardships, the film also explores how vets can mitigate the effects of PTSD through myriad treatments, including therapy, multigenerational support and above all helping others “veteran to veteran.” The film includes expert commentary from academics, scientists and doctors at the pinnacles of their fields who offer insights around the complexities of trauma, finding hope, and the long process of healing and recovery. They include Dr. Jeremy Crosby, Trauma Therapist/Expert and Author of the book, “A Mind Frozen in Time – A PTSD Recovery Guide”; and Dr. Amit Etkin – Psychiatrist / Researcher at Etkin Lab / Faculty at Stanford University.

“Searching for Home” will again work with the Veterans Administration (VA) and a program called Coaching into Care to offer mental health resources for viewers. The VA will provide a call center for veterans (877 WAR VETS) staffed by veterans enabling “veteran to veteran” interaction and guidance.

Coaching into Care, a program that assists family members, friends and caregivers, will also provide a number to call (888-823-745) that connects viewers seeking assistance in finding specialized help for their vets. Both numbers will appear on the screen after the film has aired.

NYC Movie Guru added: “Searching for Home is…a well-edited, well-organized and heartfelt doc that provides hope for anyone dealing with PTSD.”

The film’s themes of healing, compassion and empathy are critical reminders that the country continues to grapple with a mounting mental health crisis.

• An estimated 5% of Americans—more than 13 million people—have PTSD at any given time. (Sidran Institute)
• Approximately 8% of all adults—1 of 13 people in this country—will develop PTSD during their lifetime. (Sidran Institute)
• The annual cost to society of anxiety disorders is estimated to be significantly over $42.3 billion, often due to misdiagnosis and under treatment. (PTSD United)

Searching for Home: Coming Back From War was created, written, edited and directed by Eric Christiansen, executive produced by Anthony Edwards and produced by Bruce Spears. For more information, please visit the film’s website here. Join the conversation on social media @searchingforhomethemovie and @searching4home.

About EC Productions
Based in Los Angeles, EC Productions is an award-winning independent film production company that creates socially conscious non-partisan films that enrich the human spirit. Anchored around the ideas of truth, healing and hope, EC Productions’ acclaimed films promote tolerance and empathy through authentic storytelling, clinical support and cultural commentary. Its next film unMASKing HOPE is slated for release early 2020 on public media.

About Eric Christiansen
Eric Christiansen is an acclaimed documentarian who has built his brand around socially responsible filmmaking that educates, inspires and heals. He has the ability to identify an issue within a specific population and have it resonate with a general audience through compelling storytelling. A trauma survivor himself, having lost his home in the Santa Barbara Painted Cave fire disaster, he understands trauma, the resilience of the human spirit, and how important HOPE is to the healing journey. A seven-time Southwestern Region Emmy Award recipient, Christiansen’s films (Faces in the Fire, Homecoming: A Vietnam Vets Journey, Searching for Home: Coming Back from War) have been transformative in the recovery process for thousands of people whose lives have been compromised mentally, spiritually and physically by trauma. Leveraged as educational tools by top mental health institutions, Christiansen’s films migrate from the entertainment arena into environments that help additional audiences navigate the profound collateral damage trauma creates not only on the individual but the family and community as well. Christiansen has also produced for major networks including Discovery, TLC, PBS, MTV and an Imax film.

SOURCE EC Productions