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Edi Mehana | United States | 2018 | 25:00

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War, Religion and LGBTQ The film “The Pride” unites the themes of war, religion and LGBTQ issues by wrapping them in the values and emotions of one complex family. General Truman, wheelchair-bound and mute because of war, sustains pride in his past military services. He is a widower and the father of three adult children — Christian, Ray and Jessica. When the army classifies Christian as MIA (missing in action) during a tour of duty in the Middle East, the General is never able to accept that fact. In an act of denial and deception, the General writes fictitious letters and presents them to friends and relatives as if they are written by an alive-and-well Christian. Ray, the General’s second son, is gay and happens to be in love with the boyfriend (Kevin) of his own sister(Jessica). Troubles begin for Ray when he confesses homosexuality not just to any priest but to the priest (Father John) who is his own Godfather. His confession incites further conflict. Jessica, the General’s daughter fights depression from all angles. In the shadow of her mother’s death and her brother’s disappearance, she bears the burden of a not-so-bright future when she realizes that her boyfriend Kevin is her brother’s lover. The family load lightens when Christian returns from seven years of captivity as a prisoner of war. Haunted by flashbacks of war, Christian is strengthened by the faith that he acquired during captivity. He converts to Islam, believing that it is Islam that saved him. Self-worth, as seen through the eyes of one diverse family, is painted with innocence and experience, selfishness and public duty, Christianity and Middle Eastern dogma, sanity and PTSD. Everyone is a victim of their own ideas and their cure is depicted in “The Pride”

Cast
Charles Tiedje
Gabija Guzauskaite
Chris Maher
Edi Mehana
Diminic Capone
Harold Denniss
Doug McDade

Writer
Virtyt Kelmendi
Edi Mehana

Producer
Kenny Lone Eagle
Edi Mehana
Charles Tiedje