Though Full Sail Film graduate Stephen Anyadike had worked on a few videos here and there during his time in school, his documentary A Story of Love and War marked the first project that he directed and produced. But that's not the only reason that the film holds a special place in his heart.
A Story of Love and War was recently awarded Best Documentary at the Movieville International Film Festival in Sarasota, Florida. Based on the book of the same name, the film tells the tale of a young World War II soldier struggling to make his way in the Army as he writes letters to the girl back home he hopes to return to. After discovering the book, Stephen felt compelled to bring the story to the big screen.
"This young man was able to tell the story of war through these love letters, and it really tells the tale of the common soldier," Stephen says. "Most often we get the general's story, or the story of the big officers, but people never really get to hear it through this perspective."
Stephen's interview footage with author Robert V. Parenti (the man who wrote all of the book's letters) drives the emotional film and puts a human focus on the topic of war – which was definitely the director's intention.
"This country is involved in several wars today, and the public has definitely become very weary of them," says Stephen. "I think this film really raises the question: 'is it worth the fight? Is it all worth the sacrifice of young lives?'"
Stephen says that since the Movieville festival (which also hosted Love and War’s debut screening), the film has garnered more attention and received lots of positive response.
"I think this film has a real future. I believe that it will be a full-length feature film down the road," Stephen says. "I see it in the same vein as movies like The Notebook and Titanic, where we would focus on the love story. Obviously, creating a feature takes a lot of time, effort, and commitment. But this documentary has done a lot to get the story out there and peak interest."
To learn more about A Story of Love and War, and to see the trailer, check out the film's website.
