This Veterans Day the University hosted the 4th Annual Student Veteran Film Festival, featuring the documentary film Last Days in Vietnam and an appearance from the film’s director/producer Rory Kennedy.
For those of you unfamiliar with the Kennedy family tree, Rory Kennedy is the youngest daughter of Robert Kennedy, and Robert was John F. Kennedy’s brother. So yes, she is JFK and Jackie O’s niece. However, her family is far from the only thing that makes her extraordinary; her Brown University education and accomplishments in filmmaking, among other things, have helped make her a powerful force in activism and social change work. Her other accomplishments include a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Non-Fiction Special and three beautiful children.
Ms. Kennedy’s appearance at Florida State was, she said, an honor because of our university’s outstanding commitment to student veterans. The film festival’s goal is to bring awareness about issues faced by student veterans and help make our campus a welcoming environment for these amazing non-traditional students. “When I got the call to participate in this, I jumped at the chance,” she said during the press conference before the film screening. “It has been a terrific honor to have made this film and to share this glimpse of history with audiences across this country. I hope that audiences make the connection to what’s happening today and that they feel the relevance of this story as we’re trying to get out of Iraq and Afghanistan.”
After a flurry of activities, including a mixer and a press conference, Ms. Kennedy joined students and leaders in the Florida State community in Ruby Diamond Auditorium. Before the film screening began, Ms. Kennedy was presented with the Student Veteran Torchlight Award for Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking. This award, which is accompanied by a $25,000 cash prize, is awarded every year to filmmakers who highlight issues that affect our country’s veterans.
The presentation was doubly special because our newly appointed President, Senator John Thrasher, was there to present the award. As a Vietnam veteran himself, it was a fitting start to his time as President of Florida State.
The audience, a fair mix of University leadership, students, and Tallahassee community members, was captivated by the film. Told without bias or agenda, the film presented the story of the U.S.’s last days in Saigon from the perspective of those on the ground in both Saigon and Washington. The insight gained from the firsthand stories, never-before-seen footage, and rarely heard perspectives in the film is invaluable, making it an outstanding contribution to our understanding of the Vietnam War.
Professor Mark Zeigler led the Q&A session, nicknamed “Inside the Actor’s Studio,” at the end of the film screening. Professor Zeigler and Ms. Kennedy sat in two chairs on stage and, after a quick discussion, opened up to audience questions and comments. Emotions were high, and the film prompted discussion of several different aspects of the Vietnam War, including the treatment of Vietnam veterans when they returned home and the mistakes that led up to the war. Overall, the comments were glowing, and the audience was clearly touched by the film. We heard from a man who was a high school student in Saigon during the evacuation, and life-long Tallahassee resident who said her family “adopted” a Vietnamese refugee family upon their arrival in the United States.
Another man thanked Ms. Kennedy for her family’s constant work for the United States. “We come from different political viewpoints, but we’re all Americans. When I think about the sacrifices your family has made, particularly your father and your uncles, thank you for that sense of commitment and dedication to this nation.” It was a common theme that night to think about how many of us, particularly our parents, grew up with the Kennedy family and have lived our experience as Americans through them. For me personally, meeting Rory Kennedy was an experience I will absolutely never forget, and an opportunity I never thought I would get.
Rory Kennedy said several times throughout the film festival, “I hope that one of the things the film does is remind us of the human cost of war.” This idea brings it all back full circle; having Rory Kennedy on our campus was an honor and a privilege beyond compare, but we were all there to honor our nation’s veterans. Veterans Day is about honoring those who have served, whether they made it home or not, and remembering the civilian lives that were also lost and changed by war. In the years to come, I hope that the Student Veteran Film Festival only grows larger, and that our commitment to our veterans remains steadfast and strong. After this year’s event, the standards have been set high, but I am confident in our university’s ability to raise the bar higher and higher as we continue to honor our veterans.
Go Noles, and God bless America.