Fox Theatre Premieres 'Our Vietnam Generation,' 1/28

They fought on a battlefield as brutal as any other and more deadly than most wars in the history of the United States. The only difference: these veterans fought at a time when the United States was deeply divided on one of the most opposed wars in history, the Vietnam War. Michigan Vietnam veterans will be honored with the film premiere of 'Our Vietnam Generation' at the Fox Theatre on Friday, Jan. 28 at 7:30 p.m.

The Fox premiere will benefit the Veterans Memorial Park of Detroit, along with other charities still to be named.

The documentary focuses on struggles experienced by Michigan Vietnam veterans who received a much different homecoming than other generations, set to the backdrop of a culture at a time marked by music, drugs, ideals of love and political upheaval. The film is directed and produced by nine-time Emmy award winner Keith Famie of Visionalist Entertainment Productions.

The new film will feature Michigan veterans who became successful business and community leaders and others who still suffer from haunting memories or wounds. Further, the documentary will shed light on the families of these veterans, including those who still hold yearly vigils in hopes The Remains of MIAs will still be found.

"When we began working on our documentary, Detroit: Our Greatest Generation, which focused on our World War II veterans, the most frequently posed question was, ‘What about our Vietnam vets?'" said Famie. "Since 2001, the number of Vietnam veterans who have passed away has nearly doubled, and we're losing nearly 300 of these heroes each day. Two-thirds of them have died already. It's time to rewrite their legacy."

The premiere event will feature prominent speakers from the Vietnam generation; the Michigan National Guard 126 Army 26-piece band in a special sound off to each branch of the current military: Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force; and music paying homage to the period, among other tributes to the era still to be announced. News/Talk WJR 760's Paul W. Smith will emcee the evening, and the Michigan Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall will be on display in the lobby of the Fox Theatre throughout the evening.

The debut will open with the national anthem sung by 50 children from the Cornerstone Concert Choir and a special production of One Soldier's Story, a 20-minute documentary about Army Sgt. Michael K. Ingram, Jr., of Monroe, Mich., who was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan on April 17, 2010. The film portrays Ingram's life, his decision to join the Army, the ultimate sacrifice he made for his country and the honors he received when his remains were returned home.

"Sgt. Ingram's story will represent the story of so many who have chosen to wear the uniform no matter what the circumstances. It's about how a small community comes together to celebrate the life of one of the city's young men who went off to war and made the ultimate sacrifice," said Famie.

The evening will be closed by a candlelight vigil in honor of the 2,654 Michigan men and women who died for their country in Vietnam, during which Cornerstone Concert Choir will perform "Amazing Grace."

The leading title sponsor for last year's successful documentary Detroit: Our Greatest Generation, American House Senior Living Communities, has committed to support Our Vietnam Generation as the Title Presenting Sponsor. Bob Gillette, the founder of American House, is a co-executive producer of the film.

"It was a different kind of battle these people were fighting," said Gillette. "The people fighting in Vietnam were not given the ‘hero's welcome' when they returned home like our World War II veterans. Now, our Vietnam veterans are the caregivers of our World War II generation and the guardians of the men and women currently serving our country. This film is our opportunity to do now what we should have done then - show them the appreciation they deserve."

Following the premiere, Our Vietnam Generation will air on Detroit Public Television in February, exact date still to be determined.

Supporting the film to date are American House Senior Living Communities, Advanced Care, A.J. Desmond Funeral Homes, Andiamo Restaurant Group Inc., C&G Newspapers, Crystal Gardens, Digital Image Studios, Detroit Medical Center, Detroit Public Television, Disabled American Veterans, DS Properties of Michigan, Gallagher-Kaiser, HOUR Detroit Magazine, Knot Just A Bar, Lakeshore Engineering Services, The Medical Team, MediMart Pharmacy, News/Talk WJR 760, Royal Park Hotel, The Townsend Hotel, Vietnam Battlefield Tours, Vietnam Veterans of America, Vietnam Veterans Car Donation Program and Veterans Memorial Park of Detroit.

For more information and updates on Our Vietnam Generation, visit www.ourvietnamgeneration.com.

Tickets ($25 and $35) go on sale Friday, Oct. 15 at 10:00 a.m. and may be purchased at OlympiaEntertainment.com, the Fox Theatre and Joe Louis Arena box offices, Hockeytown Authentics in Troy (without service charge) at all Ticketmaster locations and Ticketmaster.com. To charge tickets by phone, call (800) 745-3000. For additional information, call (313) 471-6611.

 

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