The word “passion” is often used today to describe a person’s commitment to something. Sports journalists write about “a passion for winning.” One can be passionate about exotic cars or fine wines. For Jake Rademacher, it is not a stretch to say he was doubly passionate about producing his film, Brothers at War. The reason lies in the nature of this unusual work. Rademacher decided to make the film – his first – about his two brothers and their deployments into the combat zones of Iraq.
Jake Rademacher dreamed of becoming a soldier but his life took a different direction. However, two of his younger siblings chose that path. Isaac, right behind him, graduating from West Point and serving in the Army officer corps and Joe, enlisting and becoming an Army Ranger and sniper. Isaac had already been to Afghanistan and Iraq by the time Joe became a member of his company in Iraq. In order to understand what his brothers were going through beyond what was gleaned from, as Jake put it, “the 30-second clips we were seeing on the news of the war,” he decided to find out for himself by going to the war zone and documenting his journey.
Creating any film project is difficult, more so for a first time producer-director. To go into an active combat zone to film a personal look at a current and sometimes controversial war is a near impossibility. Jake’s passion for his quest was strong enough to overcome a number of obstacles. He had to find an experienced producer who could convince the Pentagon to grant Jake and his crew access and security clearances. Veteran television producer Norman Powell (American Valor, 24) learned of the project and agreed to back it for this purpose. To finance the project Jake returned to his home town of Decatur, Illinois and solicited the help of small business owners who, “voted with their pocketbooks to make this film a reality.”
He also had to seek distribution for the film. After disappointing results trying to get television outlets interested, a mutual friend introduced veteran actor and director Gary Sinise (Forrest Gump, CSI: NY) to the film. Impressed, Sinise signed on as executive producer and arranged a screening in Hollywood. He was instrumental in the film’s gaining distribution as a feature documentary. The film struck a chord with Sinise; he has distinguished himself entertaining America’s deployed military.
“I’ve met so many extraordinary people serving our country that, when I saw this film, it visualizes what I see very well,” he said. “It’s a great story about a brother’s love for his two brothers serving in the military, and these two guys and the men and women who are seen in this film are the people that I see on these trips.” Others, including venture capitalist David Scantling, came on board to help get the word out.
Other obstacles were more personal for Jake. He had to convince his family to express their thoughts and emotions on camera – the role of the family in adapting to and supporting loved ones deployed to combat is a key theme in this film and one that creates many touching moments. And Jake had to gain the trust and respect of his brothers – to put themselves on the line for the film as they were already doing for their country.
The result is a gritty, thought-provoking work that goes beyond news sound bites. In Jake’s two journeys to Iraq he actually spends little time with his brothers there, but quite a bit with soldiers whose trust and respect he has to gain. The film examines why and how they fight, who and what they leave back home as well as the relationships between the Americans and Iraqis in the war zones. It’s a special kind of personal look in which anyone in the audience can find relevance and understanding. Following special screenings in select military cities, the film opens nationwide. The Brothers at War website includes a space for military men, women and their families to share their experiences. An interview with Gary Sinise and Jake Rademacher will appear on Armchair General.com shortly.
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