Fighting for Life.

In Fighting for Life, director Terry Sanders interweaves the stories of three groups--enthusiastic and still somewhat naive medical students at Uniformed Services University (the West Point of medical schools), experienced physicians and nurses treating patients on the front lines of the Iraq war, and wounded survivors--to create a multilayered portrait of the "service over self" motto. Sanders's experience as an Academy Award winning documentary writer-director-producer of such films as Maya Lin: A Strong, Clear Vision afforded him unprecedented access to areas usually restricted from public view, as well as to the range of emotional reactions of the professionals working within these restricted spaces. While Sanders easily elicits emotions from his subjects, his film asserts that it is not concerned with pathos for its own sake or with either justifying or vilifying the conflict. Instead it limits itself to presenting a clearer view of the soldiers and civilians deeply invested in the war effort. This choice of perspective is interesting and shows that the director treats his audience as mature individuals capable of moral discernment. Though Fighting for Life avoids polarizing subject matter that seems unavoidably political, it does make a good deal of controversial observations. Unlike Hollywood's bombastic war films, Fighting for Life takes the time to explore the tangible stress and strength of these medical professionals during their quietest moments as well as what becomes of the traumatized survivors after the proverbial dust has settled. (Distributed by Truly Indie, 1614 W. 5th Street, Austin, TX 78703, phone [phone], [e-mail])