They came to me as I watched a memorial ceremony on Oct 22, 2015. It was to mark the one year anniversary of the Ottawa Shooting that claimed the life of a young Canadian soldier, Cpl Nathan Cirillo.
Like many Canadians last year, I watched the horror unfold in real time on social media which left a nation in shock and family in mourning both military and personal. What still haunts me is that it all took place at Canada’s War Memorial for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It's a scared place that is meant for people to reflect and remember our fellow Canadian soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice. At the ceremony this week a plaque was unveiled to honour Cpl Cirillo that read He will forever be on guard. That phase helped me write this post, because I believe the film Hyena Road is a great current explanation for Canadians to understand its meaning.
Mr. Paul Gross, the director, writer and star, did an amazing job at mirroring the realities of war. As I sat in the theatre beside my husband, I could feel the tension in us both as the intense and realistic battle scenes unfolded. But they were they easiest parts to watch, it was the intimate scenes between the action that resonated with me the most.
In media interviews Mr. Gross said he got the idea to make the movie after participating in a Celebrity Visit to Boost Troops Morale trip to Afghanistan. After that experience, he felt it was important for people, in particular Canadians, to know what our soldiers did over there and the critical role they played in fighting terrorism. He admitted that he didn’t even know the extent to which the Canadian Armed Forces were involved in Afghanistan and felt a duty to tell their story.
You get a sense of his mission to tell the Canadian soldier's story when you watch those intimate scenes between characters. Speaking as someone who is immersed in the Canadian military culture I can say that it was a very realistic portrayal. It was great to watch even the bad parts, because there seems to be a real disconnect between our soldiers and Canadian citizens. I think it is because no one have ever humanized Canadian soldiers the way the Mr. Gross did in this film.
The last scene is the most difficult part to watch, but the most important moment in the movie (SPOILER ALERT). It’s the ramp scene where the fallen soldiers are carried on the shoulders of their comrades up the ramp of the plane that will bring them home. It’s tradition for all soldiers serving on base to stand at attention on the tarmac as the soldiers' coffins are carried up the ramp in a final send off. My military friends, who have participated in them, said it is a life altering experience. As I watched the scene in the movie, I finally understood what they meant as tears streamed down my face.
I hope people go and see this film, so they may realize that every day people just like them are the ones that go off to fight wars. They have families and dreams just like the rest of us. What separates soldiers from everyday people is the sacrifices they make believing in something that is bigger than themselves.
I understand that it's hard to related to the soldiers who go off to fight wars on the other side of the world. But the Ottawa shooting happened on home soil and Cpl Cirillo's death was just as tragic as the soldiers who have died in all wars or conflict. What bonds them are their sacrifices to protect our freedoms and nation. My finally hope is that as Canadians, we will remember them.
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