March 16, 2009

 

 

The Center for International and Comparative Studies (CICS), along with the Institute for the Humanities, the Institute for Research on Women and Gender, and Women's Studies will present a special screening of the documentary film LIONESS.

LIONESS, a feature documentary by Meg McLagan and Daria Sommers, tells the story of the first group of female Army support soldiers-mechanics, clerks and engineers-to serve as Lioness. While deployed in Iraq from 2003-2004, these young woman ended up in some of the bloodiest counterinsurgency battles of the Iraq war and returned home as part of this country's first generation of female combat veterans. Yet they are rarely, if ever, mentioned in news stories. LIONESS makes public, for the first time, their hidden history. Told through intimate accounts, journal excerpts, archival footage, and interviews, the film offers a poignant look at this little-known chapter in U.S. military history.

A reception will begin at 5pm in the lobby of the Michigan Theater screening room, and the film will begin at 5:45pm. A brief discussion with the filmmaker will take place after the film.

The film is free and open to the public.