An Introduction

My name is Marc Conklin, and I'm the screenwriter of a new film called "Memorial Day," starring James Cromwell, Jonathan Bennett, Jackson Bond and James Cromwell's doppelganger son, John. (That's me in the picture, although I usually don't look that Hollywood.)

I'm starting this blog two and a half months before the official release of this film, because I see this as more than "just another movie," or even "just another movie named after a holiday." The title of this blog ("open the footlocker") provides a clue as to why. 

For those of you who are not familiar with the story, "Memorial Day" is a feature-length drama about a boy ("Kyle") who finds his grandfather's World War II footlocker while spending a Memorial Day afternoon at his farmhouse. After some cajoling, Kyle strikes a deal with his grandpa ("Bud"): He can pick any three items from the footlocker, and Bud will tell him the stories behind each one. 

It would be interesting enough to flash back to Bud's stories from the 82nd Airborne (which we do), but the film also flashes forward to Kyle's later experiences with the "Red Bulls" in Iraq (34th Infantry out of Minnesota). Kyle's experiences parallel Bud's in key ways, and the movie is ultimately about how that day on the porch helps both grandfather and grandson deal with their experiences.

My experience in working on this film goes far beyond the days that I sat on set watching director Sam Fischer magically make it all happen. Every step of the process--starting with sitting in a hunting lodge in Le Center, Minnesota, as we interviewed living veterans from every American conflict from World War II to Afghanistan--certainly gave me something to remember. 

But this blog isn't just about me (fittingly) sharing my memories. It's about making the case that this film is for everyone. I went into the project thinking of it as the first-ever war/family movie. (And indeed, it is.) But to me, it's also far more. It's a human movie. It's for anyone who's ever said or heard the words "don't ask grandpa about the war." But it's also for anyone who's ever held back sharing any difficult story. It's about encouraging others to tell those stories. And, in fact, it's about the immortality of storytelling itself.

Between now and the official release of "Memorial Day" on May 29, I'll be writing "Five Reasons Why 'Memorial Day' Is Worth Your Time," and maybe a few reports from film festivals and special screenings. Stay tuned.