About The Film
“When the peace treaty is signed, the war isn’t over for the veterans, or the family. It’s just starting.”
Karl MarlantesAuthor, Vietnam War Veteran, U.S. Marine Corps.
BY MY SIDE is an intimate portrait of three veterans suffering with the invisible wound PTSD. It is the most prevalent and unhealed wound experienced by veterans. Approximately 20% of those who served in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars are still haunted by visions, chased by enemies they can never outrun, and tortured by the fear that they are now the enemy. These debilitating psychic scars have proven very difficult to heal. Twenty veterans commit suicide every day.
It is very rare for veterans to admit they feel pain or need help. Even worse is accepting the pain they’ve brought back into their families. Set in northern California, three veterans opened their homes and hearts to filmmakers Vicki Topaz and Wynn Padula, with their continued spirit of service. These families bravely share their pain, fear, and the difficult realization they’ve lost time and love that they may never get back again. Their lack of faith in themselves and others, left these veterans isolated. Standard treatments failed, filling them with despair. All three found hope where no one had looked—in the heart of a faithful service dog.
The families of these veterans, eloquently and poignantly share how frightened and confused they were by loved ones that looked the same, but were unrecognizable. They were battling demons they couldn’t see or love away. They were being sucked into the deadly undertow of secondary PTSD. And then came the service dogs. Once the veterans were partnered with service dogs, their smiles returned. Their fear subsided. They could navigate the world again because of service dogs at their side. The dogs, effortlessly, became a joyful bridge to their children and their spouses. The dogs were the key to everyone’s heart. The healing could begin.
BY MY SIDE is an intimate portrait of three veterans suffering with the invisible wound PTSD. It is the most prevalent and unhealed wound experienced by veterans. Approximately 20% of those who served in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars are still haunted by visions, chased by enemies they can never outrun, and tortured by the fear that they are now the enemy. These debilitating psychic scars have proven very difficult to heal. Twenty veterans commit suicide every day.
It is very rare for veterans to admit they feel pain or need help. Even worse is accepting the pain they’ve brought back into their families. Set in northern California, three veterans opened their homes and hearts to filmmakers Vicki Topaz and Wynn Padula, with their continued spirit of service.
These families bravely share their pain, fear, and the difficult realization they’ve lost time and love that they may never get back again. Their lack of faith in themselves and others, left these veterans isolated. Standard treatments failed, filling them with despair. All three found hope where no one had looked—in the heart of a faithful service dog.
The families of these veterans, eloquently and poignantly share how frightened and confused they were by loved ones that looked the same, but were unrecognizable. They were battling demons they couldn’t see or love away. They were being sucked into the deadly undertow of secondary PTSD. And then came the service dogs.
Once the veterans were partnered with service dogs, their smiles returned. Their fear subsided. They could navigate the world again because of service dogs at their side. The dogs, effortlessly, became a joyful bridge to their children and their spouses. The dogs were the key to everyone’s heart. The healing could begin.
This project was made possible with support from California Humanities, a non-profit partner of the NEH.
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