It was a packed house on Wednesday night for the screening of the documentary film Brothers at War in the Baird Auditorium at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.  Director Jake Rademacher and Executive Producer David Scantling were on hand to give guests a first-hand account of the story behind the film.

Brothers at War tells the story of the Rademacher family and how the experience of two of the brothers would forever change all of them.  Jake states in the film that he had to make Brothers at War because “I began to feel a distance for the first time between myself and my two brothers. I want to know what’s going on in Iraq because I have two brothers serving there. These guys are putting their lives on the line. Why are they doing that? I need to know.”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqItxkCGUOM]

His brothers - Isaac and Joe - are the subjects of this fascinating journey from Syria to Iraq to Fort Bragg, and Jake learns firsthand the deep camaraderie formed by these men at war.  In one scene, Isaac, a Captain in the US Army, explained “These guys take you on as a brother.“

Also in attendance last night was Jake’s father, Dr. Dennis Rademacher, who shared on film that “It’s kind of a moving thing that one brother thinks enough of his other brothers to try to make a film about what they’re doing, and to try to understand sacrifice, commitment, something greater than themselves.”

The documentary has been an undeniable succes, winning in the Feature Documentary category at the  2008 G.I. Film Festival and premiering to a standing-room-only crowd of cadets at West Point.  Last night’s screening was co-sponsored by TriWest Healthcare Alliance and the USO, in coordination with the Smithsonian.  We hope you take a moment to watch the film’s trailer above and view the photos below.

[caption id="attachment_1435” align=“aligncenter” width=“500” caption=“Cindy McCain and David J. McIntyre, Jr. - the President & CEO of TriWest Healthcare Alliance - chat with a guest before the screening. (USO Photo by Em Hall)”][/caption]

[caption id=“attachment_1436” align=“aligncenter” width=“500” caption=“Senator John McCain chats with Brothers at War director Jake Rademacher © and a guest during the reception for the film. (USO Photo by Em Hall) ”][/caption]

[caption id=“attachment_1437” align=“aligncenter” width=“500” caption=“Brent D. Glass - Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History - addresses the audience in Flag Hall. (USO Photo by Em Hall)”][/caption]