New Documentary “Sisters in Arms”

Posted on December 27, 2010 by Katie in Movie News, Movies

We recently heard about a new documentary called Sisters in Arms that highlights the role of women serving in combat in Afghanistan.  We’re trying to find out more information about when it will be playing in our area (the premiere was in Canada in November).  In the meantime, check out the trailer & synopsis.

There are only ten countries in the world that allow women to fight in ground combat, and Canada is one of them.  The mission in Afghanistan marks the first time in Canadian history that women soldiers are fighting on the frontlines.

SISTERS IN ARMS is a one-hour documentary that tells the story of three remarkable women who have chosen the most difficult and dangerous military professions and are facing combat on the battle fronts of Afghanistan.  Corporal Katie Hodges is a determined professional; Corporal Tamar Freeman is a trained specialist; and Master Corporal Kimberly Ashton is a mother who has left behind three young girls.

Who are these women and how did they get there?

We hear from veterans of the combat trades including Brigadier General Chris Whitecross, one of Canada’s highest ranking woman in the military and Lieutenant Colonel Anne Reiffenstein, the first female artillery officer. We will also meet the mothers, fathers and sisters who openly discuss their fears, and bravely support their loved ones.

In Canada, the number of women joining the combat trades has risen gradually for almost two decades, attrition remains an issue, with significantly higher rates of women leaving their military careers than men. Military culture remains a barrier, and today, only two percent (about 250 out of 14,000) of soldiers in the combat trades are women.

Using video diaries filmed by the soldiers in Afghanistan and personal interviews, SISTERS IN ARMS tells their stories, from the frontline from a uniquely female perspective, challenging our perception of what constitutes a soldier.

Tags: afghanistan, combat, corporal, documentaries, military, soldier, war in afghanistan, women, women in the military, women soldiers