By Ariana Pekary

The invasion of Iraq started on March 20, 2003 – that was seven years ago.  It’s astonishing that this film, Severe Clear, about that invasion, is still relevant. Plus, there is new and shocking footage. First Lieutenant Mike Scotti said he wanted to film the invasion on his personal mini-DV recorder to be able to show a different side of the war – the real side – not some fluffy PR piece.  There is no question during any point of the film of Scotti’s dedication to the U.S. Marine Corps.  That’s not to say that over time, even a patriot like First Lieutenant Scotti started to ask questions of his own about why the United States was in Iraq.

There are some graphic descriptions in the film (and the interview) – so be forewarned.  But, like Kristian Fraga (Severe Clear producer) says, that footage is included intentionally, to provide a full portrayal of what the Marines experienced. 

For information about the film, go to its web site, or look for it in your area.  Theatrical release dates are:

March 12th: New York and San Diego

March 19th: Beverly Hills, Leammle Music Hall

March 24th: Dallas

March 25th: Houston

April 1st: Salem, MA