A new documentary executive produced by actor Chris Pratt aims to shine a spotlight on some of the greatest unsung heroes of U.S. military history.
“Fighting Spirit: A Combat Chaplain’s Journey” chronicles the selfless sacrifice and service of military chaplains who have ministered to U.S. troops in combat zones around the world.
The documentary, written and co-directed by award-winning filmmaker Rich Hull, debuts in select theaters on Nov. 8 ahead of Veterans Day. The film marks the first-ever collaboration between Hollywood and the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps.
Speaking to The Epoch Times about his latest project from Paulist Productions, Hull said he set out to tell the untold stories of the 419 Army chaplains who have died in the line of duty since the Revolutionary War.
“As I learned more about combat chaplains as a profession, which is really more of a ‘calling,’ and the incredible work they do to serve the soldiers who are on the frontlines serving us as Americans, I was struck by the fact that combat chaplains never like to be part of the story, and so most of their tales have remained undiscovered. Until now,” Hull said.
Touching on the film’s title, Hull said he was intentionally vague about which chaplain the documentary is centered on.
“It’s really about a lot of journeys,” he said.
Hull said the most compelling narrative presented in “Fighting Spirit” revolves around the life-changing, cross-country journey of former Army combat chaplain Justin D. Roberts as he embarks on a quest to meet the remains of Father Emil Kapaun.
Kapaun was a Roman Catholic priest and Army captain who served as a military chaplain during World War II and the Korean War. He died on May 23, 1951, while being held in a Korean prisoner-of-war camp.
Kapaun’s remains were initially interred in a grave marked “unknown” at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, a military cemetery in Honolulu, Hawaii. They were finally identified 70 years later while Hull and Roberts, who also co-directed the film, were in the midst of production.
“At that time, we were still trying to find the voice of the film, and we didn’t quite know how Chaplain Kapaun’s story might fit into our work. But we just knew that it would,” Hull said.
‘Fighting Spirit’
In the documentary’s official trailer, Roberts explains that combat chaplains have “provided the bedrock of care for every branch of the military” for more than 200 years.“If you look at any war at any given time, a chaplain was there equipped with a fighting spirit that provides a refuge in the fight,” Roberts notes.
Commissioned military chaplains offer a range of spiritual and moral support to military members and their families. Some of their duties include providing marriage counseling, leading worship services, serving at medical facilities, and even comforting dying and wounded soldiers on the battlefield.
Hull told The Epoch Times that despite the film’s faith-oriented theme, he and Roberts intentionally created the movie in a way that would be palatable to all viewers.
“We really opened the aperture wide with this film so that all sorts of audiences would find something special for them in it,” he said. “People and families with a military connection can connect with it. ... But faith-based audiences also find a lot in it since so much of the work that combat chaplains do is an opportunity to truly live their faith.”
Hull said he believes the film’s “fascinating, patriotic journey into [the] world of combat chaplains” will resonate with general audiences, too.
“Think about this—combat chaplains go to war wearing a uniform but carry no weapon. Who wouldn’t want to know what motivates that?” he said.
“Combat chaplains may come from a particular faith, but when they’re on the frontlines of combat, they serve soldiers of all faiths ... and no faith. That felt to me like an opportunity to not just celebrate any single faith but to celebrate all faiths. And it really felt like a perfect example of how people of faith can truly live their values in daily practice to make the world a better place.”
Hull said “Fighting Spirit” also provides a unique opportunity for people across the nation to find common ground during a time of division, especially given that it premieres just three days after the presidential election.
“We decided to put the film in theaters instead of streaming it so that Americans could come together to celebrate these amazing heroes for Veterans Day,” he said.
“But unlike big superhero movies in theaters, we don’t have a huge marketing budget, and so we’re completely dependent upon people encouraging their friends and family to see the movie as a way to celebrate their faith, our soldiers, and our freedoms as Americans. I hope they do that, and I truly hope they enjoy the film.”
