As part of our Arlington Reads 2011 program, the Shirlington Branch Library will screen a series of films related to The Soldier’s Story. Please join us for:

“The Hurt Locker” [2008] – Tuesday, April 5, 6:30 p.m.
An intense portrayal of elite American soldiers in Iraq who have one of the most dangerous jobs in the world: disarming bombs in the heat of combat.
Rated R, 131 minutes. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow and starring Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty.

“The Way We Get By” [2009] – Sunday, April 10, 3:00 p.m.
On call 24/7 for the past six years, three senior citizens have made history by greeting nearly one million U.S. troops at a tiny airport in Maine. Filled with unexpected turns, their uplifting and emotional journey demonstrates the meaning of community at a time when America needs it most. Presented in partnership with POV.
Not rated, 84 minutes. Directed by Aron Gaudet.

“The Messenger” [2009] – Tuesday, April 19, 6:30 p.m.
While on a recent deployment to Iraq, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery is injured when an improvised explosive device detonates close to him. With only a few months left in his enlistment, the Army assigns him to the Casualty Notification Team back in the States. Will learns that this new job has its own dangers.
Rated R, 113 minutes. Directed by Oren Moverman and starring Ben Foster, Samantha Morton and Woody Harrelson.

“Grace is Gone” [2007] – Tuesday, April 26, 6:30 p.m.
After his wife is killed as a soldier in Iraq, a father takes his two daughters, ages 8 and 12, on a road trip where their innocent charm helps him rediscover a healing joy he thought he’d lost forever.
Rated PG-13, 85 minutes. Directed by James C. Strouse and starring John Cusack, Emily Churchill and Rebecca Spence.