Director Jon Stanford’s LONG FORGOTTEN FIELDS is an insight to a war torn soldier’s mind. It had its world premiere at the 24th Raindance Film Festival 2016 in Vue Picadilly cinema.

Director Jon Stanford.

Director Jon Stanford’s LONG FORGOTTEN FIELDS Is An Insight  to a war torn soldier’s mind, bringing the viewers closer to the realities of war. It focuses on the fragility of a man who is trained to fight and defend his homeland, but when comes to face the realities of war, he realises that it takes more than just training to endure the extreme violence involved. The feature film holds in it an entire subject of bringing awareness to the combat related trauma to the outside world, which only a soldier can feel while on the field.

Sam Brookwell (Tom Campion), is on leave from Afghanistan. On his return he reunites with his girlfriend Lily (Rebecca Birch) and looks forward to return to a normal life away from war. Things take a turn, when the memories of war start having an effect on him leaving him between love and the war that still exists in his mind.

LONG FORGOTEN FIELDS Film Still

The character of Sam Brookwell is a reflection of every other British soldier who is at war or has returned. This single character speaks volumes of how a soldier tries to return to a normal life but can’t manage to squeeze back into a society which he once knew. This also has an effect on his immediate relatives and most importantly on those who love him. Director Jon Stanford has done an extensive research on the lives of the servicemen who have returned from war, and has spoken and heard to what those servicemen had to say about the psychological effects the war has had on them. This film in a way screams out what these servicemen can’t talk about, and have remained silent about the atrocities of war that plague their mind.

Shot entirely in the beautiful, lush and green country side in Shropshire county, the cast includes Simon Armstrong, Frances Ruffelle, Paul Sadot and Wayne Swann. Jon Stanford has not only directed this film, but has also written and produced it too. Cinematography is done by Benjamin Thomas. The two songs ‘Itchy Teeth‘ and ‘Reflect‘ in the film are written and performed by Marika Hackman and Charles Bells respectively.