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The Two Faces of Roman Martinez A film and an INSTALLATION. First shown at Göteborgs konsthall

The installation centers on the experiences of three generations of combat veterans suffering from PTSD. At the heart of the story is Roman Martinez, a Vietnam veteran whom I met in 1999 while initially interviewing him for another project. His story deeply touched me, yet it also left me troubled. I yearned to learn more about him: Who was this man? He appeared to have two different personalities, two faces.

The installation was first shown in Konsthallen Gothenburg 2005.

Once a week, Roman Martinez takes part in a group therapy session with fifteen other veterans. Most of them are in their mid-eighties and fought in the Pacific during World War II, in places like Iwo Jima, Saipan, and the Philippines. A couple of the men participated in the Korean War, and the rest in the Vietnam War. They are all suffering from PTSD and have difficulty coping with normal life. I met the group after filming Roman for almost three years. I got to know them and was able to attend and film a couple of their sessions, as well as interviews with the veterans.

Roman Martines describes how he enlisted in January of 1969 but requested permission to serve as a chaplain's assistant and be exempted from bearing arms. The officers responsible for his assignment after basic training, however, decided to send him to a unit engaged in reconnaissance and search and destroy missions.

Roman Martinez is a good storyteller, and there is a painful intensity to his description of the crisis he experienced when he was forced out on his first patrol, pressured by both officers and fellow members of his group. There, he witnessed the cold-blooded execution of a group of Vietnamese who had surrendered and come out of the jungle with their hands raised. This proved to be a turning point for Roman Martinez, who until then had considered himself a conscientious objector. He recalls performing a ceremony in which he "buried himself and his God". He hung his helmet on an M-16, considered himself dead, and could take whatever risks he chose from then on. Nothing mattered anymore. He developed a different personality and became known as Hopper, who was both feared and admired in equal measure.

With five Bronze Stars to his name, Roman was wounded and transported home. It took several complicated operations to save his arm, which had been torn apart by a hand grenade. Back home, he grew his hair long, dressed as a hippie, and denied ever having been in Vietnam. Several years later, he met Miriam, a colonel's daughter. She recognized in Roman the same nightmares that tormented her father due to his experiences in the Second World War and the Korean War. Roman could not hide from her what he had been through. Their domestic situation became increasingly difficult, and certain situations continuously triggered bouts of violence directed at Miriam and the children. Through therapy, they slowly began to find keys to Roman's past and to his violent behavior. After several severe crises, they slowly started to rebuild his—and their—life. But even now, over thirty years later, he is still on medication and needs regular therapy to cope with the past.

Jonathan Shay is an influential psychiatrist and writer who has dedicated his life to helping veterans suffering from PTSD. He is a Harvard-educated doctor who has written extensively on the subject, and is best known for his books comparing the experiences of Vietnam veterans to the descriptions of war and homecoming in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. His work has been praised for its insight into the psychological effects of war, and has helped to raise awareness of the struggles faced by veterans. He has been a tireless advocate for veterans' rights, and his work has been instrumental in improving the lives of countless veterans.

Filmed, directed and produced by Erik Pauser

Music and sound design Jean-Louis Huhta

With support from The Swedish Filminstitute/Hjalmar Palmgren

Helge Axelsson Johnsson stiftelse, Längmanska fonden, EMS – Electroacoustic Music in Sweden The Swedish Arts Grants committee

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