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GUEST: Carl Colpaert, director of “G.I. Jesus”

A new film by independent film maker explores the issues of war, immigration and post-traumatic stress syndrome all at once. Carl Colpaert’s new film, G.I. Jesus, features a Mexican immigrant who serves in the US military in Iraq in order to obtain citizenship. Actor Joe Arquette, who was working on a Spanish-language soap opera before auditioning for the lead role, plays Jesus Feliciano. Feliciano is a troubled young man who is haunted by the guilt of having to kill Iraqis for a US passport. Suffering from classic post-traumatic stress syndrome, he struggles with his marriage and job while having to make the decision of whether to risk a second deployment to Iraq, or give up and return to Mexico. G.I. Jesus uses actual war footage, and is filmed in Southern California and Mexico. It was well reviewed in the LA Times and LA Weekly and won the Grand Jury Prize at Cinevegas in 2006. G.I. Jesus opens this Friday for a two week run at Laemmle’s Monica 4-Plex in Santa Monica, and Laemmle’s Music Hall 3 in Beverly Hills.

For more information about G.I. Jesus, visit www.gijesusthemovie.com or www.cineville.com.

Laemmle’s Monica 4-Plex is located at 1332 2nd Street in Santa Monica, 90401, Tel: 310-394-9741.

Laemmle’s Music Hall 3 is located at 9036 Wilshire Blvd in Beverly Hills, 90211, Tel: 310-274-6869.