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IT'S A TRUE STORY OF RETURN

The Silent Soldier and the Portrait

One Man. Two Secrets. Seventy Years.
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THE STORY

The Silent Soldier and the Portrait is a documentary about one of the last living survivors of a major World War II military tragedy and two secrets that he kept for decades.  

 

The first was a military secret.

 

On Christmas Eve, 1944, John Suter Waller was a 19-year-old soldier, fresh out of boot camp, on his way to join in the Battle of the Bulge, when his troop ship was sunk by a German U-boat. Over 800 US military personnel died that night in the icy waters of the English Channel.

 

Fearing the effect of the news on morale back home, the military instructed the survivors not to talk about it. Not even to their families. So John Waller kept that secret. Seven decades passed before his family or his friends knew that he was a man who had been given a second chance in life - by an odd twist of fate.

 

John Waller kept another secret as well – one that was a bit more complicated. It involved what the family called a “purloined” French portrait, but it came with a backstory that involved grenades and a safe.

 

With an impressive bit of detective work, and little luck, producer Garland Waller, John Waller’s daughter, recently discovered both secrets as she was helping him move. The story of the Leopoldville and the portrait set both father and daughter on a journey that became the essence of the documentary.

 

Shot primarily in England and France, this film is by turns deeply moving and warmly funny. Father and daughter retrace the journey of the young solider headed to war, and in so doing, find a measure peace along the way.

 

Ultimately, this is a story about secrets and second chances.

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THE TEAM

GARLAND WALLER

Garland Waller is the producer, co-writer, and co-director of The Silent Solider and the Portrait.

 

Garland Waller's awards include over 5 New England Emmy's, the Grand Prize at the International Film Festival of New York, two Ohio State Awards, a Colorado Film Festival Silver Award, an official selection of The Hague Global Cinema Festival, and The Norcal Film Fest’s Silver Award for Best Documentary Feature. (For a complete list of awards, see the link on this web site for Soldier awards.)

She is currently the Director of the TV Graduate Program at Boston University. She has been married to the fabulous Barry Nolan for 15 years.

BARRY NOLAN

Barry Nolan is the writer, co-director, and videographer for The Silent Soldier and the Portrait. ​

Barry Nolan is an award-winning journalist. Among his numerous awards are Emmys for producing, hosting and commentary, a LA Press Club Award, a Gabriel Award, and an Iris Award. He was the host/anchor for Hard Copy. For over 20 years, he has been a brilliant panelist on the NPR program Says You! He also worked on Capitol Hill as the Communications Director for the Joint Economic Committee.

 

He is currently a freelance political speechwriter and consultant.

He and Garland have been married for 15 years.

DAN DUNBAR

Dan Dunbar is the editor of The Silent Solider and the Portrait.

Dan Dunbar is a video editor and founder of Mirage Media, Inc. Dan Dunbar has edited for NBC's Today Show, Dateline, Nightly News and other programs generated from 30 Rock. 

He is now freelancing, editing with Avid, Premiere Pro, and Resolve.

www.dandunbar.net

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