Free DVDs of Ben’s film “Johnny Got His Gun” are being offered to high schools in the U.S.

Posted by Michal on May 05, 2010 | Filed under Johnny Got His Gun, Media Alerts | Browse the News Archives

DONATE OR REQUEST A DVD

Each year, thousands high school students read Dalton Trumbo’s National Book Award-winning novel, Johnny Got His Gun, as part of their English Literature, Social Studies, and Political Science classes.

Dalton Trumbo’s Johnny Got His Gun, starring Ben McKenzie (Southland, The O.C., Junebug), was originally conceived to enhance those studies, as well as courses in Film, Theater Arts, Nursing, and Acting.

While we were honored to have our small independent film picked up for distribution in art house cinemas, our goal has always been to have a copy of this movie distributed to every high school library in the country.

THE NEED

At a time when most schools no longer offer basic Civics courses, Dalton Trumbo’s Johnny Got His Gun offers a perspective beyond the video games and multimedia images which bombard students and all too often depersonalize the human aspect of war.

Included with the film are a pre-screening and a post-screening discussion guide, which offer educators an opportunity to explore and discuss with their students many of Trumbo’s themes.

Sadly, many school districts today no longer have the financial resources to purchase educational DVDs, which come with the necessary ‘Public Performance Rights’ licenses that enable teachers to screen them in the classroom. And even though Johnny is priced well below the average cost of such educational videos, it remains out of reach for many schools.

THE SOLUTION

Greenwood Hill Productions is working to match each high school library in the country with a donor willing to purchase a copy of the film for them.

These DVDs are a teaching tool which can be utilized by educators across multiple curriculums, as noted above.

Furthermore, each video comes with the legally required Public Performance Rights license, which allows teachers to show the film year after year, for the lifetime of the DVD.

Finally, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each DVD go to the Fallen Patriot Fund to help veterans and their families.

Go to the film’s website and request a copy for your school