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8.6 Semper Fi: Always Faithful
Documentary, Special Interest
Marine Corps Master Sgt. Jerry Ensminger was a devoted Marine for nearly twenty-five years. As a drill instructor he lived and breathed the "Corps" and was responsible for indoctrinating thousands of new recruits with its motto Semper Fidelis or "Always Faithful." When Jerry's nine-year old daughter Janey died of a rare type of leukemia, his world collapsed. As a grief-stricken father, he struggled for years to make sense of what happened. His search for answers led to the shocking discovery of a Marine Corps cover-up of one of the largest water contamination incidents in U.S. history. Semper Fi: Always Faithful follows Jerry's mission to expose the Marine Corps and force them to live up to their motto to the thousands of soldiers and their families exposed to toxic chemicals. His fight reveals a grave injustice at North Carolina's Camp Lejeune and a looming environmental crisis at military sites across the country. -- (C) Official Site
Rating
NR
Director
Rachel Libert, Tony Hardmon
Studio
Wider Film Projects
  • important and heavy subject matter.. really shows that despite the despicable, yet predictable response from our government and its cohorts, the power of resilience can overcome.
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  • This move made me truly hate the DOD and I found myself screaming at the tv.. This is a perfect documentary.. If you are not angry or still trust the government or corporate America after you watch this film.. You know what to do.. Love.. Hugs and kisses.. Amazing film.. Watch it with your kids.. Talk about it a lot..
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  • This documentary details the horrific acts of the U.S. Marines in poisoning thousands of marines and their families at Camp Lejeune for a very long period of time and then tried to cover up the entire matter! Many died or are living with disease(s) as a result of gross incompetency of the U.S. Marines and other factions of the government!In the spirit of "Erin Brockovich," the documentary does an excellent job portraying the activists who worked so hard to uncover this health disaster which should have never taken place on U.S. soil in the first place!
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  • One of the most important films in recent memory. Watch this.
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  • Definitely an important issue, but I'd say this is more interesting from an advocacy perspective than as a film. Great close shots for some of the personal stories, though.
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  • This documentary was released in 2011, a good friend of Randy White and the Kristen Renee Foundation, Jerry Esminger also lost his daughter to cancer caused by toxic waste and is fighting for the people of Camp LeJeune
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  • Sad. Yes, we drank the water too....
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  • This film is much more than a story about victims...it's about how those who are being victimized using their story to gain victory by using their stories to do it.
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  • Rightfully enraged activist documentary about a government cover up of pollution causing cancer for the family of serving Marines. Channels the powerful documentaries from last year like a combination between 'The Tillman Story' and 'Gasland,' 'Semper Fi: Always Faithful'Â? has a very legitimate chance of being being one of the final five Oscar nominated documentaries.
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  • Jerry Ensminger isn't an environmental or public health crusader as much as a grieving father.
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  • Pic forges a clear storyline through a sea of scientific reports, doublespeak denials and personal anecdotes (the docu snagged Tribeca's docu editing award), and a consistent picture emerges of a stonewalling military agency.
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  • It makes an impact. These men fought for our right to pursue our own American Dreams. And as thanks, they had theirs ripped away from them.
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  • Shot on a variety of affordable video cameras, from the older HD standard Sony EX1 down to the classic Panasonic DVX100, Semper Fi has a very intimate visual look.
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  • Beyond heartbreaking are scenes of afflicted Marine families and workers at Camp Lejeune giving testimony to a corporate-biased panel, who seemingly couldn't care less. And what the Tea Party and GE may have to do with all of this, but aren't talking.
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  • Semper Fi: Always Faithful carefully follows the conduct of this case, which is largely unknown by the general public. It is superbly constructed without being preachy.
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