Hope is an intimate portrait of a military family fractured by the invisible wounds of war. At its heart is Catherine, a decorated soldier and mother who returns from deployment profoundly changed—emotionally withdrawn, plagued by guilt, and struggling with addiction. Her daughter, Hope, once protected by her mother's strength, becomes a witness to her unraveling, forced to mature too quickly amid the chaos of relocation, strained family bonds, and a lack of institutional support. As Catherine battles to reintegrate, her marriage collapses, and the military’s absence of post-deployment care deepens her isolation. Her husband leaves, her daughter grows distant, and Catherine is left with the crushing realization that service came at a cost no one prepared her for.
Told through raw and reflective testimony, the film unfolds as a dual coming-of-age story—of a mother attempting to rebuild herself and a daughter learning how to carry grief, anger, and forgiveness at once. Amidst the pain, there’s resilience: a hard-won understanding that healing doesn’t follow orders and that love, though strained, survives in quiet gestures and unspoken grace. Hope in the Aftermath of War is a powerful exploration of trauma, accountability, and the casualties of war that follow soldiers home, long after the battle ends.
Up Next in Afghanistan War Experience - Season 1
-
Resilience: The Kim LeBel Story
Resilience: The Kim LeBel Story follows the remarkable journey of a woman who overcame a violent, abusive upbringing in Alabama and Georgia to serve honorably in the U.S. Navy. After defending herself from a traumatic family life, Kim joined the military, only to face new challenges—gender discri...
-
Ruiz
Directed by Jesse Sutterley
In a tapestry woven from heartfelt moments among family and friends, a series of events paint a profound narrative on love, loss, and resilience. At the core of these memories is Kcey, a spirited young woman of Puerto Rican and African American heritage. Her infectiou...
-
Velda: A Mother's Story of Suicide
Directed by Jesse Collier Sutterley
In the poignant and thought-provoking short film, a distressed mother, Velda, takes center stage as she recounts the tragic tale of her son, Michael, who battles inner demons after being sent to war. As she navigates through the gut-wrenching chronology of his...
