Body of War

Tomas Young is a young veteran who was paralyzed in Iraq in April 2004. His life and his mission to end the war is chronicled in the new documentary, Body of War, by filmmakers Ellen Spiro and Phil Donahue. It is also the story of his mother, Cathy, as she sends yet another son, Nathan, off to a war that has already sent one son home disabled. It is the story of his wife, Brie, who finds herself serving as Tomas's nurse, a role that puts stress on their new marriage. And it is the story of Senator Robert Byrd, the senator from West Virginia who was 85 when he led the charge against war, an attempt that ended in ultimate defeat. Ultimately, it is the story of how a nation went to war, and the terrible consequences this nation now faces.

The film is being shown now at festivals and independent theaters across the country. Marc Steiner sat down with Tomas Young and filmmakers Ellen Spiro and Phil Donahue to talk with them about the film and the message they hope it sends.