World Premiere: Screening in the U.S. Documentary Film Competition

Uncle Sam really wants you! A compelling exploration of army recruitment in the United States told through the story of Louisiana Sergeant, First Class Clay Usie, one of the most successful recruiters in the history of the U.S. Army.

An American Soldier is a feature-length documentary that travels to the Louisiana coast to capture a phenomenon now occurring throughout the United States -- the intense push to recruit new soldiers into the U.S. Army. What distinguishes this story is its remarkable central character, Louisiana's Sergeant First Class Clay Usie, one of the most successful Army recruiters working in America. Shot in verite style, An American Soldier captures Sgt. Usie's day-to-day life -- almost entirely dedicated to his mission of finding new soldiers in his hometown of Houma, Louisiana. At the same time, the documentary follows the stories of Lauren, Matt, and Bobby, three teenagers recently recruited into the Army by Sgt. Usie. The new recruits spend their last semesters of high school finishing up their studies and preparing themselves for boot camp. After their graduation, the film travels with them to basic training, where they transition from students to soldiers.

Clip Description

Sergeant First Class Clay Usie is one of the most successful Army recruiters working in America. One of his recruits, Chris, struggles to pass the running requirement in order to qualify for the Armed Forces. Clay believes that Chris has it in him to pass.