Film star and Emmy Award-winning actor Armand Assante (above) has joined forces with Wayne Soares to promote the Vietnam Veterans series “Silent Dignity.”
Film star and Emmy Award-winning actor Armand Assante (above) has joined forces with Wayne Soares to promote the Vietnam Veterans series “Silent Dignity.”
As part of his continued mission to highlight the veterans who served in the Vietnam War, Wayne Soares has brought film star Armand Assante onboard to provide opening remarks in his documentary film series “Silent Dignity.”
Rather than highlight military campaigns or specific battles, the series is meant to tell the personal stories of the veterans and their families. The first 30-minute segment features interviews with local veterans, including Barry Funfar and Kevin Doyle of Falmouth, Bill Blaisdel of New Seabury, Mike Cunningham of Chatham, and Betty and Brian Sullivan of Plymouth.
Mr. Soares hopes to release the second installment in the series in late March.
Special screenings of the film were held in Falmouth as well as in Pittsfield. A third screening event will take place on April 1 at 3 PM at the Resort And Conference Center At Hyannis.
This latest screening will feature Mr. Assante’s introduction.
An Emmy Award-winning actor, Mr. Assante may be best known for playing mobster John Gotti in the HBO film “Gotti,” as well as for roles in “American Gangster” and “I, The Jury.” Mr. Assante starred opposite Antonio Banderas in “The Mambo Kings” and played Goldie Hawn’s love interest in the film “Private Benjamin.”
“Having Armand involved in this brings us onto the national stage,” Mr. Soares said. “He’s got tremendous passion and he’s meticulous in his work.”
Mr. Soares, who writes the Veterans Spotlight column for the Enterprise and also hosts the veterans cooking show “Mess Hall,” said Mr. Assante’s introduction will lend weight to the project. “He’s embraced the project and really sets the stage on this,” Mr. Soares said.
With several acting credits of his own, Mr. Soares met Mr. Assante on the set of the suspense thriller, “Blind Pass.”
“My agents got me a small part in a couple of scenes and I had the chance to work with Armand. He was easy to approach and I would pick his brain and he would give me tips on how to prepare for a scene. He was extraordinarily helpful and we stayed in touch,” Mr. Soares said.
Mr. Soares said that when he reached out to see if Mr. Assante might be interested in doing something with the film, “He came in head first.”
“He’s very respectful of his craft. I’ve enjoyed working with him and I’m so thankful he’s going to be part of this,” said Mr. Soares. “He’s extremely busy and I don’t know how he’s made time for this project.”
Not only did Mr. Assante create an introduction for the first film in the series, but going forward he plans on being involved in the rest of the project.
“He is going to be putting together another eight- to 10-minute piece that’s going to blow people out of the water,” said Mr. Soares.
In a short promo that can be found on YouTube, Mr. Assante describes the films as “a compelling series of interviews with real warriors,” adding that anyone who looks at any participant in the Vietnam experience “with any sense of apathy or indifference is in grave denial of their own living memory and of the meaning of freedom. They are performing a grave disrespect to themselves.”
“Wayne has a wonderful product,” said Mr. Assante, surmising that Mr. Soares reached out to him knowing that “most of my family has been involved in the military.”
Mr. Assante described his family as “war informed.” “My father was 1st Infantry Division US Marine Corps in WWII; I had an uncle who was at Pearl Harbor and another was 101st Airborne in Korea. Three of my cousins served in Vietnam. My father-in-law did two tours in Vietnam and was haunted by those experiences.”
“When I saw the video of these veterans I was well aware of what they are going through,” Mr. Assante said. “For anyone who has ever lived with anyone who has PTSD, it can literally alter your day or your week at any given moment. It’s completely unpredictable.”
“Wayne sent me what he had and asked what I thought and if I would provide him with an introduction—which I did. Through his sources I’ve heard that he received an enthusiastic response to it. Ever since the day I met him Wayne has been serious about supporting the vets in any way, shape or form. He’s a major soldier in that regard.”
Mr. Assante described the project as ambitious: “The Vietnam War is such a controversial subject. You bring up one word about Vietnam and you’ll get 50 arguments.”
He said the film series is an “intelligent way to enter the subject” and added that he has been working on developing segments for Mr. Soares to use going forward.
“There’s an unending supply of men who want to speak up about what they’ve endured in their lifetime as a result of war,” said Mr. Assante.
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