Film premiere + Q&A with writer/director Aaron Davidman (Wrestling Jerusalem)

AMERICAN SOLITAIRE follows the intimate story of a wounded veteran navigating the emotional aftermath of war. Slinger, played by Joshua Close (WAYWARD, FARGO) struggles to reintegrate into a society where firearms are revered and gun violence is pervasive. He embarks on a journey to heal himself and, by extension, challenge his country to allow for a broader vision of a soldier’s path to healing.

Written and directed by Aaron Davidman, this powerful narrative feature invites audiences to reconsider America’s cultural relationship with guns. The film examines the hidden costs of military service, PTSD, reintegration, and the enduring psychological impact of combat, while confronting how masculinity, identity, and notions of safety have become entangled with the presence of firearms in American life.

At its heart, AMERICAN SOLITAIRE reveals the lifelong work of undoing the military conditioning that “trains violence in and tenderness out.” The film does not advocate for a single policy solution, instead it creates space for reflection and dialogue—encouraging viewers of all perspectives to question assumptions about strength, responsibility, and what it truly means to protect and heal.