ABOUT THE FILM

AMERICAN SOLITAIRE explores America’s deep cultural connection to guns through the intimate story of a wounded veteran navigating the emotional aftermath of war. As he 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 film invites audiences to reconsider the U.S. cultural relationship with guns. Through the protagonist’s personal story, 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.” It does not advocate for a single policy solution, but instead 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.

By highlighting the intergenerational ripple effects of war and the possibility of transforming pain into connection, AMERICAN SOLITAIRE positions the restoration of tenderness, community, and emotional wholeness as essential to moving beyond cycles of harm and imagining a more compassionate future.