Through directing The War Between, I learned that the Civil War was fought as far west as Tucson and that the California Column were a volunteer force that drove the Confederacy out of Southern California. Being able to shoot at Picacho Peak, where the battle took place was like stepping back in time.

Maybe history doesn’t repeat itself exactly, an ever-present current, it comes alive in fits and starts, exploding in moments of related cultural flashpoints. We’re presented a new crossroads of paths not yet taken. For me history is a living breathing thing that we are all still a part of – living out the consequences of what came before, despite the fact that we did not choose it, all the while, faced with our free will for how we shape the future for the generations to come. The shadows loom large, but can become our guides. We are all able to choose. What have we learned? Our two leads journey through the desert, facing obstacles that challenge their very existence and stubbornly-held beliefs about each other.

The War Between is a film that acknowledges our messy history, while challenging the audience to acknowledge their own blind spots. I believe dehumanization leads to violence. I believe how we treat each other will dictate who we are and where we go from here. Can we recognize ourselves in our enemies? The unforgiving desert and the Civil War raise the stakes and shapes this story of survival.