Private Project

Final Fight: When the Trauma of War Comes Home

The suicide epidemic of our veterans is much worse than is commonly known. Suicide numbers from combat veterans and survivors of Military Sexual Trauma are 4.5x higher than the total number of service members tragically lost in battle during the entire Global War on Terror.

Final Fight profiles a diverse set of veterans and their responses to living with combat trauma and military sexual trauma. We interview leading experts in the field of PTS and brain science within the scope of veterans mental health—seeking to find ways for our veterans to coexist with their traumas and lead the lives they so wholeheartedly deserve.

Many of the veterans we interviewed are more comfortable on the front lines of battle than feeling the pressures of a “normal” life—making coming home the Final Fight. 94 MINUTES.

  • Frances Causey
    Director
    Heist: Who Stole The American Dream?, The Long Shadow, Is Your Story Making You Sick?
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    War, Mental Health, Politics, News, Breaking News, Sexual Trauma, Trauma, PTSD
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 34 minutes 42 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 5, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    United States, United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Cannon C500
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Soho International Film Festival
    New York City
    United States
    September 18, 2023
    World
Distribution Information
  • Dan Gurlitz
Director Biography - Frances Causey

Director Frances Causey is a National Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker and journalist with 15 years experience as a Senior Producer at CNN and previous film work hailed as a New York Times Critic’s Pick. Her films have been seen on Netflix, PBS, and The History Channel, and her TED talk continues to reach audiences worldwide.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

While I was researching Final Fight, it was painstakingly clear that the US Military had few- if any- answers to the ongoing, historic epidemic of PTSD-related suicide among its veterans. THIS FILM IS THAT ANSWER. Today, most veterans who suffered combat and sexual assault (also an epidemic) related PTSD while in military service are forced to navigate a VA system that is excessively complicated and too often unable to meet their critical mental and physical health needs. Final Fight investigates this national crisis and its horrifying effect, finally offering veterans, their family, and friends answers to its causes and how and where to seek help.