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Powerful Film 'The Hornet's Nest' Takes A Hard Look At Troops' Lives In Afghanistan

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A select group of viewers were on hand aboard the Intrepid on Thursday night for an early screening of a powerful documentary about the war in Afghanistan. The film "The Hornet's Nest" takes a hard look at life on the front lines, through the eyes of a father-son film making team who were embedded with U.S. troops.

For soldiers in Afghanistan every day is a relentless fight for survival, a fight that Mike and Carlos Boettcher wanted to capture.

"All those soldiers and Marines want is for their story to be told, for the American public to know what they are going through day in and day out, and I committed to doing that," Mike told CBS 2's Kristine Johnson on Friday.

On hand for the screening were CBS 2's Alex Denis and her husband, Army CPT Tye Reedy. Reedy's unit lost four men in combat and is featured in the film.

For families of soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice, the film is a grim reminder of the realities of combat.

"It takes you back. It takes you right back to the knock on the door," said Seana Arrechenga, who lost her husband in Afghanistan.

For some, seeing the film was part of the healing process.

"I've got to understand what happened to him," Frank Adamski Jr. said of his son, who he lost to combat just three weeks before he was supposed to come home.

The film is a raw and at times brutal look at the reality and ravages of America's longest war.

"I hope that they see the sacrifice, not just of my husband, but of what every man in the valley that day and what they have to carry with them for the rest of their lives," Seana said.

"The Hornet's Nest" is set to open nationwide on Veteran's Day.

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