The way we treat our disabled soldiers upon returning is sometimes horrendous. But this scathing report on veterans being deceived by the military is stunningly shameful. In this vital activist documentary, sight-impaired director David Block gathers testimonies from former CIA analyst Patrick Eddington (author of "Gassed in the Gulf"), other distinguished authors and a dozen war veterans to offer an eye-opening history on our systemic misuse of soldiers in wars past. While the soldiers remain deeply patriotic and have few regrets about serving their country, the abuse at the hands of many and varied sources is shockingly brought to the surface through the collective frustrations, trials and attempts to return to "normal" lives as citizens. It is no irony that if you flip the word war around it spells raw.

The vast nation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been invaded by as many as seven warring neighboring countries at one point. Amidst this chaos and turbulence is a singular miracle, Panzi Hospital, a last-hope refuge for many sexually abused women, victims of the rebel militia’s violence. This unflinching documentary peers up close into the lives of two young women, Helene Wamuzila (22) and Bijoux Mateso (13), as they as they undergo many operations in an effort to reclaim their lives and come to grips with their violent and tragic past. Looking for hope in God and each other -- played against the backdrop of the upcoming presidential elections, the first in over 40 years -- this truly astonishing story is an achievement in filmmaking that few would dare to have told.