Buried Above Ground

Filmmaker Ben Selkow's documentary centers on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), noting that at least 8 percent of the world's population suffers from PTSD, for a variety of reasons: war, natural or man-made disasters, abuse, rape, and more. Buried Above Ground focuses on three Americans for whom PTSD has been a defining experience: U.S. Army captain Luis Montalvan; Erundina, a survivor of childhood and domestic abuse; and Ashley, a New Orleans resident still haunted by the trauma of Hurricane Katrina. The film rotates through their lives over a six-year period, during which all three make enormous changes while still struggling to hold on each day. Luis, who served two tours of duty in Iraq and returned home with physical injuries and a perpetually shocked expression, gradually finds a way back into the world through therapy, his relationship with a service dog, and his efforts as a very public advocate for disabled veterans to be eligible for their own dogs. Erundina, whose years of suffering led her to debilitating chemical dependency, walks an emotional tightrope as she attempts to become a social worker. Ashley does what many PTSD victims do, becoming obsessively prepared for the next calamity, although other aspects of her life are healthier. Known for his long career in television, director Selkow manages to find the common ground that ties these three vulnerable if also ultimately strong people together, making a good case along the way that PTSD is something to take very seriously and treat with compassion and concrete solutions. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)