A young Confederate soldier comes face-to-face with his Union brother on the battlefield during the Battle of the Wilderness.
The year is 1862 and the American Civil War is raging. For one family in the South, conflicting views on the war cause tension in the family. William, the family’s eldest brother, soon grows restless and feels drawn to the Union cause. Feeling betrayed, his younger brother Adam takes up arms in the Confederate army to defend the family home. Now two years later, with old grudges still burning and bullets whizzing by, the brothers meet face-to-face during the Battle of the Wilderness. ×
Director Biography – Casey Schaffer
Casey Schaffer is a 22-year-old award-winning filmmaker and a recent graduate from DeSales University in Pennsylvania. Casey has won awards at film festivals across the country for his short films “LISTEN” (2023), and “Hello, It’s Me” (2023).
Casey is proud to have a personal connection to the Civil War through his great-great grandfather, who served in the 88th Pennsylvania regiment for the Union Army. He has long been a passionate history buff and is excited to combine his love of history and filmmaking. As the writer and director of “Brothers: A Civil War Story,” Casey is extremely grateful to his talented cast and crew and is honored to have the opportunity to share this compelling story with you.
You can follow stay up to date with “Brothers: A Civil War Story” on Facebook or Instagram @brothers_shortfilm
Director Statement
“Brothers: A Civil War Story” began with my fascination for history at an early age. As a young student, I enjoyed making short historical films in my backyard with my friends for history projects in elementary and high school. As I got older and realized my passion for filmmaking, I waited for the opportunity to combine my love of history and filmmaking on a greater scale. I always found the Civil War to be an interesting subject and always took the opportunity to visit famous battle sites while traveling on the East Coast.
A particular facet of the conflict that intrigued me was the idea that it was a war of ‘brother against brother.’ This slogan is commonly used to depict the difficult circumstances faced by many families during the war. When the country divided and the conflict began, many families were torn apart and forced to choose a side. This was especially prevalent in border states where the choice between North and South was not so easy. It was from this historical fact that the idea for “Brothers” was born. It wasn’t until after I had already begun production on the film, that I learned of the Prentiss brothers: a real story worth a Google. While not based on these real life brothers, it’s interesting how many details of my fictional depiction coincidentally match the story of the two Prentiss brothers.
Trailer
Despite this story being set in the past, I hope to make it resonate with a modern audience. Over and over again, I heard in my history classes that ‘history repeats itself.’ Today we hear that our country is more divided than ever. Families and friendships are torn apart over political beliefs and the news constantly talks about the things that divide us. Hollywood has even picked up on this trend with A24’s newest film, “Civil War,” set to release later this year, which showcases what our country’s near future could look like if we continue down this path of division and hate. While I think the chance of another Civil War is unlikely, it’s impossible to deny the divide that has formed in our country. With my film, I hope to shed light on a path towards family and forgiveness through the lens of our past.
| Casey Schaffer Director, Writer Matthew Donley Producer Zachary Gutherman Producer Jackson Whitaker Key Cast “Adam Shepard” Ryan Reyes Key Cast “William Shepard” Johnny Drumgoole Key Cast “Joshua” Krista Metter Key Cast “Rose Shepard” Rick Eisenhart Key Cast “Sergeant Jack” Thomas Wechsler Key Cast “Abel Shepard” |
