2/9/2009

in

Woody Harrelson is an outspoken dove who deplores the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but that isn't stopping him from reaching out to the families of fallen and active duty soldiers.

John Winn

At a news conference in Berlin to premiere his new movie, *The Messenger*, Harrelson said that the film "left me with a profound respect and compassion for these people who are going over to Iraq and Afghanistan."  
  
The film, starring Harrelson and Ben Foster, is about a pair of Army officers who inform families about the deaths of soldiers in Iraq.  
  
Filmmaker Oren Moverman shot at several Army bases in addition to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and earned the respect of soldiers and their families during the ordeal. Army officers even offered technical advice, which did not escape the minds of Moverman and the rest of the *Messenger* crew.  
  
As for Harrelson, he is glad to have the opportunity to see the world from another perspective. "I'm pro-peace constantly, and for good reason," he said. "On the other hand, I think that what was missing from my own philosophy was a real understanding of what these soldiers go through."  
  
*The Messenger* is competing in a crowded field of 14 for the coveted Golden Bear Award, one of the most prized awards in Europe. The winners will be announced February 14.