Soul Patrol

Winner of the Directing Award for US Documentaries at Sundance, Soul Patrol uncovers a largely untold chapter of American military history: the first all-Black special operations unit to serve during the Vietnam War and the lasting impact of their service. The film follows Ed Emanuel and his fellow soldiers from the Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol, an elite unit tasked with high-risk missions behind enemy lines. While operating in combat zones abroad, the men were also grappling with the reality of being Black Americans during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, fighting for a country that often denied them equality at home.The documentary is framed around a reunion of surviving unit members. Through candid conversations, the veterans reflect on brotherhood, trauma, and the emotional weight they carried long after returning home. Director J.M. Harper crafts precious archival footage, reenactments, and testimonies to awaken a history that has disappeared behind narratives of imperial legacy and military stoicism. Soul Patrol is an immersive journey through the identity crisis of what it meant to be a “soul brother” fighting in Vietnam; a radiant journey through shame and isolation, as Emanuel reunites his team, attempting to heal their common trauma.

Directing Award: U.S. Documentary, Sundance Film Festival