Based on his award-winning short, K. Lorrel Manning’s HAPPY NEW YEAR vividly portrays the heartbreak and the humanity in the story of a young American soldier, Sgt. Cole Lewis, admitted to the psychiatric wing of a stateside VA hospital following a botched military operation in Iraq. As the narrative unfolds, we meet a colorful cast of personalities, all with their own horror stories of loss and of pain, who aid Sgt. Lewis on his quest to find inner peace––at any cost. HAPPY NEW YEAR is a tender, moving portrait of what it means to be willing to sacrifice one's own safety (and sanity) in pursuit of protecting the American dream.

Filmmaker(s) expected to be in attendance for post-screening Q&A at both screenings.

Manning wrote and directed the award-winning short film HAPPY NEW YEAR, on which the feature is based. He received a NYFA fellowship for his play WOOL and was director-in-residence at the acclaimed Barrow Group Theatre Company. MFA in Film, Columbia University. Lead singer of the rock band La Res.

Manning wrote and directed the award-winning short film HAPPY NEW YEAR, on which the feature is based. He received a NYFA fellowship for his play WOOL and was director-in-residence at the acclaimed Barrow Group Theatre Company. MFA in Film, Columbia University. Lead singer of the rock band La Res.