Back from the Brink
Marine Corps veteran and filmmaker Dustin Jones sets out to understand the suicide epidemic among veterans through the lens of his former comrade, Bill Kirner. Bill’s marriage and life are threatened by PTSD. After intensive treatment, he and his wife Ashley are starting over and sharing their story with Dustin.
Filmmakers
Dustin Jones is a 31-year-old Marine Corps veteran and filmmaker. His tours in the Marine Corps brought him to Iraq in 2008 and Afghanistan in 2009. After receiving an honorable discharge in 2011, Dustin attended the University of Colorado, where he received a B.S. in journalism. He was a reporter for the West Yellowstone Star in West Yellowstone, Montana before moving to New York City to attend Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism where he focused on documentary film production.
dcj2122@columbia.edu
Emma Pettinga is a television producer and filmmaker. She attended Georgetown University, where she received her B.A. in Government with a focus on American politics and law. Before coming to Columbia Journalism School to study documentary film, she worked at Fox News researching and producing for Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace.
emma.pettinga@columbia.edu