Hacksaw Ridge about local Medal of Honor recipient Desmond Doss nominated for Best Picture

January 24, 2017

Collins Parker,

HOLLYWOOD, California (WDEF) The story of a Tennessee Valley resident who was awarded the National Medal of Honor has been nominated for an Academy Award.

The movie Hacksaw Ridge received six nominations on Tuesday, including Best Picture.

Andrew Garfield got a best actor nod for his portrayal of Desmond Doss.

And Mel Gibson was also nominated as Best Director.

The other nominations were for film editing, sound mixing and sound editing.

#HacksawRidge nominated for SIX Oscars CONGRATULATIONS!!

— Mel Gibson (@MelGibsonFilms) January 24, 2017

In a statement, Gibson said the nominations are “a testament to every single person who worked on Hacksaw Ridge, and to every soldier who made the sacrifices they made to fight for their country, including Desmond Doss.”

It is a major comeback for the actor/director.

Hollywood shunned him after his last directing effort on the film Apocalypto following video of a drunken tirade against police officers in which he made disparaging remarks against Jews.

He later apologized, but his movie was ignored at Oscar time.

Hacksaw Ridge producer Bill Mechanic said Tuesday’s nominations show “there is forgiveness in Hollywood even if it might not seem that way.”

The movie tells the story of Desmond Doss in World War Two.

The devout Seventh Day Adventist was a conscientious objector who refused to carry a gun.

But he served as a medic and saved 75 men during the Battle of Okinawa.

That heroism won him the nation’s highest military honor.

After the war, Doss moved to the Tennessee Valley and raised a family on a farm in Rising Fawn, Georgia.

He died in 2006 and is buried in Chattanooga’s National Cemetery.

Doss is just one local recipient of the National Medal of Honor.

His story would be a key part of the proposed Medal of Honor museum at Coolidge Park.

Live with courage.
Love those around you.
Refuse to compromise.
Face death unafraid.
Be yourself.#LiveLikeDoss pic.twitter.com/hfGP17WXbd

— Desmond Doss (@DesmondDoss) November 6, 2016