Surrounded By Conflict

ZEPCE, BOSNIA: August 1993
Follow the highly dramatic story of two cousins, Angus McCloud and Ryan Reilly, who were incredibly close in their youth. However, a rather disastrous childhood incident involving their Great-uncle Simon's vintage bi-plane sends each boy on separate journeys into military academies.

ANGUS...
As a young lad with fiery red hair and a temper to match, Angus always struggled to find his place in the world. He hoped that after being sent away to a London military academy, he would be able to prove himself and bury his inner demons. However, it becomes evident that the academy is not for him, so at sixteen, Angus enlists in the British Army, hoping to find redemption and purpose.
Yet, over his lengthy military career, which brings him to the age of thirty-three, his penchant for trouble continues to follow him, casting doubt on his ability to conform to societal norms.

RYAN...
Meanwhile, as a youth, Ryan thrives at the military academy in Manchester, finally feeling like he belongs among ambitious peers striving to become successful officers in the British Army, something which he obtains as he turns from boy to man. However, despite his newfound sense of purpose, Ryan remains haunted by thoughts of his troubled cousin, Angus, leaving him feeling torn by loyalty to family and his own aspirations for military advancement.

MANY YEARS LATER...
As Angus and Ryan, now grown men, navigate their respective paths, their lives intersect once more amidst the chaos of the 1990s Bosnian War. Angus, now a Staff Sergeant under his cousin Ryan's command as Lieutenant of his platoon, faces a momentous decision when he encounters Katja, a young Croatian girl stranded in the war-torn landscape. Torn between duty and compassion, Angus must choose whether to follow his cousin's strict orders or heed the dictates of his conscience.

'SURROUNDED BY CONFLICT' is a gripping tale of resilience, redemption, and the enduring bonds of family and duty. Set against the backdrop of conflict and moral ambiguity, it explores themes of sacrifice, loyalty, and the transformative power of human connection in the face of adversity.