War Dance
The war stole everything, except their music.
Lunenburg (NS)
Friday October 17, 2008
Screening begins 19h00
Venue: Lunenburg Academy
Sean Fine, Andrea Nix/USA/2007/ 1 hour 47 minutes
War Dance is a powerful documentary that follows a group of schoolchildren as they overcome nearly insurmountable odds in their quest to participate in the annual Kampala Music Festival. For over 20 years, Northern Uganda has been a war zone, as a vicious rebel force, the Lords Resistance Army, has run rampant, destroying villages, kidnapping children, and murdering parents. The survivors are forced to live in refugee camps, where conditions are bleak and resources are scarce. Somehow, the children of the Patongo Primary School have qualified for the Kampala Music Festival competition for the first time, a feat unto itself; yet these children are determined to take home the championship prize. Along the way, three of these innocent and tender victims are highlighted: Dominic, who escapes the brutal memories of his past as a member of the L.R.A. by playing the xylophone; Rose, a shy singer who still suffers from memories of having witnessed her parents' slaughter by the rebels; and Nancy, a dancer whose aunt doesn't want her to go to the festival because she needs to take care of her three siblings. In a situation that appears to be anything but glamorous, the films cinematography provides a much-needed respite, flooding the screen with images of beauty, reflecting the hopeful minds of these determined children. As they make their way to Kampala to perform in front of an audience that doesn't think much of them, they must band together to prove that war and famine and slaughter cannot suffocate their spirit. WAR DANCE is a truly inspiring work of non-fiction that deserves to be seen by viewers all over the world.
Nominated for an Oscar for best documentary. Won the Audience award at the Aspen, Woodstock, Wisconsin Film Fest. Won the directors award at the Sundance Film Fest
