Description:
The superb documentary War/Dance reveals the redemptive power of music, even in the most horrific places. Focusing on three children in their early teens in war-torn Uganda--stoic Nancy, driven Dominic, and soft-spoken Rose--War/Dance tracks the efforts of the school of a refugee camp called Patongo to compete in Uganda's countrywide music competition. The contrasts are staggering; in interviews, the children describe their parents being killed by rebel soldiers, then footage of rehearsal shows them joyfully singing and dancing with their classmates. Some of the sequences are harrowing (a scene where Nancy grieves for her murde
The superb documentary War/Dance reveals the redemptive power of music, even in the most horrific places. Focusing on three children in their early teens in war-torn Uganda--stoic Nancy, driven Dominic, and soft-spoken Rose--War/Dance tracks the efforts of the school of a refugee camp called Patongo to compete in Uganda's countrywide music competition. The contrasts are staggering; in interviews, the children describe their parents being killed by rebel soldiers, then footage of rehearsal shows them joyfully singing and dancing with their classmates. Some of the sequences are harrowing (a scene where Nancy grieves for her murdered father is painful to watch), but without them, we wouldn't understand how hard-won are the feelings of pride and accomplishment as their school performs for the competition's judges. The built-in structure of the competition gives this documentary a clear and engrossing storyline, much like Spellbound or Mad Hot Ballroom, but the heartbreaking circumstances and the emotional openness of the three teenagers makes War/Dance even more compelling. In one particularly striking scene, Dominic talks to a captured rebel officer, hoping to learn if his brother is still alive. As they talk, the soldier--who's around the age Dominic's brother might be--tries to be helpful, and explains almost offhandedly why the brother is most likely dead. The casualness of this conversation, devoid of Hollywood histrionics, speaks volumes about how violence has infiltrated these people's daily lives. --Bret Fetzer
Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine's 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 and as a vicious rebel force the Lord's Resistance Army has run rampant destroying villages kidnapping children and murdering parents. The 60000 survivors are forced to live in a refugee camp 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 we meet three of these innocent and tender victims: 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 Sean Fine's gorgeous 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 nonfiction that deserves to be seen by viewers all over the world.System Requirements:Running Time: 107 minutes Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/BIOGRAPHY Rating: PG-13 UPC: 821575552257 Manufacturer No: TF-55225
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Manufacturer: Velocity / Thinkfilm
Release date: 15 April 2008
Number of discs: 1
EAN: 0821575552257 UPC: 821575552257
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