We hear a lot about the power of music these days - to change governmental policies, to inspire the directionless, and to prompt the conception of little rock 'n' roll babies. But no film I've ever seen has truly nailed the sheer joy that music and dance can inject into life more than this doc I just caught over at the Tiger Hotel. "War Dance" tells the story of a primary school class in war-scarred Northern Uganda that heads south for a national dance and music competition. On one level it's your basic underdog story, but the psychological trauma that these children have all undergone (many have lost parents or other immediate family members) adds an ocean of depth that goes light years beyond most of the other films of this ilk. It travels from the depths of human suffering to the ecstasy that performance lends to the kids. The beautiful cinematography takes things to yet another level. Filmmakers Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine have a real triumph on their hands, here. If you didn't catch it at T/F, look for a more widespread release in the fall.
---
Official film site
Uganda Wiki
No comments:
Post a Comment