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War Dance 
Director : Andrea Nix, Sean Fine
Studio : Velocity / Thinkfilm
by Velocity / Thinkfilm
Brand : THINKFILM LLC
Release Date : 2008-04-15
Publisher : Velocity / Thinkfilm
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 1
EAN : 0821575552257
UPC : 821575552257
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 26 reviews)
List Price : $27.98
Our Price : $19.03
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Product Description |
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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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Americancivilwar.com |
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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 |
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Gut Wrenching & Inspirational! |
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You don't know me so I'm not going to pretend that my opinion is going to matter to you but I can honestly say that this is the best documentary I have ever seen. If you watch this movie and don't shed a tear, then you have no soul. The footage of Nancy and her mother visiting her father's grave site is gut wrenching and powerful beyond mere words. However, the message of hope and the healing power of music and dance is so inspirational that it is hard to believe that anyone who sees this film would not be moved. This film will change lives, it is that powerful. See it and believe. |
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Watch. Listen. Learn. |
Nominated at the 2008 Oscars in the Best Documentary category, it is easy to see why WAR DANCE was on top of that list. Although it lost out to Taxi To the Dark Side, War Dance need not hang its head.
Little known subjects are a great thing to learn about, and this is War Dance's biggest strength. The civil war in Uganda has raged for over 20 years, but few know what it's about or its effects on the population. One look at War Dance will give you some chilling insights.
Focusing on three children within the Patongo refugee camp of northern Uganda, all of the kids have lost at least one parent, sibling or family member to the horrors of the war, and have been forced into this government protected camp for basic survival. Life is dank, depressing, and full of fear. Until one day the children discover that their little school has qualified for the finals at the annual Kampala Music Festival. And with them will go Dominic, a boy forced into being a child soldier for the rebels and desperately trying to locate his lost brother. A gripping scene between himself and a rebel leader tells Dominic much of what he already suspected. Nancy, a tough young lady, will go the Kampala, too. And with her she brings the hopes and dreams of her father who was hacked to death by machetes (the visit to his grave is sure to have many reaching for the tissue box). Then we have Rose, the soft-spoken one who is obviously in a funk of depression. But to watch her dance is to see the lights burst forth from her eyes.
The documentary is exceptionally well put together. The cinematography of the surrounding jungle is awe-inspiring, as are the tough scenes where children are put in front of the camera and asked to explain how they feel ("I can't wait to see what peace looks like," says one of them as they prepare to compete in Kampala).
Shown as a sort of David and Goliath tale, one can't help but see the infiltration of Christianity on these people's lives, too. Their clothing, their "prayers", and many other aspects speak to the westernization of their culture. One of the competition categories is even called "Western Choral Music." But the big winner in the categories is obviously the native dance sequence where Dominic shines as the xylophone player, Nancy dances and spins with delight, and Rose comes back to life. The other schools, initially sneering at this "tiny school from the north", begin to respect them.
But can these first timers win anything at a festival where they compete against schools of much greater renown? You'll have to watch and find out. And you should. The tales of torture mixed with the joy of music and dance are something everyone should see. And you might even learn something you didn't know about in another part of the world. |
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War/Dance |
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War Dance National Geographic cinematographers accompanied these excellent doc filmmakers to the dangerous region of Uganda to film these heroic children who were about to compete, against all odds, in the national music competition. Its a real life Rocky story set in Uganda. You can't help but be on the edge of your chair throughout the film. The ultimate message is that music has great healing powers for us all. |
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Will bring tears to your eyes |
I invited a friend to see this movie at a small theater by my house because she and I both have a heart for Africa. We sat in the empty theater, moved by the stories and weeping during the hard parts.
Shortly after, I left for Tanzania (Africa) and spent 3 months working with orphans and vulnerable children (living with aids / affected by aids). If you haven't experienced African culture, you might not fully understand the families, the children nor the music competition (I saw a comment that talked bad about the families being so harsh).
Africa is torn apart by the aids epidemic, poverty, famine and war. And the the children are left with little to no hope. They realize that their one key to success is education but even that is limited to the rich or sponsored children since "public" school still needs to be paid for.
This documentary does well to showcase how the children of Uganda are affected by this horrible war and how they have such a hope in a music competition so they can be seen as more than children of war.
After watching this documentary, I recommend researching the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army), this war, northern Uganda and going to the film makers web page. Documentaries such as this are making changes to a country that needs our help. The more we are aware, the better it will get. |
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Unbelievable triumph of the human spirit! |
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This is a MUST-see movie. On one side is pain, the hardship, deprivation, fear living in northern Uganda - afraid to farm the fields because of rebels. But on the other side is the living spirit of children who dance and sing and make music, for themselves and for many many others. What is unbelievable is how these children (and adults working with them) are able to rise above the pain and live, truly live, because of music. |
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