Documentary filmmaker Philippe Diaz takes a look at the 11-year civil war (1991-2002) that wrecked Sierra Leone and led to the death of an estimated 70,000 people. Shamefully unapologetic in its bias towards the Revolutionary United Front (RUF)—the rebel movement responsible for cutting off the limbs of thousands of civilians during the war (at one point, the film absurdly suggests that atrocities committed by the RUF were actually the work of the Sierra Leone government)—The Empire in Africa prominently features RUF commander Mike Lamin, whose blatantly propagandistic tirades clearly lack objectivity. Still, as the film points out, the Sierra Leone government was hardly the innocent victim here, maintaining its power via terror campaigns and phony elections, and Diaz rightfully notes the lack of international concern over the seemingly endless conflict (even as foreign conglomerates systematically plundered Sierra Leone of its natural resources). Some of the background information here will be familiar to those who saw last year's Oscar-nominated Blood Diamond, and in many ways this serves as a chilling companion piece to the feature film. A major warning: this film contains scenes of graphic violence that will prove upsetting to many viewers, but despite (or perhaps even because of) the cruelty and inhumanity documented here, The Empire in Africa deserves to be seen. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)
The Empire in Africa
(2006) 87 min. DVD: $24.95. Cinema Libre Studio (avail. from most distributors). ISBN: 1-59587-044-X. Volume 22, Issue 4
The Empire in Africa
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