War Child

First-time filmmaker C. Karim Chrobog focuses his documentary lens on the extraordinary life and unlikely career of Sudanese hip-hop artist Emmanuel Jal. As one of the “lost boys” forced to flee Sudan in the 1980s during the nation's long-running civil war, the 7-year-old Jal found his way to an Ethiopian refugee camp, where he caught the attention of a National Geographic camera crew and became the unofficial spokesperson for the displaced children. Jal trained to return to his country as a child soldier in the Sudanese People's Liberation Army, engaging in combat for five years before fleeing Sudan again and resettling in Kenya, where an incredible series of events took him from refugee status to becoming a rising recording star whose music aired in Africa and Europe—thus launching a career that mixed entertainment and activism. Jal's passion and determination (crossing racial and national barriers) are clearly evident in War Child, which details his tireless efforts to improve the lives of his compatriots following the 2005 ceasefire that ended the Sudanese conflicts. Both a glowing portrait of an amazing entertainer and a shattering account of a self-destructing nation (not to mention a reaffirmation of the remarkable healing power of music), this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)