Often we receive requests for film suggestions for... you know... "that" type of film. Realizing that "that" is often a representation of particular interests on this site, we have begun working on a "help with my queue" section (for all you Blockbuster Online/Netflix user out there) in which we hope to point you to a few of.... well, you know... those kind of films.
The interest in "that" type of film intrigues me. Is it an interest in meaning? An interest in reflection? A transcendent experience? Something more than just "entertainment"? Something that has potential for change?
Whatever the case, it seems evident that a particular internal pursuit exists prior to hitting the play button for any home viewing experience. In other words, we tend to choose films or genres based on the particular mood or interest of the moment. So, the next time you are looking for the mysterious "that" type of film, allow me to suggest one via the documentary world: War/Dance.
It is not difficult to realize that the "doc" decision taps into something a bit different than its competing genres. Why this film niche? While most make film decisions via a recommendation based on some entertainment value, documentary film choices are most likely due to some interest in reality.
War/Dance lives far from its fictional counterparts as the complexity of life's pain and joy are experienced through the Patongo children of Northern Uganda. Director's Sean and Andrea Nix Fine tell the story of the Patongo tribe who are faced daily with the terror and injustice of local rebels - the Lord's Resistance Army. The harsh realities are juxtaposed alongside the beauty of both the African landscape and its people. And though the film adequately communicates the absurdity afoot in Northern Uganda, it is not the heart of the story. In the midst of film production, the Fine's discover two unlikely combatants to the daily injustice experienced by the Pantongo tribe: music and dance.
Words cannot describe their place in the story and consequently invite you to take a glimpse into the lives of Rose, Dominic, Nancy, and the Pantongo children. For, as Dominic oh-so profoundly states in the opening scene:
It's difficult for people to believe our story. But if we don't tell you, you won't know.
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War/Dance has won countless festival awards including the Documentary Directing Award at Sundance in 2007 in conjunction with receiving an Oscar nod for Best Documentary this year. War/Dance was also featured in our Favorite Films of 2007.
War/Dance is available for purchase through Amazon and "might" be (I know ridiculous) on your local video store shelves.
War/Dance (Trailer)
