I was watching a show late one night and came across a trailer for the documentary God Grew Tired of Us. (Here's a little blurb from Wikipedia)"God Grew Tired of Us chronicles the journey of three young Sudanese men - John, Daniel and Panther - in the strange new world of America and how they strive towards a brighter future. As young boys in the 1980s, John, Daniel, and Panther walked a thousand miles to escape their war-ridden homeland of Sudan. They are among over 25,000 boys, who came to be known as the Lost Boys.
During the five years they walked in search of safety, thousands died from starvation, dehydration, bomb raids and genocidal murder. Eventually the boys moved to the United States. They must now learn to adapt to the shock of being thrust into the economically intense culture of the United States. Learning new customs, adapting to new and strange foods, and coping with the ordeal of getting and keeping a job, or multiple jobs while never forgetting the loved ones they left behind in Africa, they set themselves to do whatever they can to help those they left behind in Kakuma, and to discover the fate of their parents and family."
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I am very interested in seeing this film. Not only does it tell the story of the lost boys, but it also shows what the boys experiences in the US tells us about ourselves. There was an interview i saw with the three men and they spoke about their new struggles and not always being accepted by Americans. One of the men could not understand how people just walk down the street without acknowledging one another. The interviewer asked if he felt people in the US take everything for granted and his response was "yes, they don't see that they have everything." I agree with him that often people take things for granted and we're not always so friendly to one another. I think this documentary will help people to become more self aware about life in general and the way we treat other human beings, as well as to appreciate the struggles and hardships that we will never know. I am truly in awe of these men.
(Has anyone seen this film?)
12 comments:
Wow, that sounds like a tear jerker of a movie. I'm already bitter and cynical enough without being reminded of how terrible humanity can be.
That's just tragic...they end up in the US? Talk about adding insult to injury. You know, if their aim was better, they could have landed in Canada. :)
Seriously though, I have not seen the trailer. Is it showing at major theaters, or is it a more indie thing?
You can read more about John Dau, one of the Lost Boys featured in the film, and his Sudan Project at Direct Change.
SS, very true.
Michael, apparently it was released on January 12, however this was the 1st i had ever heard of the film. It must be coming to theaters shortly.
Kdeutsch, welcome and thanks for the link!! I'll repost it though as there was a typo in that one. http://www.directchange.org/sudan/
That sounds very interesting. We are so spoiled here and take many things for granted. I even noticed when I moved from a small town in KY to a urban area, people didn't wave to each other. I would wave to strangers, and they would look at me like I was nuts! That's just a common courtesy in small towns. It's very sad.
Sounds like a sad movie. I dont know if I can watch without getting depressed.
Its movies like these that remind me that I was very fortunate to even have the most simplest of freedoms. As a country, we really do take so much for granted. We can't even give someone a simple "Hi, How are you?" without it seeming akward. Very sad...
I have heard of this movie as well. Looks very intense.
Hey, When the Levees Broke is out on DVD now.
Scott
Jlee, i agree, we just seem to pass by and ignore one another.
Yrautca, i force myself to watch such things. Perhaps it will change me/you whomever, for the better.
Copper, exactly, it makes us appreciate what we have.
Scott, ohh thanks for the heads up. I'll have to rent that when i get back.
It's on my list. Unfortunately, my list just keeps getting longer and longer and my time shorter and shorter. Let us know if you do see it.
-N
I've read several good things about this movie (I think Brad Pitt's company might have produced it or something) and you should post a review after you catch it.
Natalia, that sounds like my list of books to read, it just keeps growing and growing.
2DP, oh i will definately post about the film when i see it. Yeah, Brad stepped in and gave them some moolah to finish the movie as they had run out.
Slopmaster, it may not change your mind but i'm sure there are people out there that the film will affect. I only saw bits and it got me thinking.
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