War/Dance

Rose tells the story of how his parents weremurdered by rebels in an apathetic tone ofvoice. He lives with his aunt at the Patongo WarZone Displacement Camp, a government runsanctuary for the Acholi tribe. He is one of manychildren made orphans by the brutal civil warthat has ravaged northern Uganda for the last20 years; Rose tries to continue living and dealwith his grief at the same time. He is not alone.Dominic is desperately seeking his abductedbrother; Nancy prays for her murdered father tocome to life. But – just like youngsters all aroundthe world – they also dream of starlight. “War/Dance” is also the story of how the kids in thecamp rehearse for a national music contest inthe capital, Kampala.Life goes on, or as Rose puts it: “Music is themost important part of Acholi culture. It is our tradition. Even war cannot take it from us”.With intimate close-ups and a camera thatcan’t leave the children’s faces, “War/Dance”captures the cruelty of having to suffer theconsequences of a war you’re not a part of.

Premiere Status
Nordic Premiere: Producer
Albie Hecht: Cinematography
Sean Fine: Music
Asche and Spencer: Spoken language
English