ltlacey Review of God Grew Tired of Us

God Grew Tired of Us (2006)

Another in a growing series of the horrible conditions faced by the people of Sudan.

[7/10 · 29 October 2008]

Since 2003, there have been a few movies out telling and showing the world, as much as they can that is, just what is going on in Sudan. Kind of like all those movies about Rwanda. I am not saying that this is a bad thing since the world needs to know what is really going on around the world, but I would like to see more depth in each of these movies (fictional, based on an event; and non-fictional). In this movie we meet 4 more young men who somehow managed to make it from war-torn Sudan where they barely escaped as children. Sudan had a law that every man, even babies, be killed, and if not killed, then tortured and damaged so that they could not have children. Women were raped and killed as well, though this movie does not tell their stories. I would have liked to know how these young men were chosen to be relocated to the U.S., and if there was at some time some sort of relocation program to get them more emotionally ready for this experience. Maybe there was some lottery, or it was based on age, and maybe there were volunteers at the refugee camp who helped these young men learn more about where they were going. I am sure, since this was a National Geographic-backed project, that the bucks were there to do all of this, but I would have liked to learn more about the process. We get to travel with these young men and experience with them their first sights of a world they had only heard about, and most of what they heard was not totally true. The looks of awe, and fear, on their faces was great to experience, as I could feel their excitement and fear as well. And when the young man was reading the letter from his family and about all those that were killed, well, that did it for me. In our heads we know that these things happen all over the world, even in our own backyards, but seeing someone's face makes it more personal. And though we got an update about the 4, I would have liked to see NG do a follow-up on every young man that has been sent here. How many are still here and making it? How many have gone back to the refugee camp? How many have ended up in a mental ward? NG used to be more gutsy with this sort of information, but it seems over the years they have softened up a little too much. I say let it all out. Watch this film, as well as the others about The Lost Boys of Sudan, as well as any other movie that tells some history about just what is going on in Africa, as well as everywhere else in the world.