Heartland Film Festival

Over the weekend and first half of this week, I saw several films features at the Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis. The films I saw are as follows:

Lumumba - A feature film following the rise and fall of Patrice Lumumba, former PM of The Democratic Republic of Congo.


As We Forgive - A documentary following the lives of two Rwandan women and the men who murdered their families as they attempt to reconcile and rebuild their community.

WarChild - A documentary following Emmanuel Jal, a former Sudanese child soldier, as he works to helps his people and faces his past.

Tsotsi - A feature film about a South African gang leader who loses his childhood, only to save a child from a world he has never known.

I cannot go into as much detail as is warranted by these fantastic films, but I will say that I am pleased by the wide variety of African films feature at this year's festival. I was not able to see Pray the Devil Back to Hell, a documentary about the women's movement in Liberia, but along with the films that I was able to see, I am glad that many countries in Africa were represented. Also, I witnessed more positive action and emotions coming from these films than I have at festivals in years past. I am hoping that the individuals who come to see these films will leave with a greater knowledge of at least one African country and will have a hopeful feeling upon leaving the theater. People all over the continent are stepping up to help themselves and each other and I am much pleased that the entire world is being shown these wonderful improvements in such an artistic and creative way. Bravo!