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Madina's Dream

Andrew Berends
United States, 2015, 80 min.

In Sudanese Arabic with English subtitles.
Includes violence.

An unflinching and poetic glimpse into a forgotten war, Madina's Dream tells the story of rebels and refugees fighting to survive in Sudan's Nuba Mountains. After decades of civil war, South Sudan achieved its independence from Sudan in 2011. But inside Sudan, the conflict continues. Sudan's government employs aerial bombings and starvation warfare against the inhabitants of the Nuba Mountains. Hundreds of thousands of civilians have fled to refugee camps in South Sudan or remain trapped in the war zone. Eleven-year-­old Madina and countless others dream of a brighter future for the Nuban people.

Director's Statement

In my experience in various conflict zones, it is the suffering of innocent children that affects me most deeply. The most insidious weapon being used in the ongoing conflict in Sudan's border regions is starvation, and children are the most vulnerable. Since the outbreak of hostilities, the Sudanese government has blocked all humanitarian aid from reaching the Nuba Mountains, Darfur, and Blue Nile. Madina's Dream hopes to raise awareness of this conflict while celebrating the beauty and culture of the Nuba people that is under threat. Beyond shedding light on the conflict in the Nuba Mountains, Madina's Dream highlights the universal and tragic futility of war.

Category: Documentary.
Themes: Africa, Community, Human Rights, War, Youth.