The Devil Came on Horseback

I have been writing a little bit about what has been happening in the Sudan and to add to that there is a new film coming out; The Devil Came on Horseback, which centres on the story of a former Marine captain (Brian Steidle), who spent 6 months as an unarmed monitor in Darfur. Its one of the films on my (must-see) list to see this year, it might be a hard one to sit through, but it is also an important one.

New York Times Review; Rotten Tomatoes; IMDB.

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Through following a couple of links [to Laura]; I saw the website of Nadus Films, whose purpose is

to document the story of the Sudanese, and share it with the world. Treading gently as servants, we seek to touch the lives and hearts of the war torn nation of Sudan, by bringing them hope for a peaceful future.

I've also found a growing number of websites which are quite helpful in suggest what we can do and not only in Darfur.(Not on Our Watch; and Committee on Conscience) are a couple.

As it is in Heaven

On Saturday night we went and saw the Swedish film As it is in heaven at Cremorne. It surely does say something about a film, when it has been running for 30 plus weeks, and the theatre was close to capacity (with many people in the theatre seeing it for the second or third time).

The film is about Daniel Daréus, a successful conductor, who suffers a breakdown; and then returns to the village in which he grew up in, and he becomes responsible for the choir, and the impact this has on the village, and on him.

The characters in the film are so rich, real, and easy to relate too. During the film I laughed, and I cried, (I experienced the full range of emotions).

The film touches on many themes, hypocrisy, violence and bullying, and in someways the power of music, to transform, and heal. Pollak summerised the theme as the idea that absolute, complete love doesn't condemn.

It is an incredibly moving film; and has been lingering in my mind since I saw it. I was deeply moved by the film; (I haven’t cried in many films, but this is one of them). One I wouldn’t have minded seeing again, straight after it finished. And one I heartily recommend.

A comment one the film from the SMH

While the film was a story of a choir on one level, the only song, sung in the film is the song included below; sung in the film, by a women in an abusive relationship.

Gabriella’s Song

It's now that life is mine
I have gotten a time here on Earth
And my longing has led me here
What I missed and what I got

This is still the road I've chosen
My confidence far beyond words
That has shown a little piece
Of the sky I've never reached

till I want to feel that I live
All the time I have
I shall live what I want
I want to feel that I live
To know that I'm good enough

I have never forgotten who I was
I've just left it sleep
Maybe I have had no choice
Only the will to exist

I want to live happily, for it's me who I am
To be able to be strong and free
See how night turns into day
I am here and my life is only mine
And the sky that I thought that existed
I shall find it there somewhere

I want to feel that I've lived my life

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