Despite what some pundits say, today’s new documentary “God Grew Tired of Us” proves that Hollywood activism isn’t just about rich skinny people pontificating.
Genuine good is coming out of the awareness Hollywood is raising through “Africa Chic” — the current trend of stars adopting orphans from, lobbying heads of state about and otherwise expressing public outrage over the horror show of the genocide-ridden, pandemic-plagued so-called Dark Continent.
“God Grew Tired of Us” calls attention to the staggering but lesser-known tragedy of the Lost Boys of Sudan. It is being released with special fanfare because Nicole Kidman narrates and players such as Brad Pitt have associated themselves with it as producers. When Kidman and Pitt walk down a red carpet to promote a worthwhile little project, as they did for this winner of both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at 2006’s Sundance Film Festival, it gets more people to see it. And that’s a nice thing. Because even though it bears some storytelling weakness, with shaky pacing at times, the touching human drama introduces three of the most unobtrusive yet sweet and inspirational people that you could meet — but probably never would any other way.
Director Christopher Quinn traces the remarkable journeys of John Dau, Daniel Abul Pach and Panther Bior. They were among the survivors of a harrowing, years-long forced migration on foot by some 25,000 south Sudanese boys trying to escape a government-sanctioned ethnic cleansing of them in the 1980s. Most of the boys ranged in age between 5 and 12 years old when they left. Stripped of their homeland and every worldly possession, with parents misplaced or killed, those who did not die of starvation or disease created makeshift families and eventually settled in a poorly supplied U.N. refugee camp in Kenya.
The documentary shows how three primitive yet deeply principled young men are sponsored to come to the United States for a better life. After witnessing their herculean struggles, you’ll see your own daily tribulations in a whole new light.
Rated PG for thematic elements and some disturbing images.
