In 2003 Jason Russel, Laren Poole and Bobby Bailey all students Southern California decided to make a documentary film about Uganda to show the world the effects of an internal conflict. Uganda was already ravaged by civil war for more than 20 and is always on the list of the poorest country in the world. Coming to this part of the Dark Continent they did not realize that this documentary film would stunned the world and make a great impact especially to the modern young Americans.This film started one night while the group was strolling in a town area of Uganda hopelessly with nothing to film on.
Surprisingly, they found a large group of Ugandan children packed together in groups and sleeping tightly everywhere. From streets, parking spaces, empty hospitals and anywhere they could lay their bare backs on. They have no blankets nor protection but only the shredded clothes on their small bodies. They found out that thousands of these children migrate to this town just to sleep and feel safer.
They are running away from the rebels who would be their abductors.As related in this 55 minute documentary, the stories and plights of these children are beyond unimaginable to the civilized world. Allegedly, the armed rebels frequent their villages every night looking for male children. Those boys as young as 6 to eight years old would be forcibly taken.
In the camp these young children are forced to train in the use of guns and weapons ironically to use it against their own people. Those who refused or could not participate because of their weak bodies were butchered in front of their friends and brothers.This is to instill murderous behavior to children and psychologically prepare them for their war. Those who escape are hunted like wild animals and get killed. The rebels are raiding the villages at night to avoid conflict with government forces while the government is not protecting them. From there deeper interviews were made.
Accordingly, the children were walking every night for 10-20 miles just to avoid getting abducted or killed. One boy related his story to the group how he saw his brother getting killed. He cried uncontrollably as he tells the story like he just wanted to die right there.One of the filmmakers was even heard in the movie crying with the boy (Yo). These are the “Invisible Children” of Uganda.
They are never heard nor seen and they are never known in our world until fate has directed these three young people to “show” them out into our world. It is only a short movie but all the emotional drama was captured naturally and without any aesthetics. All the emotions and their conditions cannot help you feel pity for them at the same time feel fortunate enough to live in a more peaceful world.
