Woolley and insconsequential

Saw this last night as part of the 'One World' Film festival in Prague and I have to say it's the worst documentary I've seen there. This film suffers from too much money, too many celebrities and not enough focus on the problems in Darfur. A third of the film follows a woolley headed campaigner and Don Cheadle in their attempts to get California to Divest pension funds from Darfur. At one point we get some shots of the campaigner breaking down and his dad telling him how proud he is... It's all swell, but wait a minute, isn't this film about Darfur? The genocide and the atrocities there deserve a much more serious and thorough look and watching Don Cheadle telling us about... you know... the kids and stuff just isn't going to cut it...

This was a film made for people who have no clue about Darfur and it seems to be made by people who have no clue about Darfur. At one point we get to see Don ironing his trousers whilst George clooney practices his speech in a New York Hotel room, I mean really, is this kind of thing neccessary? The celebrities and the Western players in this movie get all the pathos and are presented in detail, such as the aid worker calling home to his family, Don playing with his kids etc... What is only skimmed over are the tragedies experienced by the people at ground zero, which is a real pity for they should be the 'Stars' of this film.

Much more interesting was the story from the people actually in Darfur and also Ocampo in his attempts to bring those responsible to justice, but also this part of the story is skimmed over.

Worst of all at the end of the movie it's presented in a positive light, Don's book is published, The campaigner gets to meet Arnie who signs the California divestment plan, and Ocampo issues the warrant for 2 members of Sudanese government. All this over a suitable heartwarming and upbeat song by Bono and Stevie Wonder and we're left feeling like 'Yes' things are being done! The truth is that no, they're not and this type of woolly minded film is only giving an incredibly superficial look at what's happening.

As the end credits roll we see that Don Cheadle produced the movie and it starts to make sense for it shares his well minded but ultimately lacking in any real knowledge or solutions view. Not so much a film about Darfur as a film about how Some Westerners got to gether to make a film about what they are doing... Just to make them feel better.

I will watch 'The devil came on horseback' now, hopefully will get some better insight.