I’m curious about the new film called Darfur Now, which features among others Don Cheadle, the star of the movie Hotel Rwanda. Has anyone seen it and if so, what will it do for the cause?
I haven’t seen the film and so my comments cannot be specific. But I would urge anyone considering making a film about Darfur to ensure that the Sudanese themselves are the protagonists and the outsiders are the extras. It may be difficult for Don Cheadle or George Clooney to consider themselves as walk-ons in someone else’s drama, but that is how it should be. Otherwise, Darfur will become simply the scenery for a salvation narrative, of the kind that has invariably done a disservice to Africa.
I haven’t seen the film and so my comments cannot be specific. But I would urge anyone considering making a film about Darfur to ensure that the Sudanese themselves are the protagonists and the outsiders are the extras. It may be difficult for Don Cheadle or George Clooney to consider themselves as walk-ons in someone else’s drama, but that is how it should be. Otherwise, Darfur will become simply the scenery for a salvation narrative, of the kind that has invariably done a disservice to Africa.