Sand and Sorrow (2007)

Touches You

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

I saw this movie last Sunday at the Amnesty International Film Festival in Amsterdam and I'm still blown away by it. You watch it and you feel so tiny and dejected..because you know you'll go to your warm home in two hours without being able to do something for the millions of people (dead and alive) you are watching.Paul Freedman did a wonderful job with this movie. Different people with very different views on Darfur are interviewed..sometimes with shocking ideas which make you really think. This movie should definitely win a couple of awards because it is the truth. All fiction movies are blown away by this one. 26 months to make this documentary he said..what a great person! I hope his next movie will be about Somalia..a million displaced people and 20.000 more each months.. a country that is about to be swept off the map. Go Paul !

Soon after 9/11, Jim Terr wrote a beautiful song called "Remember September 12th." Google it if you haven't heard it.How can we forget the day, Three thousand got blown away. But what a shock to start to explore How that day, and the day after, and the day beforeTwenty-four thousand dropped like flies Right before the world's uncaring eyes. So while you bask in our bounty and wealth Remember September 12th.The tragedy that is going on in Darfur today, where 400,000 have been murdered, countless numbers of women have been gang-raped, and 2.5 million people are in virtual prison in refugee camps makes September 11th seem like a traffic accident. Yet, despite the carnage and the real evidence that what happened in Rwanda is occurring in Sudan, we do nothing, just as we did nothing in Rwanda.Darfur is not a threat to anyone and is of no benefit to anyone, so no one cares what happens to them. Add to that the fact that they are Africans, and you can understand the message of this film very clearly.George Clooney narrates a compelling story that should be seen by everyone. He is assisted by standout journalist, Nicholas Kristof, and Elie Wiesel, who is there to remind us that we did say at one time, "Never Again." Well, it is happening again, and we do nothing.The Bush administration gives lip service to Darfur, while they are dealing with the government of Sudan to obtain information to aid them on their terror campaign. Sudan has something we want; Darfur doesn't. The actions this administration is taking against Iran, would have solved this crisis long ago if they were implemented against Sudan, but Iran has something we want; Darfur doesn't. Almost 3,000 Americans died on September 11th, but thousands are dying every day in Darfur. Can we continue to look the other way and call ourselves a "christian" nation?The only flaw in this compelling film was the fact that it didn't seem to flow smoothly. But what is that compared to the message it is sending to the world?Michael Moore could have done a better job, but we can't wait any longer.