The Devil Came on Horseback

I met Anne Sundberg at the Newport Film Festival this summer. A bright, successful film maker, most of my interaction was with her the on the phone, as she informed us of delays in her travel. The poor thing met canceled flights, late trains and traffic jams, but she persevered and made it to Newport with her film The Devil Came on Horseback. Out in DVD, I just finished watching this documentary about the genocide in Dafur. Seen through the eyes of Brian Steidle, a retired Marine who took a contract job in Dafur as an unarmed military observer and American representative for the African Union in that region. Stunned at what he saw there, he took photographs, spoke with officials, and when he couldn't take it any more, returned to the US and tried to help through channels here. An excellent depiction and explanation of what is going on in Dafur, politically and culturally. It is frightening and appalling. It is also frustrating to see how difficult it is to get anything done about it. Awareness is the first step, if you want more information visit the film's website here, or Save Dafur, here. I finally met Ms. Sundberg in person the last day of the film festival, I should have thanked her for making such an important film.