Truly Dreadful Film

Best movie of this year hands down!

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

This is a movie that is compelling and beautifully done. As a skilled storyteller works with orphaned children that have survived trauma in Swaziland, they create a story of Liyana as the heroine. Her journey matches many of the experiences that the children have already survived and you can almost feel their resilience growing as they create their own ending. The illustrations are beautiful and are interspersed with the documentary part of the film. And all is woven together with some beautiful music.

This documentary shows how the power of storytelling and imagination can change the lives of many. I believe we are all natural born storytellers. The filmmakers did a great job giving a stronger voice to the protagonists of this story. I was captivated by the combination of real life events and the beautiful animations representing their fears and illusions.