Film Review: Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars

www.musicdocs.comA review of the documentary film Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars, by our spring intern Vanessa Hodge.

Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars is a documentary film that follows a group of refugees and musicians from Sierra Leone along their search for a safe place to call home. Often not knowing how their loved ones are faring, they move from camp to camp, seeking safety and basic necessities, all the while continuing to make their music. As the band members struggle to find their way home, their music proves to be a powerful source of love and strength.

The civil war in Sierra Leone went on for a little over a decade, leaving the country devastated.  During these years, the Refugee All Stars could find out little about what was happening in their country and what was left of their homes. The camps they resided in were in the Republic of Guinea – a neighboring country of Sierra Leone where many refugees fled. Through their mutual love of music the Refugee All Stars found an outlet to express themselves and their hardships, and developed a bond that held the group together as together, they envisioned a brighter and more hopeful future.

The film gave me a clearer insight into the condition of refugee camps around the world. At the end of the documentary I couldn’t help but feel touched and motivated by how much hope and love the Refugee All Stars maintained throughout their entire journey. I imagined what it would be like to be in a similar situation – what it must feel like to not know where your children are and whether they are alive, or if your mother made it to another camp. The music that the Refugee All Stars make is beautiful and uplifting, and clearly comes from a place within that few of us have ever tapped into. I highly recommend this film to anyone looking to be inspired!

- Vanessa Hodge, Refugee Transitions Spring Intern