The Refugee All Stars (2005)

User Rating:

8.2/10   

Directors:

Zach Niles
Banker White

Writers:

Jim Bruce (writer)
Zach Niles (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

9 November 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

The story of a group of courageous musicians who form a band in a West African refugee camp to keep their hope alive.

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Efuah Grace Ampomah	...	Herself
Abdul Rahim Kamara	...	Himself
Reuben Koroma	...	Himself
Francis John Langba	...	Himself

Directed by
Zach Niles
Banker White

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jim Bruce		writer
Zach Niles		writer
Banker White		writer

Produced by
Matt Alvarez	....	executive producer
Steve Bing	....	executive producer
Jim Bruce	....	co-producer
Shelley Lazar	....	executive producer
Zach Niles	....	producer
Banker White	....	producer

Original Music by
Reuben Koroma
Chris Velan
Joshua Winget

Cinematography by
Chris Jenkins
Andy Mitchell
Banker White

Film Editing by
Jim Bruce
Banker White

Sound Department
Dustin Cawood	....	dialogue editor
Dustin Cawood	....	sound effects editor
Dustin Cawood	....	supervising sound editor
E.J. Holowicki	....	supervising sound editor
Larry Oatfield	....	dialogue editor (as E. Larry Oatfield)
Dan Olmsted	....	additional sound re-recording mixer (as Dan Olmstead)
Juan Peralta	....	sound re-recording mixer

Editorial Department
Chris Johnstone	....	on-line editor
Ivan Landau	....	editorial consultant

Music Department
E.J. Holowicki	....	music re-recording mixer
Chris Velan	....	musical director

Other crew
Winston Emano	....	publicist
David Magdael	....	publicist
Steven Wallace	....	publicist
Anne Stulz	....	publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Cube Vision
• Shangri-La Entertainment
• Sodasoap Productions

Distributors

• 3DD Entertainment (2005) (worldwide) (all media)

Other Companies

• Skywalker Sound  post-production sound services

Also Known As:

Refugee All Stars, Sierra Leone's (USA) (new title)

Runtime:

78 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Filming Locations:

Guinea

Company:

Cube Vision

Meet some wonder Musicans who struggled as refugees and made it

We just saw this wonderful documentary at the 2006 Jerusalem Film Festival and would recommend it to everyone who has ever heard of West African High Life music and the tragedies of the 11 year civil war in Sierra Leone.

In Guinea, a group of talented Sierra Leonean refugees, constantly relocated from one miserable camp to another, decide to form a band to bring entertainment and a ray of sunshine. They conduct a musical tour of the camps and eventually are asked to perform a cut an album in Sierra Leone as part of the UN resettlement program.

While they are reluctant at first to go home, even for a short stay, they give in when they see that it make be a good economic decision for their musical careers.

The visit to Sierra Leone is both exhilarating and sad for the band members. They are very pleased to see old friends. On the other hand, the realize that serious damage has occurred - to Freetown's building and neighborhoods and also to those who remained behind.

When they return to the refugee camp in Guinea they encourage resettlement back in Sierra Leone. All but one of the band members do resettle.

You will love the music and learn of the hopes, fears and aspirations of these refugees who do become and are today true all stars.