Hollywood Films on the Sudans You Should Watch

In recent years, Hollywood has produced an ample number of films on the African continent — possibly more than any other continent besides North America and Europe. There are many Hollywood films on Egypt, Rwanda, Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda and more. Films such as Blood Diamond (Sierra Leone), Hotel Rwanda (Rwanda), Tears of the Sun (Nigeria) and The Last King of Scotland (Uganda) are some of the greatest Hollywood films on Africa. 

However, Hollywood’s depiction of Africa, like much of the media coverage of world’s second largest and second most populous continent, surround recurring themes and stereotypes of war, poverty and displacement. 

When it comes to Sudan or South Sudan, there aren’t many Hollywood films to speak of. Moreover, the few Hollywood films on Sudan or South Sudan depict stories of war and poverty, especially the Battle of Omdurman or Karari during the Mahdist Rule, Darfur War and South Sudan civil conflict.

Some of these films are not free of controversy, stereotypes and racism (use of black face). In addition, some of these films have been denounced for untruthfully depicting the history of Sudan and South Sudan, and their way of life.

Here are a few Hollywood films on Sudan and South Sudan you should watch:

The Four Feathers (1929 and 2002)

The Four Feathers is an American war film based on the 1902 novel The Four Feathers written by A. E. W. Mason. There are numerous film versions of the book but only two have been successful, which were in 1929 and 2002, both released by Paramount Pictures.

(1929)

The 1929 version of The Four Feathers was directed by Merian C. Cooper and starring Fay Wray, William Powell, Richard Arlen, Clive Brook and Noah Beery Sr. The 1920s film has the distinction of being one of the last major Hollywood pictures of the silent era. It was released by Paramount Pictures in a version with a soundtrack of only music and sound effects. It tells the story of British officer Harry who resigns from his regiment, just before a battle in Sudan. He is then labeled a coward by his family and friends. Harry receives four white feathers as a mark of a coward. In order to redeem himself and win the heart of his fiancé back and the love of his best friend, Harry sets out to return the feathers to the pockets they came from.

(2002)

Khartoum (1966)

In Sudan, in 1884-85, Egyptian forces led by British general Gordon (Charlton Heston) defend Khartoum against an invading Muslim army led by Imam Al Mahdi. Khartoum is directed by Basil Dearden and Eliot Elisofon, written by Robert Ardrey, and starring Charlton Heston, Laurence Olivier and Richard Johnson.

Attack on Darfur (2009)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pQqoVhb7m4

Attack on Darfur is based on the Darfur War telling the story of American journalists in Sudan who are confronted with the dilemma of whether to return home to report on the atrocities they have seen, or to stay behind and help some of the victims they have encountered. The film is directed by Uwe Boll and written by Uwe Boll and Chris Roland, staring Kristanna Loken, David O’Hara and Noah Danby.

The Darfur War has made headlines for years due to its major armed conflict, which began in February 2003 when rebel groups, Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), began fighting the Sudanese government, accusing it of oppressing Darfur’s non-Arab population. In response to the attacks, the government carried out an ethnic cleansing genocide against Darfur’s non-Arab population. It’s believed that the civil war has left at least 100,000 dead and one million people displaced. This led the International Criminal Court (ICC) to indict Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Machine Gun Preacher (2011)