Africa United

Three Rwandan children set off to Rwanda’s capital city to audition for the opening ceremony of the 2010 world cup. In their attempts to travel for free they end up on the wrong bus and in the Congo. With a missed audition and hope in their hearts they decide to make their way to South Africa for the World Cup.

With no big names in the main cast and with many first time actors you wouldn’t expect such a stellar performance but the acting is extremely good. The child actors are dealt a difficult hand of producing both upbeat and dramatic performances and they deliver. It was a real stroke of genius casting Emmanuel Jal, former child soldier, as a rebel. His performance is so real and the strength of his acting creates a terrifying villain in this tale. A debut feature film this may be but Director, Debs Gardner-Paterson, knows Africa and has obviously done her research. The sheer amount of ground covered and the location shooting in Rwanda and Burundi really adds to the authenticity of this film.

Eriya Ndayambaje (Dudu), the leader of the group, the manager of their team and the artful dodger of the African terrain is a fantastic actor who shines from the moment he appears on screen. With his beaming smile and cheeky face when he delivers lines like “the world is your ostrich” and “after a long day of being chased by rebels, relax with nuts” you can’t help but laugh.

While the football is the binding element to this film it is certainly not the focal point. We follow this oddball troupe across Africa and it is their developing relationship and strong characters that make it such an interesting journey. Along the way they face the wrath of a couple of rebels, a panther and the results of a HIV test. With a former rebel called Foreman George and a child prostitute making up the group this is not your average children’s adventure film.

Dudu is given the task of telling a story within the film, and this is portrayed through a fabric and paper animation created by Blink ink. They create an imaginative and vibrant vista to accompany his story. Whilst some of the themes may seem too mature for children in the UK they are a reality faced by African children every day. A child’s innocent perspective is conveyed extremely well through the use of the animation. The weighty issues tackled in the film are well balanced with optimism and some extremely uplifting moments.

A road trip film for kids that deals with some relevant issues without being condescending. A very British film set in Africa with a good amount of realism and humour and an amazing soundtrack.