Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars (2005)
The success of 1999’s Buena Vista Social Club set off a wave of imitators, but it wasn’t till Refugee All Stars that the film inspired an equal. Refugee All Stars follows a group of musicians living in a refugee camp in Sierra Leone as they come together to form an impromptu touring group, composing songs that reflect the experiences of refugees living in the camps. Despite being forced to fashion instruments from scrap material, the group manages to capture the attention of the camp and eventually, both the United Nations and the world as they go on national and international tours. The film offers an impressive blend of performance and reportage as it follows the group on its journey.
Presented as part of the Depth of Field 2008-2009 Series: Moving Images, Moving Art