Liberia: 'Johnny Mad Dog' Movie to Be Screened At UN

The NEWS (Monrovia)

15 July 2008
Posted to the web 15 July 2008

Monrovia
The award-winning film on child soldiers, "Johnny Mad Dog" filmed in Liberia is expected to be screened today at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

The movie was filmed entirely in Liberia and features a cast that includes former child soldiers. A release from the Special Court for Sierra Leone said the Prosecutor, Stephen Rapp, will co-host a special advance screening of the award-winning film on child soldiers.

The Prosecutor will join the UN's Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) for Children and Armed Conflict and the French Mission to the United Nations in a screening for diplomats, UN officials, and members of the press.

"This year the Special Court for Sierra Leone rendered the first convictions in world history for the crime of enlistment and use of child soldiers," Rapp said, adding "this film shows how this crime victimizes both the enlisted children and the innocent persons who are subjected to their acts of brutality. It strengthens our resolve to end impunity for this crime and to do all we can to repair the harm that it does to human beings".

"Johnny Mad Dog" premiered at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, where it was awarded the Prize of Hope.

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion on the enlistment and use of child soldiers. Panelists will include the director of the film, Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire, Prosecutor Rapp and SRSG Radhika Coomaraswamy. They will be joined by the Permanent Representatives of the UN Missions of Sierra Leone, Liberia and France.

The event takes place two days before the UN Security Council is scheduled to hold an open debate on children and armed conflict.

I heard about this movie some time ago....I think it's cool that people are trying to bring awareness to the issues of child soldiers.

I strongly believe this film is going to be very good. It look so dramatic from the making of it.Those kids in the film knew exactly what to do apart from being told bythe director.

Yeah, I heard there was very little scripting in this movie and the kids said it was actually therapeutic for them to act in this movie. It allowed them to release a lot of their pain and emotions. That part in the Youtube video looked very dramatic.