Watch After Kony: Staging Hope

After Kony: Staging Hope is a heart-wrenching documentary film that explores the aftermath of the brutal reign of terror inflicted upon Northern Uganda by the infamous Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) led by Joseph Kony. The film showcases how a group of traumatized, war-affected youth in Northern Uganda found solace in the therapeutic power of drama therapy and how their local theater troupe - the Patongo Players, evolved into a symbol of hope and resilience.

The movie follows the journey of seven of these young actors who experienced unimaginable emotional and physical trauma at the hands of the LRA. The film sheds light on their struggles to rebuild their lives after so much destruction and loss of family and friends, and how they embraced theater and drama therapy as an alternative to coping with their pain.

The film is powerful in its portrayal of the youth actors and how they use theater and drama therapy to bring their stories to life. The Patongo Players rehearse and perform a play called ‘The Taming of the Shrew’- a classic drama by William Shakespeare. Through the play, these young actors endeavor to express their innermost feelings of pain, hurt and anger. They explore their experiences of being abducted, maimed, and coerced into becoming child soldiers, and the atrocities they witnessed and committed. They also talk about how they eventually escaped and were reunited with their families.

The documentary showcases the stark contrast between the brutal reality of the lives of these young actors and the playful, artistic world of the stage. Through their rehearsing and performing, the Patongo Players reveal how drama therapy empowers them to find a sense of self and to open up to others. They learn to trust their fellow actors and create bonds that help them navigate their ongoing trauma and grief.

During the film, the young actors express their struggles to cope with the realities of their situation. They describe how they have been stigmatized, ignored, and forgotten by their government and their communities. They reveal how, rather than seeking help, their peers often ridicule them, and their governments continue to ignore their plight. Nonetheless, the Patongo Players remain steadfast in their commitment to the power of storytelling and its therapeutic possibilities.

One particularly poignant scene in the film involves an emotional exchange between John, the group's leader, and Alice, a young actor who had been forced into marriage with a rebel commander. John and Alice's tender exchange reminds us that even amidst unspeakable suffering, there is always room for hope and connection. Their exchange underscores the transformative power of story, and how the Patongo Players' experience proves that vulnerable communities can use their voices to inspire and create change.

The film offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of war-affected youth and how their resilience and courage have enabled them to overcome immense adversity. Through storytelling, the film depicts how the Patongo Players and many others in Northern Uganda were able to find hope and meaning in their traumatic experiences.

Overall, After Kony: Staging Hope is an emotional, uplifting and thought-provoking documentary that sheds light on the power of drama therapy as a healing tool for post-conflict societies. Through their resilience and commitment to the stage, the Patongo Players inspire us to remember that even amidst the darkness of conflict, there is always hope for a brighter future.

After Kony: Staging Hope is a 2011 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 39 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.9.