Showing posts with label Film. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Film. Show all posts

Sunday, July 30, 2023

FULL MOVIE: The Good Lie. The Lost Boys of Sudan

NOTE from Sudan Watch Ed: Here is the opener to the film The Good Lie:

"In 1983, a brutal civil war broke out in Sudan between the North and the South over religion and resources, leaving villages destroyed by northern government armies and militia.

By 1987, thousands of orphaned children began to flee on foot across sub-Saharan Africa, walking as many as a thousand miles to Ethiopia and then Kenya. Thirteen years later, 3600 refugees would be relocated to the U.S.A. They were known simply as “The Lost Boys of Sudan.”


This film is inspired by their story."  


Emmanuel Jal plays the role of Paul. As if he and the others hadn't gone through enough already, in the USA the film's writer, Margaret Nagle plus ALCON and IMAGINE heartlessly tried to deprive them of their full earnings for the film. See below 'Copyright and fraud lawsuit'. Thank God, they won!


Source: The Good Lie - Official Trailer [HD] https://youtu.be/O5mrvffezmM

_______


From Wikipedia the free encyclopaedia:


The Good Lie is a 2014 American drama film written by Margaret Nagle and directed by Philippe Falardeau


Cast


The Good Lie was screened in the Special Presentations section of the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival[6] before being released on October 3, 2014. Another major screening was held by the Greenwich International Film Festival on October 22, 2014, for the benefit of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.[7]


Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures (United States) Summit Entertainment (International). Running time 110 minutes [3]. Countries: United States[4], India[1].  Language: English. Box Office: £3.2 million[5].


Copyright and fraud lawsuit

In February 2015, the Foundation for Lost Boys and Girls of Sudan, Inc., acting on behalf of 54 Sudanese refugees, filed a lawsuit in Georgia against writer Margaret Nagle, Alcon Entertainment and Imagine Entertainment. The suit claimed that the refugees were joint authors of the stories they had told Nagle in interviews that she had recorded and used to write the story. It also asserted that a joint venture agreement had been breached, with fraud and other issues arising from a promise of compensation from a producer. 


The US District Judge initially granted the defendants' motion to dismiss but allowed the suit to be refiled if the plaintiffs subsequently and successfully registered copyright of the interviews.


The court ultimately found that the refugees' statements supported the finding of copyright infringement and a permanent injunction on the movie. Before the case could be concluded, however, the plaintiffs' claims were settled out of court.[12][13][14]


Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Good_Lie

_______


 

Source: 

The Good Lie - Full Movie  https://youtu.be/ArLVndbyz_A 


or this better version includes an update at the end and shows all credits, songs etc:

The Good Lie - Full Movie  https://youtu.be/n73RdoCaEw4


Rent, Buy, Multi-format, DVD, Blu-Ray available at Amazon

_______


Further reading


Movie Review and Q&A - What happened to Theo? 

https://thegoodliemovie.com/


[Ends]

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

Sudan's PM Abdalla Hamdok says he survived ‘terror attack’ in Khartoum - “Professionally plotted” attack claimed by Sudanese Islamic Youth Movement

  • Convoy hit by gunfire near centre of capital.
  • PM Hamdok says he's in 'good shape'.
  • Abdalla Hamdok's motorcade was targeted by an explosion, claimed by Sudanese Islamic Youth Movement.
  • Three witnesses told Reuters the attack happened near the northern entrance to the Kober bridge, which crosses the Blue Nile from Khartoum North to the city centre, where Hamdok's office is located.
  • The convoy appeared to have been targeted from above, they said. State radio said it had been hit by gunfire and a projectile, while state television said it had been targeted by a car bomb.
  • Britain's ambassador to Sudan, Irfan Siddiq, called today's incident "a deeply worrying event (that) reaffirmed the fragile nature of this transition and the vital role being played by the PM".
  • After Monday's attack the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), which spearheaded the anti-Bashir movement, called for further rallies to display unity and support for civilian rule. 
  • The protest movement that led the uprising against al-Bashir called the blast a “terrorist attack.” The statement by the Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change called on people to take to the streets to “show our unity and cohesion ... and protect the transitional authority.”
Read more in the following reports by Reuters, Daily Telegraph, Deutsche Welle, BBC, Associated Press - and tweets by PM Hamdok reassuring the world that he is in 'good shape' and back at his desk watching the news on TV. Note, the must-see disturbing film clip linked to in a postscript at the end of this post.

UPDATE 4-Sudan's PM survives assassination attempt in Khartoum
Report from Reuters by Khalid Abdelaziz (Additional reporting by Omar Fahmy in Cairo Writing by Aidan Lewis and Nadine Awadalla Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Dated Monday 09 March 2020

* Convoy hit by gunfire near centre of capital
* PM Hamdok says he's in 'good shape'
* Heads technocratic cabinet in fragile transition
* Military, civilians sharing power after Bashir ousted (Adds security council comment)

KHARTOUM, March 9 (Reuters) - Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok survived an assassination attempt targeting his convoy as he headed to work on Monday morning in the capital Khartoum, officials said.

Hamdok said he was in "good shape" and that what had happened would be "an additional push to the wheel of change in Sudan", where he heads a transitional government following the overthrow last year of long-time President Omar al-Bashir.

Hamdok's government is struggling to manage a severe economic crisis that triggered months of protests against Bashir and continued after his downfall in April.

Three witnesses told Reuters the attack happened near the northern entrance to the Kober bridge, which crosses the Blue Nile from Khartoum North to the city centre, where Hamdok's office is located.

The convoy appeared to have been targeted from above, they said. State radio said it had been hit by gunfire and a projectile, while state television said it had been targeted by a car bomb.

"I saw the moment of the explosion and the strike, and the strike came from a high building," one witness said.

Images broadcast on regional TV channels and social media showed a convoy including several damaged white SUVs and a badly damaged car.

Large crowds of onlookers gathered as police tried to secure the site. One member of Hamdok's entourage suffered light injuries, a government statement said.

An investigation was launched into who was behind the attack, said Information Minister Faisal Salih. 

"Terrorist attempts and dismantling the old regime will be dealt with decisively. What happened not only targeted the prime minister himself but targeted the Sudanese revolution."

The Sudanese security council headed by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan condemned the attack and said it would seek the help of friendly countries to investigate it and bring suspects to justice, a statement said.

TENSE TRANSITION

Hamdok leads a government of technocrats under a power-sharing agreement between the military and civilian groups for a transitional period due to last until late 2022.

Relations between civilians and the military have been tense, and the government has encountered resistance as it tries to implement economic reforms.

Transitional authorities are also taking steps to disempower Bashir's supporters, including parts of the security services.

In mid-January, armed security agents linked to Bashir fought soldiers in Khartoum for several hours, after a dispute linked to severance packages.

Soon after Bashir's overthrow, authorities said they had thwarted several coup attempts by military officers.

"The attempted assassination of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok is the new episode in a series of coup plots against the revolution," Khalid Omer, a leading member of the civilian coalition that backed last year's uprising, said on Twitter.

Hamdok is an economist and former senior United Nations official who is well connected with the international community.

Britain's ambassador to Sudan, Irfan Siddiq, called Monday's incident "a deeply worrying event (that) reaffirmed the fragile nature of this transition and the vital role being played by the PM".

Thousands of anti-military protesters have held demonstrations in recent weeks to support Hamdok and his government.

After Monday's attack the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), which spearheaded the anti-Bashir movement, called for further rallies to display unity and support for civilian rule. 

- - -

Sudan's prime minister survives assassination attempt in Khartoum
Report from The Daily Telegraph.co.uk
AFRICA CORRESPONDENT
Dated Monday 09 March 2020 • 4:50pm

Sudan's prime minister survives assassination attempt in Khartoum
Abdalla Hamdok's motorcade was targeted by an explosion, claimed by Sudanese Islamic Youth Movement
Photo: Security measures are taken at the site after a roadside bomb explodes near Sudanese prime minister's convoy in Khartoum CREDIT: Mahmoud Hjaj/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Sudan’s reformist prime minister has pledged to press ahead with his country’s “democratic revolution” after narrowly surviving an assassination attempt on Monday.

A motorcade carrying Abdalla Hamdok was struck by an explosion and sustained gunfire as it approached Cooper Bridge in the capital Khartoum shortly after 9am, government officials said.

Mr Hamdok’s armoured vehicle was damaged in the attack but he himself escaped unharmed.

There were no reports of fatalities although a police outrider was wounded.

The assassination attempt, responsibility for which was claimed by a little-known group calling itself the “Sudanese Islamic Youth Movement”, will be seen as an attempt to thwart Mr Hamdok in his efforts to lead Sudan towards civilian democracy after decades of military dictatorship....

- - -

Sudan's leader survives attempted assassination
Report from Deutsche Welle.com
By kmm/ng (Reuters,dpa,AP)
Dated Monday 09 March 2020

Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was traveling in convoy through the capital of Khartoum when there was an explosion. Hamdok survived and was taken to a "safe place" but it isn't known who carried out the attack. 
Photo: Sudan's prime minister survived an attack on his convoy in the capital Khartoum on Monday morning, reported state news agency SUNA.

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was in "good health and in a safe place" following an explosion that targeted his convoy as he traveled to work.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

Tweeting pictures of himself seated behind a large desk after the incident, Hamdok assured the Sudanese people that he is well and "completely healthy."

"What happened will not stop the path of change, it will be nothing but an additional push in the strong waves of the revolution," he said on Twitter.

What happened in the attack?
The attack targeted Hamdok's convoy on Monday morning in the northeast Kober district of the city. Sudan's information minister, Faisal Salih, said that the attack was carried out using both explosives and firearms.

Images on state television showed at least two damaged vehicles at the blast site that was cordoned off by police.

Salih, said: "Terrorist attempts and dismantling the old regime will be dealt with decisively," quoted Reuters news agency. A search is underway to find the attackers.

Hamdok has headed an interim military-civilian government after a huge pro-democracy movement swept the country, ousting longterm ruler Omar al-Bashir in April 2019. Hamdok's government is in charge over a three-year transition period, intended to pave the way for democratic elections.

Watch video 02:22 Sudanese celebrate power-sharing agreement
- - -

Sudan PM Abdalla Hamdok survives assassination attempt
Report from BBC News 
Dated Monday 09 March 2020
Photo: The area has been cordoned off by the police
Sudan's prime minister has survived an assassination attempt after his convoy was attacked in the capital, Khartoum. "I would ...Read more: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-51800278
- - -

Sudan PM says he survived 'terror attack' in capital
By Samy Magdy, Associated Press (AP)
Dated Monday 09 March 2020 (7:23 a.m.) - excerpts:

The country’s top prosecutor, Taj al-Ser Ali al-Hebr, said in a statement that prosecutors have embarked on their investigation into the “professionally plotted” attack.

A statement from the prime minister's office said the attackers used explosives and firearms, and that a security officer was lightly wounded. The statement was read by Faisal Saleh, Sudan’s information minister and interim government spokesman. He said the convoy was hit near the Kober Bridge.

Footage posted online showed two white, Japanese-made SUVs typically used by Sudan’s top officials parked on a street, damaged with its widows broken. Another vehicle was badly damaged in the blast. Several dozen people were seen at the site of the attack, chanting: “With our blood and soul, we redeem you, Hamdok.”

The protest movement that led the uprising against al-Bashir called the blast a “terrorist attack.” The statement by the Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change called on people to take to the streets to “show our unity and cohesion ... and protect the transitional authority.”

- - -
Photo: Sudanese policemen stand around vehicles that were part of Prime Mister Abdalla Hamdok's motorcade in Khartoum, Sudan. Credit: https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/w/sudans-pm-survives-assassination-attempt
- - -
Agence France-Presse (AFP) Photo: KHARTOUM: Sudanese rescue teams and security forces gather next to damaged vehicles at the site of an assassination attempt against Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who survived the attack with explosives unharmed, in the capital Khartoum yesterday. – AFP

POSTSCRIPT - IN HASTE - FROM SUDAN WATCH EDITOR
Last night, I spent 4+ hours following links and tweets leading to and from the following tweet. The tweet features a really disturbing film clip. In disbelief, I viewed the clip, plus a few lengthier versions, six times. Each time felt more scary than the last. The background music adds to the film's seriousness, intensity and creepiness. I am not sure what to make of it all, need more time to think. In my view, the film footage appears to be genuine. Here is the tweet linking to the must-see film clip (hat tip and thanks to Eric Reeves).

Friday, November 19, 2010

British Ambassador in Khartoum Nicholas Kay is blogging the drama and scale of the change taking place in Sudan

THE British government's Foreign & Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO, has started a blog about the work of the British Ambassador to Sudan. The blog is authored by Nicholas Kay CMG, Her Majesty's Ambassador to Sudan. Mr Kay (pictured below) arrived in Khartoum to take up his role as HM Ambassador to Sudan on 29 May 2010. Here is a copy of his first two blog posts followed by several related reports.



The drama and scale of the change taking place in Sudan
Source: UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office website - http://blogs.fco.gov.uk
Written by: Nicholas Kay British Ambassador to Sudan, Khartoum
Posted: Wednesday, 10 November 2010 by Nicholas Kay
When people think of Sudan, they tend to think of suffering, violence and poverty. And sadly, based on most of the recent decades, that image is not far wrong. But I hope in this blog to share with you a slightly altered image and to convey the drama and scale of the change that is taking place in Sudan.

I am a reluctant blogger. But far from a reluctant Ambassador. Professionally there is no other country I'd wish to be in than Sudan today. It is possible that Africa's largest country will divide into two over the coming months. The people of Southern Sudan will decide on that in a referendum in January. The implications for both north and south Sudan, for the region and for the work of the British Government are far-reaching.

I have decided to start writing this blog in the hope that a view from Sudan will be of interest to a wider audience in coming months. I shall try to offer some reflections from the ground as Sudan prepares for a truly historic moment, and to explain the role the UK is playing. I shall also invite my colleagues to contribute their perspectives, especially those of our team in Juba, the capital of Southern Sudan.

Before going any further, I want to be quite explicit about the UK's approach to the referendum and possible secession of the south: our interest is exclusively in seeing the referendum happen to time, to standard and safely. Whatever the result, the people of north and south Sudan should be able to live in peace and growing prosperity. The whole of the UK government in Sudan is working to the same end. Our commitment to helping both north and south is firm today and will continue through and beyond the referendum.
- - -

In the End Game?
Source: UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office website - http://blogs.fco.gov.uk
Written by: Nicholas Kay British Ambassador to Sudan, Khartoum
Posted: Monday, 15 November 2010 by Nicholas Kay
The European Film Festival in Khartoum finished at the end of last week with the screening under the stars in the British Council gardens of "End Game", which tells the story of Thabo Mbeki's role in negotiating the end of apartheid in South Africa. As we watched, only a mile away in the centre of Khartoum, ex-President Mbeki was locked in another historic negotiation - this time mediating discussions between north and south Sudan to agree what will happen if Southern Sudan votes for independence in January.

As I write, we don't know the final outcome of the talks. But the clock - or rather the moon - is ticking. President Bashir is in Mecca for the Haj pilgrimage, and Khartoum is all but closed for business until after the Muslim holiday of Eid al Adha in the coming days. Meanwhile, voter registration for the Referendum begun this morning, on which more later.

During the past week the UK has been more active than ever in striving for a "soft landing" after the referendum. Mr Mitchell, the International Development Secretary, made a four day visit during which he worked tirelessly in his meetings with Vice Presidents, Ministers, the African Union and the United Nations to promote peace and prosperity. He advocated strongly the need for proper contingency planning in the event that violence or conflict break out. He urged (with success) Sudanese leaders to reassure publicly Southern Sudanese in the north that they will be safe whatever the outcome of the referendum and he encouraged the governments north and south to behave responsibly and seize the opportunity to transform their standing in the international community. We covered many miles over the four days, visiting Darfur (a place Mr Mitchell had visited twice before - picture below) and Juba, where he opened the UK Government's new office building in the EU compound, which will provide a great platform for the growing HMG team in Southern Sudan.

As Mr Mitchell and his team led by Sandra Pepera (Head of DFID Sudan) pushed our messages at the highest levels, the Embassy was also heavily engaged in supporting Thabo Mbeki's talks at the working level. We had experts feeding into drafting on economic, security, legal and border issues. On the last, Michael Ryder (the UK Special Representative for Sudan) was closely involved, helped by Phil Hunt, an expert from the MOD's Defence Mapping Agency, who flew into Khartoum to spend valuable time with Sudanese and international experts. Phil was able to offer an objective and well-informed view on where exactly the boundary between north and south was on 1 January 1956 (it has been agreed that any future border should be the boundary as it was at independence in 1956).

Apologies for the long blog. Not every week will be as full. But I can't finish without mentioning the wonderful Service of Remembrance organised by our Defence Attaché, Lt Col Chris Luckham, at Khartoum's Commonwealth War Cemetery on 11 November (picture below). Under bright Sudanese skies, surrounded by immaculately kept graves and lawns, nearly two hundred people from more than thirty countries gathered to pay tribute to the dead of all nations and all conflicts. It was an honour to be there and a strong reminder to me of how vital it is that together we succeed in helping Sudan heal its wounds and silence forever the guns.
- - -

Related Reports

ENDGAME (2009)



A story based on the covert discussions that brought down the Apartheid regime in South Africa.
Director: Pete Travis
Writer: Paula Milne
Stars: William Hurt, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Jonny Lee Miller
Source: Nicholas Kay's blog post Thursday, 15 November 2010 / www.imdb.com/title/tt1217616/
- - -

REMEMBRANCE SERVICE AT THE COMMONWEALTH WAR CEMETERY, KHARTOUM, SUDAN ON 11 NOVEMBER 2010



HISTORIC stuff (made me cry). Click here to view slideshow of eleven photographs, courtesy of FCO/UK in Sudan, on Flickr. Copied here below for posterity are the photographs.

Note: This blog Sudan Watch has been and will continue to be digitally archived by the British Library so will be preserved for future historians.



Wreathes. Photo taken at the Commonwealth War Cemetery, Khartoum, Sudan on Thursday, 11 November 2010.



British Defence Attache Lt. Colonel Chris Luckham greets a representative from the Sudanese Armed Forces. Photo taken at the Commonwealth War Cemetery, Khartoum, Sudan on Thursday, 11 November 2010.



Service of Remembrance. Photo taken at the Commonwealth War Cemetery, Khartoum, Sudan on Thursday, 11 November 2010.



Father Joseph al Haj leads the Service of Remembrance. Photo taken at the Commonwealth War Cemetery, Khartoum, Sudan on Thursday, 11 November 2010.



Hymn during the Service of Remembrance. Photo taken at the Commonwealth War Cemetery, Khartoum, Sudan on Thursday, 11 November 2010.



Wreath laying. British Ambassador Nicholas Kay, a representative of the Sudanese Armed Forces and other members of the Diplomatic Corps lay wreaths on the war memorial, Khartoum. Photo taken at the Commonwealth War Cemetery, Khartoum, Sudan on Thursday, 11 November 2010.



British Ambassador Nicholas Kay and a representative from the Sudanese Armed Forces. Photo taken at the Commonwealth War Cemetery, Khartoum, Sudan on Thursday, 11 November 2010.



Major General Moses Bisung Obi, UNMIS Force Commander. Photo taken at the Commonwealth War Cemetery, Khartoum, Sudan on Thursday, 11 November 2010.



UNMIS peacekeepers. Photo taken at the Commonwealth War Cemetery, Khartoum, Sudan on Thursday, 11 November 2010.



Colonel Mike Scott, UNMIS Military Chief of Staff and Lt Colonel Umar Faroouqi laying wreathes on behalf of UNMIS peacekeepers. Photo taken at the Commonwealth War Cemetery, Khartoum, Sudan on Thursday, 11 November 2010.



War memorial. Wreathes upon the monument, Commonwealth War Cemetery, Khartoum, Sudan. Photo taken on Thursday, 11 November 2010.

+ + +

UK IN SUDAN



YouTube video: British Ambassador to Sudan, Nicholas Kay welcomes visitors to UK in Sudan website - http://ukinsudan.fco.gov.uk
- - -

RARE JOINT STATEMENT:
NORTH, SOUTH SUDAN DEFENCE CHIEFS VOW NO WAR


On Thursday, 11 November 2010, the south's minister for the SPLA (the southern army) Nhial Deng Nhial appeared at a joint news conference with Sudan's national, Khartoum-based, Minister of Defence Abdel Rahim Mohamed Hussein.

"We wanted to send a message to our citizens, both in the north and south, that there will be no return to war. Regardless of the amount of differences they will be resolved through political dialogue. There will be no return to war," Nhial told reporters.

Click here to read full story by Reuters at af.reuters.com - Thursday, 11 November 2010: "North, south Sudan defence chiefs vow no war".



Photo: The south's minister for the SPLA (the southern army) Nhial Deng Nhial (L) at a joint news conference with Sudan's national, Khartoum-based, Minister of Defence Abdel Rahim Mohamed Hussein (R) Thursday, 11 November 2010. (Source: Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah - Thursday, 11 November 2010)



Photo: Sudan's Minister of Defence Abdel Rahim Mohamed Hussein (R) talks to South's minister for the SPLA (the southern army) Nhial Deng Nhial (L) after a joint news conference at the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Khartoum on Thursday, 11 November 2010. North and south Sudan's defence chiefs on Thursday vowed there would be no return to war in a rare joint statement that set out to defuse tensions in the countdown to a referendum on southern secession. (Source: Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah - Thursday, 11 November 2010)
- - -

JEM and SLM say they cannot be threatened to join Doha Talks
Source: SRS - Sudan Radio Service - www.sudanradio.org
Date: Tuesday, 16 November 2010
(Khartoum/Doha) – The UNAMID Joint Special Representative says that there will be negative consequences if the Darfur anti-government groups, the JEM and the SLM-Abdulwahid’s faction fail to participate in the Doha talks.

Professor Ibrahim Gambari addressed a press conference in Khartoum on Sunday.

[Ibrahim Gambari]: “JEM must take this opportunity very seriously. As the members of the Sudan consultative forum which took place on the 6th of November in Addis Ababa stressed there would be very negative consequences both for the people of Darfur and for JEM as a movement if it fails to take advantage of this opportunity to the peace process.”

However, the two anti-government groups responded by saying that no one will force them to participate in the Doha peace talks.

JEM head of negotiation, Ahmed Togud Lisan told SRS on Sunday from Doha that they will only join the talks once their demands are met.

[Ahmed Togud Lisan]: “We don’t care about sanctions, we don’t care about other people’s position, what we care about is the interests of our cause and the interests of our people. When our demands are met we will join the negotiations, if not we can tell the international community and anybody who cares about the issue that, we can’t be part of a comedy and be losers at the end. The whole issue will be rearranged in a manner that the National Congress Party will be able to play a light role in.”

On the other hand, the official spokesperson of the SLM-Abdulwahid’s faction, Ahmed Ibrahim Yousif said their movement will not lose at all if sanctions are imposed on them.

[Ahmed Ibrahim Yousif]: “We the Sudan Liberation Movement we won’t lose anything. I mean we don’t have assets and we don’t have anything. No weapons are given to us from outside Sudan, nothing at all. We were threatened before after Abuja, the SLM was threatened, particularly the chairman Ustaz Mohamed Nur, but sanctions are supposed to be imposed on people who are killing others, those who are carrying mass genocide in an organized manner until now.”

That was the official spokesperson for SLM-Wahid faction, Ahmed Ibrahim Yousif speaking to SRS on Sunday.
- - -

From The New York Times