2021
Beats of the Antonov
Directed by Hajooj Kuka
Synopsis
Sudan has been in an almost constant state of civil war since it achieved independence in
1956, and it split into a pair of sovereign states in 2011. On the border between the two, Russian-made Antonov planes indiscriminately drop bombs on settlements in the Nuba Mountains below. Yet, incredibly, the people of the Blue Nile respond to adversity with music, singing and dancing to celebrate their survival. This film explores how music binds a community together, offering hope and a common identity for refugees engaged in a fierce battle to protect their cultural traditions and heritage from those trying to obliterate them.