Ezra--The best African film I saw this year...

Ezra
Directed by: Newton I. Aduake

This is a gripping story of Ezra, a young boy who is abducted by a rebel militia group on his way to school and becomes a revolutionary soldier fighting against a corrupt government. Under the control of a brutal commander of the rebel (who operates under the name of “the brotherhood”), Ezra is joined by other young compatriots most of whom are boys as young as himself and are forced to commit war crimes against anyone who supports the government. This would include creating fear in the minds of villagers by terrorizing them. Even though not shown, there is even discussion of cutting the arms and legs of villagers so that they would not vote for the government.

From the time of Ezra’s abduction (at the age of 8 in 1992) until he decides to flee the rebel in 2000, Ezra is haunted by horrific memories of the war he has been involved in. At the age of sixteen, Ezra is accused of murdering his own parents and others on the night of January 6th, 1999--a crime Ezra strongly denies due to amnesia. Challenging him before the courts, however, is Ezra’s own sister, Onicha, who at the trial confesses that Ezra is responsible for the murder of their parents. She herself was a victim of this horrible crime Ezra and his rebel groups incited on the fateful night. Her tongue was cut off by an assailant as she screamed at the sight of her parents’ house being lit to fire while they were still inside.

Ezra is surrounded by a plethora of conflicts. Not only is he tormented by the emotional scar the war has left him with, but also by the fact that he can not remember how he could possibly have murdered his own parents. Here is a young man who has lost his innocence and was subjected into killing others at an early age. He has seen people being killed before his eyes. He has become one of those who commits the killing to survive. For Ezra, emotion and compassion have little space as he is busy fighting his own deamons.

Equally tormenting him is the ephemeral relationship he has had with his wife, Miriam, whom he meets while serving in the brotherhood. Also a young soldier, Miriam is a child of two former Maoists who she believes were killed by the government--a compelling reason for her to join the rebel group. In most occasions of the film, Miriam is the only sense of security and solace to Ezra. Miriam is the one person who challenges him to think rationally when everyone else (except Ezra) is on the verge of giving up and doubting the leadership of their brutal commander. In one particular argument about the faults of the commander and her fear that one day he (Ezra) too would end up dead, Miriam reminds Ezra, "maybe you will realize it when there is a bullet in the back of your head..."

Miriam’s role as a wife and confidante is important in helping us see the human side of this tormented boy. She is the only person with whom we see Ezra loosening up his usual stern, serious and angry attitude towards life. Miriam's unexpected pregnancy and future plans to lead a normal life with Ezra when this nightmare is all over is a pivotal moment in the movie. Unfortunately however, all this would end when Miriam is killed by a stray bullet during an ambush between government forces and another rebel group who attempts to take a bus full of people hostage—a hapless moment when Ezra, his sister Onicha, and Miriam happen to be in the bus trying to abscond the country side for a better life in Lagos, Nigeria.

Ezra’s successive hearings at the court is led by an American sponsored judge and two other councils from the country who claim that this is not a judicial body but rather one that aims to bring closure to the past and bring reconciliation. If Ezra confesses his wrong doing and admits that he is responsible for the murder of his parents and others he will not be punished by law, but will make resolution with the spirits of the dead.

There are various elements I loved about this movie even though the acting was questionable. I loved how Ezra evolves as a character. A meek eight year old boy before his abduction turns into a determined soldier who is regarded highly by his comrades even at the ripe age of 15. He pays attention to his surrounding and bears the responsibility of his friends’ safety, especially his sister and wife. Ezra is also a determined soldier who weathers tough times and questions the leadership of their commander head on at times when morale is low and the leadership in question. Ezra’s care to the safety and justice for the mass is also unquestionably strong. His struggle for peace and riddance of the corrupt government is not tainted by the greed for power, but stems from his genuine nature. We see Ezra’s stronger moment when he confronts the American judicial body sitting at the hearing “…I did not start the war…if war is a crime then every soldier must stand for trial….your government supports our corrupt government for diamond.”

I can say more about the movie but I would be spoiling it for you. I highly recommend this movie that has rightfully won the FESPACO Grand Prize at the 2007 Festival Panafrican du Cinema a Ouagadougou and selected for international Critics Week at Cannes.

By the way, if you happen to have seen the movie, you could probably answer my question. What the heck was dangling on the neck of the rebel group's leader? I hope it's not what I think it was....