NEXT SCREENING: FEBRUARY AT GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

Child Soldier Relief Foundation and the Johnny Mad Dog Foundation have a formed a collaboration to raise awareness about child soldier issues by hosting film screenings and panel discussions.

Contact us at info@childsoldierrelief.org to learn how to host a screening or serve as a sponsor for one of our other events.

“Johnny Mad Dog” is a film based on the book by Emmanuel Boundezki Dongala, which documents the author’s experience in the Congolese crisis. The directorsof the film wanted to show the world it is like to be a child solider. They decided to hold auditions for former child soldiers to play the characters in the film. Children who were cast in the movie were given acting lessons and participated in an education program.

The film received a lot of international recognition, including the 2008 Prize Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival and has been presented at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, 2008 London Film Festival, 2009 Cinequest Film Festival and the 2008 Melbourne International Film Festival.

After filming ended, the Johnny Mad Dog Foundation (JMDF) was created to support the actors in the Johnny Mad Dog film. Led by Assistant Director Sam Sherman, formerly from Liberia but currently living in the Washington DC area, the organization’s mission is two-fold: first, to raise awareness about child soldiers and children in war affected areas, and second, to support the children who acted in the film. The goal of the organization is to help the children in their daily lives and also help them develop long-term projects. Many of the children say that they would like to put their acting skills to use and continue to pursue a career in the field. The JMDFoundation strives to make the world hear the voices of children who have been ignored for too long.

Read our interview with Sam Sherman, executive director of the Johnny Mad Dog Foundation.

Check out this short film.

WAR SCHOOL from Ben Newman on Vimeo.