Sing, Freetown

This film contains scenes of violence that may not be suitable for some people. Viewer discretion is advised.

Sorious Samura is the best-known investigative journalist in Sierra Leone. He has produced documentaries for CNN, Channel 4, and the BBC. Over the last 25 years, he has covered the most difficult problems in the region, such as civil war, famine, AIDS, and corruption. As he was always telling negative stories about Africa, he realized that he was leaving out part of the continent’s reality. Determined to create a constructive and meaningful project, he turned toward his best friend and mentor, the celebrated Sierra Leonese playwright Charlie Haffner, to help him develop such a project. The two friends decided to write a national play in order to restore the pride in their country for future generations. But things didn’t go as planned. They had the same ambition but had lived very different lives. Their respective cultures collided and tensions broke out, just as signs of civil instability were beginning to bubble up in the country. For both men, the play became a question of personal and national salvation. Despite growing adversity, they carried their project through to opening night. What would happen when the curtain rose? The director, whose background is multinational, understands the issues and challenges of mixed blood. This is what he tried to capture in his retelling of this saga.