Can a single film change the entire world? This is the question posed by “Invisible Children,” which is coming to Mississippi State Wednesday night. The film explores the country of Uganda and the intense civil war going on within its borders, according to the film team.
According to the team’s surveys, most people, like MSU freshman Joanna Pace, aren’t even aware of this war, much less of its affects on children.
Pace said she plans on attending the film showing to find out what she can do to help the children, while friend Kaci Robertson called the conflict a “complete tragedy.”
The 20-year-long war is an intensely complex conflict involving not only the men of Uganda but also the children, the release says.
The rebel forces have resorted to civilian attacks and now are taking children from daily life to fight for their cause. According to the crusade team, the revolution leaders have come to believe that children make incredible soldiers because they are easily brainwashed, big enough to carry a gun and are a virtually unlimited supply of manpower.
The media say 90 percent of the Lord’s Resistance Army troops are children. The consequences of the war are not possible to state.
The team believes that this war could be one of the greatest tragedies of this time, and to date, it has received little to no publicity.
The fact that no one knows is exactly why three boys from Southern California believe in their cause so much, according to the release. On a trip to Africa, their small team of student filmmakers was immediately inspired by the children they refer to as “Invisible.”
According to the team, upon returning to the US, they screened their film for friends and families. The project exploded from that point. Today, they travel the world in small teams raising awareness, support and money for the Invisibles in Uganda.
One member of the crusade said it holds an MTV beat, helping it to reach young people.
The team of four that’s coming to MSU says this film will have a huge impact on each and every person viewing it and won’t for a moment leave him or her uninterested.
This week, Mississippi State students are given the special opportunity to view this incredible life-changing film free of charge. The film came to MSU after a student involved with Campus Crusade viewed the film at a conference last year where she was put on their contact list.
Invisible Children contacted her and Campus Crusade, and the project began. Co-sponsoring the event is Campus Crusade, the Black Student Alliance, the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center and the Student Association.
Crystal Garcia, a spokesperson for Campus Crusade, has viewed the documentary and said that she was most impacted by the fact that this tragedy has gone on for 20 years and hardly anyone knows about it.
There’s been scarce media coverage and hardly any attention for a crisis so huge and devastating. She wonders how an event such as this one, involving innocent children, can be pushed to the side in today’s everyday life. She was shocked at how uninformed Americans are on this subject.
The basic mission of each person working behind the scenes on this project is to bring together all types of MSU students for a worthy cause. The sponsors’ hope is that students will come together for one idea and be transformed.
“It’d be really beautiful if all types of students from all over Mississippi State University got involved, effectively uniting the campus for an incredible cause,” Garcia said.
The sponsors all believe that everyone who attends this film will be inspired, transformed and united to help out with this incredible cause. Not only does this film provide an opportunity for awareness, those viewing will be presented with options and ideas to jumpstart his or her involvement in this movement. There are many organizations and teams available, and each attendee will receive information on how to become involved with one, if he or she so chooses.
The film will be shown at 8 p.m. Wednesday in Lee Hall.