Lost Boys of Sudan

There are over 15 million refugees around the world today. The Lost Boys of Sudan is a documentary film created by Megan Mylan and Jon Shenk. The documentary follows two Sudanese refugees in a journey from Africa to the United States. Peter Dut and Santino Chuor fled to Kenya after they narrowly escaping the dangerous militia that was fighting against the government in a civil war. Their parents were unable to escape the rage of militia gunfire and were killed. At this refugee camp in Kenya, thousands of other orphaned children came in sight of protection and shelter. Remarkably, Peter Dut, Santino Chuor, and many other orphaned children at the refugee camp were chosen to come and live in America. For the very first times in their young lives these boys were safe from inevitable danger and hunger. They were now offered the opportunity to prosper in a nation that holds a vast array of economic opportunities and a chance to create a more comfortable life. This film illustrates how although these boys were taken from danger and provided with new opportunities, other struggles such as prejudice and alienation became new obstacles for them to confront. Lost Boys of Sudan has won many critically acclaimed awards from “Emmy Nominee National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences” to the winner of the “Independent Spirit Award.”
The most telling took from this film was how the boys felt towards the dangers and hunger they faced in Africa compared to the prejudice and alienation in America. When Peter was asked this question between the obstacles faced in Africa compared to America, he had to think long and hard for what he thought was the most appropriate response. After his lengthy deliberation, he explained to her that in America there are many more opportunities in comparison to Africa because he could make a better life for himself in order to help everyone back home. I thought it was very interesting that he had to deliberate for so long about the question. Before coming to America his answer to that question would have been an immediate decision in favor of America for the obvious economic reasons. This fascinates me because it is evident that the prejudice and alienation Peter faces in America holds a similar fear like the danger and hunger in Africa. This illustrates how Peter has for the first time in his life, experienced prejudice and alienation and responds very passionately against it. He tells her stories about how even the blacks in America treat him as an alien and that he feels like he is not wanted. Santino felt the same way in which he believed the blacks in America treated him with even less respect. I believe this film illustrates some of the problems many immigrants face when they come to America. Many immigrants are prejudiced and alienated against simply because they are not American citizens. In my opinion, the United States shouldn’t be dubbed the “melting pot” nation until immigrants are treated with more respect. It’s one thing to encompass many different immigrants, however, it’s another to respect and accept them.