“See this film, you will be forever changed.”
It’s a high claim, but it’s the one the Invisible Children advocates make on their Web site about their documentary, which will be shown tonight for free in Olscamp 115 beginning at 9 p.m.
According to Lindsey Wilbarger, junior, the claim is true. “It totally changed my life when I saw it the first time,” Wilbarger said.
The film, which uncovers the disturbing story of child soldiers in Uganda, has gained national recognition for its raw footage and forward message.
“The movie really opened my eyes to what’s going on in Uganda,” Wilbarger said. “The media isn’t really covering it.”
The children in Uganda, also called “night commuters,” walk from their villages to nearby towns night after night to avoid being kidnapped and forced to fight as soldiers for the rebel group, the Lord’s Resistance Army.
Stephanie Brewer, a former BGSU student who helped bring Invisible Children to the University the past two years, thinks students should see the film because it does more than just give the facts on the situation in Uganda. “It puts a face to people,” Brewer said. “The movie makes it more real.”
Wilbarger and Brewer both agree that seeing the film could inspire students to take action. “Since it’s something happening now there’s a huge window for involvement,” Brewer said.
And students are stepping up to the plate. The film has been shown at numerous high schools and universities around the country, and over a hundred Facebook groups exist that support Invisible Children.
