God Grew Tired of Us

7.9
2006 1 hr 29 min Documentary

Filmmaker Christopher Quinn observes the ordeal of three Sudanese refugees -- Jon Bul Dau, Daniel Abul Pach and Panther Bior -- as they try to come to terms with the horrors they experienced in their homeland, while adjusting to their new lives in the United States.

  • Cast:
    Nicole Kidman

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Reviews

Linbeymusol
2007/01/12

Wonderful character development!

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CrawlerChunky
2007/01/13

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

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Bea Swanson
2007/01/14

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

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Taha Avalos
2007/01/15

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

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Syl
2007/01/16

Christopher Quinn has compiled a wonderful documentary about three Lost Boys of the Sudanese Genocide who immigrate to America to find new lives. He cites the history and how they became the lost boys through the systematic genocide in Sudan and how they migrated to refugee camps first in Ethiopia and second in Kenya. While they are there for years, they form unforgettable bonds with each other and rely on each other as family. When they immigrate to the United States settling in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Syracuse, New York, they must make adjustments and adaptation unlike anything before. They appreciate their new lives and the advantages offered to them without complaint about doing any job no matter what it is but they are not without racking guilt for those thousands left behind and for their families whose fate may not be known. Despite it all, you don't see any tears about their situation but just the guilt that they are lucky and they plan to give back to those back home.

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Roland E. Zwick
2007/01/17

If nothing else, watching "God Grew Tired of Us" will make Westerners realize just how much they take for granted in their daily lives. For this is a wonderful and deeply moving documentary about three young men from Africa and their first, awe-inspiring encounter with the modern world.John, Daniel and Panther are refugees who fled Sudan when war and genocide ravaged that once-beautiful country in the 1980's. They were part of a group of young boys who made an arduous and, for many, deadly trek from Southern Sudan to a refugee camp in Northern Kenya (those who survived the journey became known as "The Lost Boys of Sudan"). After living many years in substandard conditions at that site, 3,600 of the young men were given the opportunity to leave Kenya and start a new life in the United States. John, Daniel and Panther were three of those individuals.As written and directed by Christopher Dillon Quinn (and narrated by Nicole Kidman), "God Grew Tired of Us" begins in despair, relating a heartbreaking tale of harrowing mass murder and deadly privation, and ends in hope, showing how one changed life can positively affect the lives of so many others the world over. For even though it vividly points out the bold line separating the haves from the have-nots in this world, the film also provides a great deal of optimism and humor, as the three young men explore the technological marvels of the strange new land in which they find themselves living: food that comes prepackaged from a freezer, staircases that move up and down seemingly of their own accord, hot and cold water that comes flowing out of a tap, light that appears at the command of a switch. One of the boys even admits to never having "seen" electricity before moving to America, and he worries over whether he will ever be able to master its use. But all is not roses and soft mattresses for the three men when they arrive in the U.S., for they must also work hard, establish themselves as members of their communities, and adjust to some of the "peculiarities" of American culture, such as a marked tendency towards suspicion and a lack of friendliness on the part of some of the people they meet. And, as with virtually all people who move to an alien yet economically advantaged society, they must cope not only with the loss of deeply-ingrained cultural traditions but a feeling of guilt for those they've left behind.Yet, thanks to John, Daniel and Panther, "God Grew Tired of Us" becomes much more than a mere curiosity, a mere fish-out-of-water tale for the amusement of the Western elite. Through lengthy interviews, the three men provide a rich and thoughtful commentary on their lives, their experiences, their values, their goals and their aspirations. And though they struggle mightily with the psychic scars left by the traumas of their past, through their own inner strength and commitment - and never a hint of self-pity - they not only persevere to go on and make something of their own lives, but they are able to turn their personal tragedy into a force for Good, inspiring others in their neighborhoods to join them in raising America's consciousness about the atrocities still occurring in that corner of the globe. And when, after three years in America, two of them are already making plans to go back to their homeland in the hope of bringing positive change to the region, we come to understand just how powerful a force commitment and caring can be in this world.After immersing yourself in "God Grew Tired of Us," you may never look at your own life - or the place you occupy in the world - in quite the same way again.By all means, don't miss this one.

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rselvis
2007/01/18

I was delighted to hear that my boy Steve Jean is on the Soundtrack of this picture. They use his Bundu song, a remake of a traditional song. Question is, did the movie makers pay for the song? Hope they did otherwise Mr.Pitt might have a legal issue on his hands. Its nice to see local talent put to use, it would be even better to see it rewarded. We'll just sit and wait. Otherwise can't wait to catch the film. I was delighted to hear that my boy Steve Jean is on the Soundtrack of this picture. They use his Bundu song, a remake of a traditional song. Question is, did the movie makers pay for the song? Hope they did otherwise Mr.Pitt might have a legal issue on his hands. Its nice to see local talent put to use, it would be even better to see it rewarded. We'll just sit and wait. Otherwise can't wait to catch the film.

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futures-1
2007/01/19

"The Lost Boys of Sudan": Documentary. Imagine you're a four year old boy. Countrymen, who look just like your very own Father, come into your town, and kill all the men and older boys, rape and kill all the women and girls, including your Mother and Sisters. You were in the fields, tending the goats, and saw it all. Now you – a four year old boy – are being hunted by these countrymen. You gather with other little boys, and set out barefoot, running and walking the wild countryside – hiding during the day, hiking only under the cover of night – when the lions come out – who stalk and kill many of your group. Imagine you somehow survive, and find yourself living in refugee camps run by Americans. You are there the next ten years. This is your home. The other boys, now men, are your Family. One day, YOU are offered a free trip to America – to better your life, make money, and send some of it home to help your surviving family and friends. Take the offer! You grew up in a mud hut on the Sudanese Plain, and suddenly you are welcomed/dropped into America. "Toto, we're not in Sudan anymore." This is a frightening, funny, interesting, frustrating, VERY sad look at Life with Nothing but Struggle. Their daily observations and realizations about this culture make you wince. Often.

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