In central Africa a child soldier risks death to escape his captors. But where does he go, when many communities fear he's simply a spy sent to infiltrate their ranks? They Came At Night is a short story told by the very people living in the Central African Republic as they struggle with the human aftermath of conflicts brought by Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army—distributed by mobile cinema through their own communities to encourage the peaceful reception of LRA combatants who surrender.

Lindsay Branham, filmmaker:

They Came at Night is a an effort to translate the incredible, beautiful human choice to forgive or not into a narrative that mirrors what people in central Africa are experiencing on a daily basis. This 20-minute film is an invitation to communities in central Africa and communities around the world: an invitation to believe that our own choices can be part of something as powerful as ending a war. This film is a living statement that telling your story is not just important, it is potent: it can become an agent of healing that can even transcend a history of violence. 

Her perspective from: 

Close Your Heart, Slate: This article explores, in a very intimate way, the devastating conflict unfolding in Central African Republic. But it is the way the writer handles the character's journeys that inspires me, to always look to find the story that can speak to wider themes but provides an entry point to empathy.

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson: A modern hero who has committed his life to making sure innocent people receive the freedom they deserve. His voice and perspective cuts straight to the heart of the racism and mass incarceration epidemic plaguing our country.

April: This film is whimsical and tender and beautiful and has inspired my most recent film, coming out later this year.

Each week we feature one person bringing artistry or beauty into the world through strong inner perspective.
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