“Leh Wi Tok” at Rhode Island International Film Festival, August 11

My friends Jonathan Beller and Kate Kelly traveled to Sierra Leone to work on this film. I’ve seen it several times and really enjoyed it. You should see it.

Can a single voice over the radio move listeners beyond the pain and anger of recent memories of violence that pit neighbors against each other, the exploitation of child soldiers, unimaginable atrocities, and the displacement of millions? For the people of Sierra Leone, a nation struggling to repair itself after more than a decade of war, the answer to that question comes in the simple Krio phrase “Leh Wi Tok” (Let us talk). “Leh Wi Tok” is a documentary film that highlights the story of radio pioneer Andrew Kromah and his unrelenting quest to grow an independent network of community-based radio stations in his country so that peace and democracy can flourish. In a country where the only direction left is forward, open communication is a necessity, and in Sierra Leone, radio is a critical tool in that communication. For a nation working to heal itself, for a people working to heal their community, radio is everything.

Leh Wi Tok is showing at 6:30pm, tomorrow (August 11th) at the Paff Theatre at URI’s Providence Campus.

Check out all the films showing during the Rhode Island International Film Festival on their website.