In her book Urgent Message From Mother: Gather the Women, Save the World, Jean Shinoda Bolen, a Jungian analyst and author of nine books, makes a plea for women to rally together to bring about political and social change in the world. She states: "Until women collectively become involved in creating a culture of peace to stop violence begetting violence in the human family, women and children will continue to be the primary casualties."
This stirring documentary directed by Gini Reticker and produced by Abigail E. Disney is an extraordinary account of what happened when a group of women did exactly what Bolen is talking about. It profiles a band of Christian and Muslim women in war-torn Liberia who brought peace to their country in 2003 through nonviolent demonstrations and actions based on reconciliation and forgiveness. The story of these courageous mothers, sisters, and grandmothers proves that ordinary citizens can make a difference when they work together.
Charles Taylor was a warlord elected President of Liberia in 1997. His brutal reign of power brought about a bloody civil war that lasted for many years. Ordinary people were caught in the crossfire; women were raped, and men, women, and children had their limbs cut off by boy soldiers serving both sides. The filmmakers present interviews with four charismatic African women who led a peace campaign against the violence: Leymah Gbowee, Etweda "Sugars" Cooper, Vaiba Flomo, and Asatu Bah Kenneth. They share horror stories about families torn apart by the civil war and the hardships of poverty, starvation, and the suffering of their children.
When Christian women joined together with Muslim women, they had a greater impact. They demonstrated in front of the fish market until they got a meeting with Taylor. The women then showed up at peace talks in Ghana between the President and the warlords who were vying for power. To break a deadlock, the women barricaded the site of the peace talks and then threatened to remove their clothes. Gandhi would have approved of this creative nonviolent tactic. The peace campaign was successful and resulted in the exile of Charles Taylor and the election of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa's first female head of state.
Pray the Devil Back to Hell won the Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the 2008 Tribecca Film Festival. Don't miss this powerful and inspiring film!
Special features on the DVD include Leymah Gbowee's acceptance speech at the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award ceremony; and Leymah Gbowee's and Abigail E. Disney's interview with Lynn Sherr on PBS's "Bill Moyers Journal" (Courtesy of Public Affairs Television, Inc.).
