Devil Came on Horseback, The

Aroview: Urgent, eye-opening documentary on the Darfur genocide, which follows US Marine Captain Brian Steidle's assignment as a neutral observer of the Janjaweed (or "devil on a horse") militia in Sudan.

Early on, Steidle is established as an unexpected observer of the atrocity, whose upsetting images help to galvanize a few media offsiders. Public apathy, however, compels Steidle to bring his video record to wider attention, drawing the film momentarily away from its core issue. Directors Stern and Sundberg though provide serious focus in their matter-of-fact viewpoint, making theirs the most arresting indictment of the ethic cleansing yet.

NZ International Film Festival 2007