The Toronto International Film Festival culminated on 14 September with an awards
ceremony awarding Beats of the Antonov, a co-production between
Sudanese production company Refugee Club and South African production company
Big World Cinema, with the esteemed People’s Choice Documentary
Award.
The film, directed by war reporter and documentary filmmaker Hajooj Kuka and co-produced by Kuka and South African film and television producer Steven Markovitz, was filmed in the rebel-held areas of the Blue Nile and Nuba mountain regions in Sudan, and completed in Cape Town, South Africa.
Beats of the Antonov tells the story of the people from these regions in
Sudan, and reveals how they cope with civil war. Music, which has traditionally
always played a role in their culture, now has a new role in their society, which is challenged by war.
“This award is for the community who helped make this film and hopefully it will help
the Sudanese people see how beautiful we are. It is a film about love, not war,’’ said
Kuku.
Markovitz added, “’We are thrilled about this award. The film turns the notion of Africa
as a continent of victims on its head. It shows the incredible resilience of Sudanese
people at a time of great adversity.’’
The film’s soundtrack consists of traditional Sudanese music, and features music
producer Alsarah.
View the trailer for Beats of the Antonov
