Beat the Drum (2003)

A young orphaned boy sets out for the big city to find his uncle after a mysterious illness strikes his village. Driven by his determination to survive and his growing social awareness he finds a way to make an honest living and returns to his village with a truth and understanding his elders have failed to grasp. An emotional and timely drama reminding us how one small voice can be the brave start of colossal change uniting a village a township and even a nation. System Requirements:Run Time: 114 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA/LIVING WITH AIDS UPC: 796019806190 Manufacturer No: 80619 Product Description

Super!

Having been to Africa recently, I would have to say that this movie displays a very accurate representation of the country of Kenya. The concepts and hardships that the characters deal with are very real, and the contrasts between tribal communities and Kenyan cities are accurate. This movie shows the truth, and I recommend it to anyone and everyone! July 20, 2008

A young boy's determination to survive

The movie definitely merits 5 stars for its excellence and for its heart warming and heartbreaking story. It involves Africa's struggle to deal with AIDS and its devastating effects exemplified in this movie by a young boy orphaned by that disease. His search to find the knowledge of how to deal with this terrible dilemma affecting his impoverished village leads him to set out for the big city,the latter filled with danger especially for a homelss young child. This movie is emotionally-packed and well done.
I highly recommend this movie to anyone young or old. June 22, 2008

Hold Your Tears and Step to the Beat

Junior Singo does an absolutely excellent job portraying 10-year-old Musa, a Zulu boy who's lost his parents to AIDS, and takes up the his remaining family's burdens by leaving a dying village to find both work and an uncle in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Produced in 2002, BEAT The DRUM has earned dozens of awards and praise reviews for its uplifting message of hope and determination against the twin evils of poverty and ignorance which enable the spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic that's so far killed 30 million Africans, and left over 15 million children orphaned and on the street.

Despite some scenes and situations which will undoubtedly disturb sensitive and comfortable audiences (such as the villagers' resort to animal sacrifice and the raping of children in their desperation to "cure" themselves of what they believe to be a curse), BEAT The DRUM provides a handsome face and a strong spirit as a symbol of Africa's present struggles. It is a film I much recommend. June 18, 2008

Beautiful and Sad. I Cried for Africa.

Every once in a while a film comes along that really says something that matters. Recommended from another writer's book on poverty and social change along with BLOOD DIAMOND and TSOTSI, I picked up the film. It employed purely African actors and film crews, besides the director, out of a purposeful effort. BEAT THE DRUM ended up being one of those films that matters. Enjoy.

Set in southern Africa near Jo'burg, the story follows the journeys of a young boy named Musa. His mother and cousins have all died from the curse, but when his father dies from it at the beginning of the film, he is doomed to be known as the boy from the cursed family. He leaves his small village and heads to Jo'burg to look for his uncle and buy a cow for his grandmother, a journey which leads him into danger on the streets of the big city as he scraps for money and food amid the street riffraff.

The secondary storylines follow an older truck driver who is on the road a lot, whose wife does not trust that he is faithful while away and worries he'll give her AIDS. The owner of the truck driving company has a son who he learns is dying of AIDS, but doesn't want to face the truth of the disease's lack of favoritism.

The film puts faces and stories to the disease that is ravaging the African continent. There is much fear and ignorance surrounding the disease. People don't want to talk about it. Using local spiritists, they'd rather call on their ancestors for help than listen to the local medical workers. Some of them even want to spread the disease out of spite for the persons who gave it to them. The situation is dire, yet knowledge of the situation seems scarce enough in America. Not only does BEAT THE DRUM give a necessary voice to the voiceless Africans, it puts forward fantastic acting jobs and cinematography. The film is beautiful and sad, and while watching, I cried for Africa.

---Reviewed by Jonathan Stephens June 17, 2008

Compelling

This is compelling, heart breaking and heart warming story that both saddens and inspires. The scenery is breathtaking, the acting is superb, and the message is one that needs to be heard by everyone.

"Prayer of Jabez" author Dr. Bruce Wilkinson worked to produce this movie on AIDS at the request of the President of Kenya (President Moi),Is is the most award-winning motion picture on AIDS: (28 awards), and is now in distribution in over 100 nations June 8, 2008

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