Kony 2012 (2012)
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A viral documentary aims to bring global attention to the plight of child soldiers and the capture of warlord Joseph Kony.
The story
The film documents the Invisible Children's plans and efforts to capture Joseph Kony, a warlord and cult leader. It details the actions of his rebel militia group, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), which is known for the forced recruitment of child soldiers across northern Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan. The film utilizes a mix of narration, 3D animations, and real-life footage to advocate for the restoration of social order and the end of coerced youth military service. It aims to mobilize the public to pressure international bodies and governments to take action against Kony's activities.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film documents the Invisible Children's plans and efforts to capture Joseph Kony, a warlord and cult leader. It details the actions of his rebel militia group, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), which is known for the forced recruitment of child soldiers in northern Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan. The film begins with a message about the power of connection and features a young Ugandan, Jacob Avaye, whose brother was killed by the LRA. The narrative includes 3D animations, sound design, and footage of the campaign's activities. It highlights a 2011 announcement by President Barack Obama regarding the deployment of Special Forces to assist in removing Kony from the battlefield. The film concludes by urging viewers to join a public awareness campaign involving posters and community outreach. It also features a scene of people putting up posters to the song 'I Can't Stop' and ends with a countdown and calls to action.
- First release year
- 2012
- Runtime (minutes)
- 30
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Jason Russell
- Writers
- Jason Russell · writer; Jedidiah Jenkins · writer; Kathryn Lang · writer; Danica Russell · writer; Ben Keesey · writer; Azy Groth · writer
- Cast and characters
- Jacob Avaye · young Ugandan
- Genres
- short documentary; documentary films about African politics; documentary films about child abuse; documentary films about child soldiers; documentary films about human rights; documentary films about terrorism; documentary films about Uganda; documentary films about war
- Themes
- Child soldier exploitation; Human rights; Global activism; War and conflict
- Tone and mood
- Urgent; Advocacy-driven
- Setting
- Northern Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan.
- Premise and plot tags
- Documentary; Activism; War; Human Rights
- Reception
- The film sparked a heated controversy regarding its merits, with very differing opinions being expressed by various NGO workers, government and international officials, journalists, and other groups and individuals.
- Production trivia
- The video was the most liked on the whole of YouTube at the time and was the first video ever to reach 1 million likes.; The film was called the most viral video ever by Time magazine in 2013.; The film's popularity caused the Kony 2012 website to crash shortly after it began gaining widespread popularity.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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