Watch the Trailer
Capitol Theater - Arlington, MA
Join us for an exclusive screening of HOPE - beyond rape, murder and war crimes. Experience the powerful story of resilience and hope in the face of one of the world's greatest humanitarian crises.
Meet the filmmakers and engage in meaningful discussion about the South Sudan refugee crisis and paths toward lasting peace.
The Forgotten Crisis
The conflict in South Sudan is one of the cruellest ongoing civil wars in the world—and yet it remains largely invisible to Western audiences. While civil war continues to rage, one of the largest global refugee movements has created the world's largest refugee camps in northern Uganda.
Children separated from families, women suddenly responsible for feeding their households, and entire communities torn apart. This is the reality that millions face daily, yet their stories remain untold.
Stories of Resilience
In the face of unimaginable adversity, hope emerges not as a passive dream, but as active resistance.
Education as Hope
Young people value education deeply, attending school with determination while dreaming of careers as doctors, lawyers, and engineers to rebuild South Sudan.
Joy Amidst Hardship
Soccer and other hobbies provide not just distraction, but community building and moments of pure joy in the camps.
Returning Home
Despite everything, refugees speak of returning to their homeland with conviction, actively planning for South Sudan's reconstruction.
"They spoke with verve, out of the deepest conviction. Not just dreaming the dream of a future, but soon putting it into practice. With shining eyes, which we soon recognized as a glimmer of hope."— Dr. Jochen Isensee, Director
The Directors
Dr. Jochen Isensee
Co-Director & Former Emergency Medicine Doctor
"I'm probably saving more lives with this documentary than I ever could as a doctor." After leaving medicine to pursue filmmaking, Dr. Isensee brings unique medical insight to documenting humanitarian crises.
Gloria Akello
Co-Director & South Sudanese Refugee
Gloria has already lost everything—her home, her family, and her friends have been taken from her forever. Alone and destitute in a foreign country, she does not despair at her fate, but courageously follows her seemingly predestined path. Despite her circumstances, her path leads her step by step out of despair and onto a path full of hope.
Partnership for Change
In collaboration with THE SENTRY, the NGO founded by George Clooney and John Prendergast, investigator Brian Adeba shows ways to achieve lasting peace in the deadliest crisis region on earth.
Production
Production: Isensee Film (Freiburg, Germany)
Co-productions: Talkingfilm (Uganda) and Übergrafisch
Funded by: Medien- und Filmgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg (MFG) and Kulturamt Freiburg
Filming locations: Rhino Camp, Uganda • Arua, Uganda • Washington DC, USA