I began my career as a cameraman in Israel and Palestine covering street violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It was fascinating to see these events play out on international television, but I came into the story late in the game, the conflict was established and the public’s perception of the story already understood.

In Afghanistan, a couple of years later, I faced the same thing; it was hard to find an explanation that went deeper into the historical context of the conflict. I wanted to know more. I wanted to understand how young men in these situations are inspired to kill by their leaders.  

The conflict in Ivory Coast seemed like a good place to start. Despite a fragile ceasefire many in the international community were concerned that this situation could explode into another Rwanda. Here was a conflict that was explained in the media as a predominantly religious dispute between Muslims in the North and Christians in the South.

The main character in the film, Charles Blé Goudé, a young, charismatic, Western educated confidant of the President, had taken on the messaging of the USA’s fight against terrorism as his own. The coup in his country was his 9/11, the Rebels were terrorists and he and his followers were the ‘Patriots’.

It was as if he was reading foreign medias explanation of conflict and using it in his own spin campaign to influence his followers. The reality on the ground, however, was very different. The simple fact that the leader of the Northern rebellion was actually a Christian was lost on all international media that had described the conflict as religious.

In making this film I answered many of my questions. I am not a high profile journalist, TV person, politician or activist but maybe with this film I can give people a different way to look at conflict. Perhaps this can create some kind of dialogue, another interpretation, an alternative to mainstream media’s sometimes brief coverage of these situations. That’s what I can do and that’s what I’ll continue to do as long as people are interested. Nigel.

contact : nigel@walkerfilm.com