It brings to life brutal, visceral reality of children caught up in civil wars across Africa

Children as young as nine have been and are still involved in armed conflicts in different parts of the world. While we are used to hearing reports about child soldiers, we hardly stop to seriously think about these children and what they do. On a serious note, who are the child soldiers and what do they do to those who happen to be their unfortunate victims?

“Johnny Mad Dog”, a new film answering these and many other questions has just been released by Momentum Pictures Home Entertainment.

“Johnny Mad Dog” brings to life the brutal, visceral reality of children caught up in civil wars across Africa.

Directed by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire and produced by acclaimed French actor Mathieu Kassovitz (Amelie, Munich), “Johnny Mad Dog” features former child soldiers and victims of civil war from Liberia in central roles in what is a genuinely unforgettable and truly unforgiving look at the reality of how civil war affects the children who sit at both ends of the gun barrel.

The eponymous Johnny (Christopher Minie) is the lieutenant of an especially violent gang of young soldiers who believe they are leading a fight against a President they despise in an unnamed African country. The gang’s belief in their cause sees them commit atrocity after atrocity in the name of freedom, with rape, murder and brutalisation the tools in their personal war that is seeing the country fall into a state of ruin.

At the same time, Laokolé (Daisy Victoria Vandy), a 16-year old student in the country’s decimated capital, is attempting to flee the oncoming storm of violence with her baby brother, unaware that her plans will lead her inexorably towards an encounter with Johnny.

Gripping, frank and incredibly raw, “Johnny Mad Dog” is as important as it is affecting. Following an impressive showing at this year’s London Film Festival, the film’s release on DVD delivers a unique opportunity to witness the reality of what war means to the thousands of young lives that inevitably are consumed by it.

“Johnny Mad Dog” is a very important film highlighting a sad reality in many African countries where those thirsty for power easily collect desperate, hopeless children and turn them into brutal killers.

Child soldiers are worse than adult soldiers when it comes to killings and human rights violations. For a people who don’t care about their own lives, the lives of others have no value at all. They kill the very people they are supposed to protect and liberate.

After a few minutes’ training, they are given the gun and ordered to use it to get whatever they want. No food is provided to them, but since they have the gun, they can get it.

Since most of them don’t even know how to read and write, they are brainwashed, made to believe they are playing a noble role of liberating their people by ousting a leader whose mistake they don’t even know. What they know for sure is that the leader belongs to another tribe and that is more than enough to make them want him out of power.

This film shows how the tribe factor is usually used to either support or oust people from leadership positions in many African countries.

Watching “Johnny Mad Dog” helps one understand how the child soldiers are made to fight with a promise of being paid at a later stage, a pay that they hardly get.

And once the objective of getting to power is achieved, they are abandoned. Having spent most part of their lives fighting and mistreating people, that’s all they know. They therefore find it very difficult to return to a normal life.

“Johnny Mad Dog” is an appeal against the use of child soldiers. No one can remain indifferent to the plight of child soldiers and their victims after watching this film.

The film effectively challenges the viewer to do everything possible to prevent the recruitment and use of children as soldiers, to support their demobilisation and facilitate their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.

By Stephen Ogongo

Kathryn Bigelow was named Best Director at the Oscars

Kathryn Bigelow has made Oscars history by becoming the first woman to win the best director award, describing her victory as "the moment of a lifetime".

The film-maker also won the battle of the exes at the US ceremony, with her Iraq war drama The Hurt Locker also winning best film and a total of six awards compared with three for former husband James Cameron's 3D epic Avatar.

Bigelow's best director gong was greeted with loud cheers from the star-studded audience in Los Angeles.

The 82nd Academy Awards also saw bookies' favourite Jeff Bridges scoop best actor for country and western flick Crazy Heart, and Sandra Bullock win best actress for her role in The Blind Side.

It meant Britain's best acting nominees and main Oscar hopes Colin Firth, Dame Helen Mirren and starlet Carey Mulligan went home empty-handed.

Bigelow looked surprised to receive best director and appeared to be shaking with emotion by the time the best picture award was read out.

She said on receiving the directing award: "This really is, there's no way to describe it.

"It's the moment of a lifetime."

After receiving his gong, an elated Bridges said: "Thank you Mum and Dad, for turning me on to such a groovy profession."

Sandra's speech was designed to make the audience smile, as she paid tribute to her fellow nominees – Carey Mulligan, Dame Helen Mirren, Meryl Streep and Gabourey Sidibe. "I would like to thank the Academy for allowing me in the last month to have the most incredible ride with rooms full of artists that I see tonight ... Four of them that I've fallen deeply in love with I share this night with and I share this award with."

By The Press Association

She wants to move on from being accused of assaulting a cab driver

Naomi Campbell has said she wants to move on from an incident in which she was accused of assaulting a driver from the back seat of a luxury 4x4, after he said he regretted involving the police.

New York City driver Miodrag Mejdina, who is not pressing charges, had told police that Naomi hit him from behind and his head struck the steering wheel of the black Cadillac Escalade - but he said through his lawyer that he got "angry and over-reacted", the incident was "blown out of proportion" and he wanted to apologise to Naomi "for causing that to happen".

Naomi, 39, issued a statement saying: "On Tuesday 2nd March I was accused of unacceptable behaviour towards a driver in New York - I have worked very hard on correcting my previous wrongdoings and I will not be held hostage to my past."

She went on: "I try to treat everyone with respect and I am pleased the driver has apologised. I would like to put the last few days behind me and move on."

The catwalk legend has faced a series of lawsuits and criminal cases including accusations of attacking household employees and two police officers at London's Heathrow Airport.

By The Press Association

America's most respected psychic service makes 2010 Oscar Predictions

PHILADELPHIA. Psychic Source, America’s oldest and most respected psychic network has predicted who will walk away with the coveted Academy Awards on 7th March. 

However, Psychic Source's predictions are as much about credibility as they are the fun of knowing the winners -- and major upsets -- ahead of time.

The Psychic Source advisors offer the following forecasts of winners for some of the hottest Oscar Categories.

Best Picture: "Inglourious Basterds" will blind side current favorites "The Blind Side" as well as "Avatar."

Best Actor: Morgan Freeman, "Invictus". Although the buzz this year is all around Jeff Bridges adding to his Oscar collection for his role in "Crazy Heart," Psychic Source predicts Freeman housing a pair of the "golden gods" on his mantle after the 2010 ceremonies.

Best Actress: Gabourey Sidibe, "Precious". In one of the most monumental upsets of the evening, Sidibe will take home the coveted statuette.

Best Supporting Actor: Woody Harrelson, "The Messenger". In another upset, the one who started as Cheers backward Indiana farm boy, will "plow" over the favoured Christoph Waltz ("Inglourious Basterds").

Best Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique, "Precious". Get out the tissues… there will not be a dry eye in the house as our winner commemorates the beautiful, real-life mother-daughter connection captured in this film.

Best Director: Quentin Tarantino, "Inglourious Basterds". Another upset that will rock the house… sorry, ladies, you'll have to wait at least one more year to finally take this category.

Best Original Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino, "Inglourious Basterds". Yes, another for Q.T., who will be riding as high -- if not higher -- as the rebellious non-conformist energy sweeping society these days.

Best Adapted Screenplay: Geoffrey Fletcher, "Precious"

Music, Best Original Score: James Horner, "Avatar". No surprises here!

Music, Best Original Song: “Take It All”, from the movie "Nine" (Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston)

And, Best Host: No, this is not a new category, but Psychic Source is certain 2010 Oscar Hosts, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin will clean up with the Academy, and the comedic duo will be asked to do it again next year.