The Devil Came on Horseback (2007)

Directors:

Ricki Stern
Anne Sundberg

Writers:

Ricki Stern (writer)
Anne Sundberg (writer)

Release Date:

11 April 2008 (UK)

Genre:

Documentary

Tagline:

At age 27, Brian Steidle became a monitor with the African Union in Darfur, Sudan. He was completely unprepared for what he would see.

Plot:

A documentary that exposes the genocide raging in Darfur, Sudan as seen through the eyes of a former U.S. marine who returns home to make the story public.

Plot Keywords:

Darfur | Sudan | Genocide | African Union | Ex Marine

Awards:

5 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Brian Steidle

...

Himself

Directed by
Ricki Stern
Anne Sundberg		(as Annie Sundberg)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ricki Stern		writer
Anne Sundberg		writer (as Annie Sundberg)

Produced by
Jed Alpert	....	associate producer
Omar Amanat	....	executive producer
Ted Greenberg	....	associate producer
Eileen Haag	....	producer
Mette Hoffman Meyer	....	executive producer: TV2-Danmark (as Mette Hoffmann Meyer)
Seth Keal	....	associate producer
Ira Lechner	....	producer
Cristina Ljungberg	....	producer
Jerry Risius	....	field producer: Chad
Ricki Stern	....	producer
Anne Sundberg	....	producer (as Annie Sundberg)
Gretchen Wallace	....	producer
Jane Wells	....	producer

Original Music by
Paul Brill

Cinematography by
Phil Cox
Tim Hetherington
William Rexer		(as William Rexer II)
Jerry Risius
Anne Sundberg
John Keith Wasson

Film Editing by
Joey Grossfield

Production Management
Katie Brown	....	production manager

Sound Department
Brad Bergbom	....	sound recordist
Leslie Bloom	....	foley artist
Rusty Dunn	....	sound designer
Tom Efinger	....	sound mixer
Ivo Hanak	....	sound
John Moros	....	sound editor
James Nichols	....	sound consultant: Dolby

Visual Effects by
Yorgo Alexopoulos	....	visual effects
Joshua Dotson	....	motion graphics assistant
Amber Kusmenko	....	motion graphics assistant

Camera and Electrical Department
Jason Blalock	....	additional cinematographer
Marcus Bleasdale	....	photographer: black & white
Leo Buurman	....	still photographer
John Foster	....	additional cinematographer
Patrick Jackson	....	additional cinematographer
Ralf Oberti	....	additional cinematographer
PJ Raval	....	additional cinematographer
Jerry Risius	....	cinematographer: Chad
Brian Steidle	....	still photographer
Ricki Stern	....	still photographer: New York City
Martijn van Broekhuizen	....	cinematographer: Netherlands
John Keith Wasson	....	cinematographer: Rwanda

Editorial Department
Will Cox	....	colorist
Will Cox	....	on-line editor
Carter Gunn	....	assistant on-line editor
Riva Marker	....	additional editor: trailer
Jordan Montminy	....	additional editor: trailer
Sandy Patch	....	assistant on-line editor
Kristin Rodriguez	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Catherine Bent	....	musician: cello
Catherine Bent	....	orchestra producer
Paul Brill	....	score mixer
Paul Brill	....	score recordist
Elise Carter	....	musician: flute, alto flute
Claudia Chopek	....	musician: violin
Andy Cotton	....	musician: double bass
Nicole Federici	....	musician: viola
Alejandra Mahave	....	musician: violin
Katie Scheele	....	musician: English horn
Robert L. Smith	....	score mixer
Robert L. Smith	....	score recordist
Ian Stynes	....	music editor

Other crew
Hani Alam	....	translator
Yorgo Alexopoulos	....	title designer
Abdellatif Eljaziri	....	translator
Winston Emano	....	publicist
David Magdael	....	publicist
Casey McDonald	....	production assistant
Mara McFalls	....	production assistant
Ryan Murdock	....	designer: web
Douglas Ruhl	....	source: satellite images
Benjamin Rutkowski	....	researcher (as Ben Rutkowski)
Rachelle Safarti	....	production assistant
Nick Schonfeld	....	production coordinator: Netherlands
Brian Steidle	....	story consultant
Anne Stulz	....	publicist
Freddy Umutanguha	....	translator: Rwanda
Gretchen Wallace	....	production coordinator
Steven Wallace	....	publicist
Alexander Wells	....	production assistant: Rwanda
Amanda Wilder	....	production associate

Production Companies

• Break Thru Films

Distributors

• International Film Circuit (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Polyband (2008) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Dogwoof Pictures (2008) (UK) (all media)

Other Companies

• Global Grassroots  in association with
• International Film Circuit  releasing agency
• Three Generations  in association with

Runtime:

USA:85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Arabic

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

Darfur, Sudan

Company:

Break Thru Films

Compelling film on Genocide in Darfur

This amazing film screened at the SXSW Film Festival and was extremely well-received. The film is a remarkable picture of the tragedy that is unfolding in Africa and being ignored by both America and the rest of the world. The story is told thru the eyes of former American Marine Captain, turned international monitor, Brian Steidle. Steidle is the reluctant hero drawn into the events of Darfur almost by accident. As his eyes are opened to the ugliness of what is happening in Darfur he opens our eyes as well.

The photographs are amazing and nightmarish. The tragic message is that we haven't learned from the Holocaust and more recently Rwanda is also clear and deeply haunting. This film is significantly better made than the somewhat amateurish film, although still interesting and informative, Darfur Diaries. It is filmed with both heart and skill. Steidle, who has also written a book by the same name, is the perfect guide to draw us out of our apathy and into the heart of this deep unfolding tragedy. His palpable feeling of anger and helplessness as he watches genocide is palpable and heart-breaking.

The film is also an indictment of the failure of the US and other Western governments to act to address this humanitarian crisis that has been unfolding now for 4 years. The U.S. has called these events "genocide," but has done nothing substantive to provide for a UN peacekeeping force to address the tragedy.

This is the type of film that must be widely scene if Americans are to awaken from their slumber and respond to this horror of murder, rape, massacre, slaughter, and dislocation that is being committed by Sudan's government against its own citizens. Perhaps there is still a chance to save even more people from dying if Americans are willing to pay attention to what is happening. I hope that Americans take the time to see this important and compelling film about the greatest tragedy of our times.