by Allan Tong for FILMbutton

Rebels attack a poor village somewhere in Africa and force 12-year-old Komona to shoot her parents in cold blood. The rebels force her into their child army where they regularly beat her and teach her to fire an AK-47.  After drinking “magic milk” Komona sees her dead parents, who warn her that danger lies ahead. Komona escapes a bloody firefight and falls in love with  fellow soldier, Magicien (Serge Kanyinda).  But life is harsh in Africa, and the lovers are re-captured and Komona becomes impregnated by the savage rebel leader.  Can she ever escape with her baby?

Rebelle is Kim Nguyen’s amazing and heartbreaking odyssey.  It’s not based on a specific country or war, but represents many African nations and conflicts.  Too many.  The life of a child soldier is grim, violent and short.  They suffer horror after horror.  Nguyen tells Rebelle (War Witch in English-speaking countries) through Komona’s eyes, beautifully portrayed by Rachel Mwanza who won the best actress award at last year’s Berlin Film Festival.  Komona is talking to her unborn baby, and the film’s use of magic realism make her holocaust a little more palatable without sacrificing any integrity.

Rebelle is vivid like a war documentary yet lyrical like a fairy tale.  It is an achievement, all the more so given that Nguyen, a Vietnamese-Canadian from Quebec, is far removed from Africa.

Rebelle is playing as part of Canada’s Top Ten Films of 2012 at Toronto’s TIFF Bell Lightbox.  Details.

Allan is a Toronto filmmaker, co-directing Leone Stars, a documentary about child victims of the Sierra Leonean civil war.  He is also Content Editor for FILMbutton.