“A Long Way Gone Movie ” is a memoir written by Ishmael Beah, detailing his experiences as a child soldier during the Sierra Leone Civil War.” The memoir itself gained significant attention and critical acclaim for its powerful narrative about survival, redemption, and the horrors of war.
A Long Way Gone Movie Details
- Genre: Short Drama
- Release Date: 2014
- Country/Origin: United States
- Language: None
- Filming Locations: USA
- Production Company: Lion Attack
A Long Way Gone Movie Summary
Ishmael Beah’s 2007 memoir, A Long Way Gone, narrates his experience as a child recruited into armed conflict. Set in Sierra Leone in 1993, when Beah was twelve, the rebels known as the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) attacked Beah’s hometown, Mogbwemo. The RUF was a military group intent on overthrowing the government. What would it feel like to fall asleep and never wake up again? What if you were unaware you were asleep? This surreal portrait follows a lost soul navigating ghostly landscapes in search of shelter from a vicious storm.
A Long Way Gone Movie’s Main Characters
1-Ishmael Beah
At the beginning of the book, Ishmael is a young boy whose parents are separated and who loves performing rap with his elder brother and friends. After armed forces attack his home village, he, his brother, and his friends are left orphans and wander around seeking shelter. Ishmael is eventually claimed as a child soldier for the Sierra Leone Armed Forces at age 13.
After being rescued by UNICEF at 16, he is rehabilitated and begins to live with his uncle Tommy. While there, he is recruited to travel to the United States to speak at a United Nations event about child soldiers. Returning to Freetown after his speaking event, he eventually returned to the United States. After a while, he could forgive himself and love once again.
2-Junior Beah
Ishmael’s older brother by one year. He is eventually separated from Ishmael during the attack on the village of Kamator, which was the town they were taking refuge in.
3- Alhaji
One of Ishmael’s closest friends. Alhaji was part of the group of boys from Mattru Jong that Ishmael met in the wilderness. Alhaji and Ishmael formed a close bond during their years as soldiers and were part of the same squad. Alhaji was nicknamed “Little Rambo” for his combat skills, which the film heavily influenced. Alhaji and Ishmael were eventually taken by UNICEF and put into a rehabilitation shelter in Freetown. He moved from foster home to foster home following the events of the book.
4- Uncle Tommy
Ishmael’s Uncle. Uncle Tommy is a carpenter with three kids and a wife, all of whom welcome Ishmael as their new brother. They all love Ishmael irrevocably and unconditionally. Uncle Tommy and his wife are the only ones who know about Ishmael’s past. However, they forgive him and take him in as their son right away. Ishmael truly feels like he belongs when he is with them. Uncle Tommy later dies of sickness.
5-Talloi, Gibrilla, Kaloko, and Khalilou
Ishmael’s initial traveling companions. Talloi is Junior’s friend and follows them to Mattru Jong for the contest. The three meet up with old friends, Gibrilla, Kaloko, and Khalilou there. They escape the attack of Mattru Jong by RUF forces but are later split apart by another attack in a different village. Ishmael found Kaloko hiding as well, but Beah subsequently left him once he grew tired of hiding, and Kaloko was unwilling to follow him. It is unknown what happened to the four boys.
6- Mohamed
Ishmael’s best friend from his home village, whom Ishmael is reunited with at the UNICEF rehabilitation center, where Ishmael has already been for several months,. Mohamed was meant to go with Ishmael to the talent show at the beginning of the story but had to stay behind to help his father work.
7-Mambu
Another child soldier with the Sierra Leone Armed Forces. Mambu and Ishmael meet at the shelter for the first time. They became close friends. He later goes back to the front lines after his family rejects him.
A Long Way Gone Movie Director And Writer
1: Writer: Austin Will
Austin Will is known for Hard Disk (2021), Long Way Gone (2014) and Country Story (2011).
Director: Zachary Simms
A Long Way Gone Movie Summary
A Long Way Gone (2007) is a story of how, as a little fellow in Sierra Leone, the creator ended up trapped in a nationwide conflict and selected as a kid soldier. You’ll travel alongside him during his harrowing journey, with his eventual rescue and recovery guided by the kindness and grace of loving people.
A Long Way Gone Movie Trailer
A Long Way Gone Movie Where to Watch
You can watch the movie on the following platforms:
TVGuide.com, Amazon Prime Video
A Long Way Gone Movie Review
“A Long Way Gone Movie” is a strong and suggestive film that does equity to Ishmael Beah’s frightening story. It is a demonstration of the strength of the human soul and the chance for reclamation even in the haziest of times. This film is a must-look for those looking for an unfiltered look at the effect of battle on youngsters and the expectation of a superior future.
FAQ’S
What is the message of A Long Way Gone?
The message of A Long Way Gone is that war is never too far away. Civil wars, specifically in Sierra Leone, preyed on vulnerable orphans. Faith, family, and strength allowed these young boys to seek refuge and find a better life after the war.
Does the book “A Long Way Gone” have a movie?
Accounts of child soldiers in Sierra Leone have been made, with both the book A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier and the movie Ezra telling the story of a Sierra Leonean child soldier.
How old is Ishmael in A Long Way Gone?
In A Long Way Gone Movie, Beah, now twenty-six years old, tells a riveting story. At the age of twelve, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence.
Is A Long Way Gone a true story?
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier is a 2007 memoir written by Ishmael Beah, an author from Sierra Leone.
What is the irony in the A Long Way Gone movie?
Ishmael is trained to be a soldier and given a steady supply of drugs to make him feel invincible. By the time UNICEF saves him from the Sierra Leone Army, Ishmael has been transformed into a dangerous killer. This is situational irony because the group that is supposed to protect Ishmael is the one that destroyed him.
What is the main problem in A Long Way Gone?
These conflicts include Ishmael running away from the war, his family, and his friends; Ishmael’s entire family dying and him becoming a soldier at the age of 13; Ishmael going through rehabilitation; and Ishmael trying to move to a safer area when war meets Freetown.
Did A Long Way Gone win any awards?
A 2008 Alex Award winner
Is there a movie about Ismael Beah?
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
Is A Long Way Gone fictional?
A Long Way Gone Movie is the true story of Ishmael Beah, who becomes an unwilling boy soldier during a civil war in Sierra Leone.
