Lost Boys of Sudan (NR, 2003)

THE LOST BOYS OF SUDAN starts with wrenching narration about Sudan's civil war. So many boys have been orphaned by the violence that the group has acquired a name -- the Lost Boys. Two Lost Boys, Santino and Peter, travel to Texas as part of a resettlement program. Young men who have never seen an electric stove before must now struggle with the labyrinthine details of American life -- taking a driver's test, getting a receipt for the rent, asking a girl for her phone number. Santino gets a factory job. Peter moves to Kansas and attends high school. But even as they settle in, their sense of isolation is palpable. "This place there is no friend here," Santino says. Although most people are well-meaning, real connection is rare. The boys find themselves estranged from their own culture as well. The lure of comparative wealth is powerful, and they debate whether they should stay or return home to help their people.

The immigrant experience is quintessentially American, and this sensitive, powerful documentary shows it in rare detail and with rare honesty. The directors' skill makes it feel as if the camera isn't there; we simply live Peter and Santino's lives with them. When a classmate interviews Peter for the school paper, the rift between her naive questions and the tragedy of his life is staggering. Finally he puts her off with a gentle comment that "explanation is difficult." By the end, many things about the boys' lives are still unsettled. But the film has done what the interview could not -- made explanation, and even understanding, possible. This remarkable movie should be on your must-see list.