There is a growing popular awareness of child soldiers through films such as
Blood Diamond and the personal memoir of a boy soldier in Ishmael Beah's
A Long Way Gone, which has been on the New York Times' bestseller list for over a year. This has primed an American public interested to hear more real-life stories of child soldiers. And, because the Maoists have been labeled a terrorist group by the US government, this documentary will attract attention of both conservative and liberal viewers interested in the global "War on Terror." This is one of a small number of documentaries that reveals how children voluntarily become part of U.S.-labeled 'terrorist' groups.
Nepal is sandwiched between the two of the 21st centuries emerging superpowers: China and India, and as such, Nepal's fate has consequences on a global scale. This film, therefore, has appeal to anyone interested in politics, economics, and the exploitation and abuse of children.
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In particular, this film will appeal to Asian American viewers, who are the most highly educated ethnic group in the U.S, according to a 2006 U.S. Census Bureau report. Although Asian Americans have the highest disposable income of any ethnic group in our country, they have been underserved in the media.
Another anticipated audience for this film includes college educated individuals with a background in liberal arts, Asian studies, history or political science. The irony of using U.S. tax dollars to educate and promote democracy abroad should be apparent today and raises the question of whether we should be meddling in other countries affairs given that the results cannot always be predicted.
There is already be a strong interest among anthropologists, humanitarian workers, international health workers, and individuals working on international child rights.
While the outreach goals for the film include conferences and events targeted toward human rights professionals and child welfare advocates, it is also important to reach a broader audience. With this in mind, we have already edited a 30-minute version that will be screened at Docufest in Atlanta in August. It will also be shown at the Society for Visual Anthropology's annual Film Festival in November, where it won the 'Best Student Film' award. We have submitted the 30-minute version to four other film festivals and have lined up several speaking engagements including Emory University and the University of Millersville.