A feature length documentary about 23 year old Liberian child rights activist, Kimmie Weeks, and his return journey home to Liberia after 6 years exile in the USA. A personal and moving journey against a backdrop of two countries pulling themselves out of war: Sierra Leone and Liberia.
About
“Kimmie” gives an intimate portrait of Kimmie Weeks; leaving the security of America where he spent formative years, and heading back to the unknown of Liberia. A journey that takes courage in facing his fears; both physical and emotional. Since this film was finished Kimmie has gone on to win various youth leadership awards and is known internationally as a peacemaker. The film was shot by Adam Jeppesen, a Danish photographer with an amazing eye for detail and it takes the viewer into life in Sierra Leone and Liberia focusing on the colours and textures just as much as the privations and struggle. Kimmie was just 10 years old when he fled, with his mother, to a makeshift camp outside Liberia’s capital Monrovia. There he nearly died from malnutrition, malaria and yellow fever. He vowed that, if he survived, he would dedicate his life to protecting children. He did survive and kept his word.
When he was 17 he wrote an article about the government’s use of children as soldiers. He was asked to retract it but refused and then followed various attempts on his life. Disguised as a dancer he fled Liberia to Ivory Coast and eventually was given asylum in the USA. 5 years later, following the fall of Charles Taylor, he set off back to Liberia. He was still very nervous and the journey was one of reflection, lost money, chaos and resolution. As well as getting to know Kimmie and following him on his journey back to where he and his mother had almost died, we see some of the conditions for children in post conflict Liberia and Sierra Leone.
