The Redemption of General Butt Naked (2011)

Tells the story of Joshua Milton Blahyi - aka General Butt Naked - a brutal warlord who murdered thousands during Liberia's horrific 14-year civil war. Today, the General has renounced his ... See full summary »

Directors:

Daniele Anastasion, Eric Strauss

Stars:

Joshua Milton Blahyi Jr., Janice Blahyi, Joshua Blahyi

3 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Joshua Milton Blahyi Jr.	...	Himself - Blahi's son
Janice Blahyi	...	Herself - Blahi's daughter
Joshua Blahyi	...	Himself (as Gen. Butt Naked)
Makayla Blahyi	...	Herself - Blahi's daughter
Josie Blalhyi	...	Herself - Blahyi's wife
Samuel K. Doe	...	Himself (archive footage)
Prince Yormi Johnson	...	Himself - former warlord
John Kun Kun	...	Himself (as Bishop John Kun Kun)

Storyline

Tells the story of Joshua Milton Blahyi - aka General Butt Naked - a brutal warlord who murdered thousands during Liberia's horrific 14-year civil war. Today, the General has renounced his violent past and reinvented himself as Evangelist Joshua Milton Blahyi. This portrait takes viewers on Joshua's crusade to redeem his past, as he confronts his victims and attempts to rehabilitate the former child soldiers who once fought for him. Whatever you make of him -- liar or madman, charlatan or genuine repentant -- the film challenges viewers to ask important questions about both the power and the limits of forgiveness, amid a nation's search for healing and justice.

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Genres:

Documentary | Biography | Drama | War

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA Georgia Liberia

Language:

English

Release Date:

January 2011 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pokuta Generala Golasa

Company Credits

Production Co:

part2 pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Excellent, but hard to watch

My problems with this film had absolutely nothing to do with the filmmakers who have done an excellent job of recording both an individual and a national story, not, I would think, without some risk, if only because they spent a a great deal of time with their subject in a country where he has good reason to be hated. Just below the surface of the story of the evangelist/former genocidal soldier General Butt Naked, lies the whole anguished story of numerous countries trying to recover from hideous tragedy by confronting the truth and even rendering some justice, but not so much that old wounds are torn open. Moral ambivalence is all over this film and it is very personal as the former General goes about seeking forgiveness from people to whom he or his have done unspeakable things. Do they really forgive him, or does the camera call forth a certain desire to play the role called for? The question lingers all through the meetings in question (some with people living with striking nobility in the most abject of circumstances). And the newly minted evangelist does do some admirable things and have some admirable effects, but his personal courage is also fitful and another question that necessarily lingers is the degree to which he has remained a wily manipulator. This was not an easy film to watch, not least because it keeps its sickening contradictions clearly in view. I'm glad I saw it, but I wouldn't want to watch many like it in a week or even a year.