'Beats of Antonov' and the Music of a Sudan in Crisis

In October 2012, hajooj kuka was documenting the human rights crisis in Sudan when some of the youth at the Yusuf Batil refugee camp took him out to an old school.

There were two bands and a room full of young people dancing. That experience provided the inspiration for his new documentary, "Beats of the Antonov."

Sudan has been in constant turmoil and civil war since it achieved independence in 1965. Kuka's film focuses the people's response to struggle with music and art, and how that can uplift and bring a community together. 

The film premiers on the PBS series POV on Monday, August 3 at 10:00 P.M. Eastern Time, and it's available to stream online from August 4 to September 3 on PBS.

A image from the documentary "Beats of Antonov" showing women singing in the Blue Nile region of Sudan.

(Courtesy of hajooj kuka)

Sudanese people play instruments in the Blue Nile region.

(Courtesy of hajooj kuka)