James' Journey to Jerusalem: An African Film for the Whole Family

I haven't generally found African films to be family-friendly, if only because they usually deal with the many heavy, painful issues common on that continent. However, Zeitgeist Films has produced a lovely film that I was happy to be able to watch with my children.

James' Journey to Jerusalem follows the story of a young Christian man from Africa, James (played by the handsome and talented Siyabonga Melongisi Shibe). James is sent to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage--Zion--by his Christian village. The film opens on James' face as he gazes raptly at a poster of the city of Jerusalem.

Unfortunately, it seems Israel doesn't believe that a strong young man could possibly be trying to enter the country for a pilgrimage, and he is soon cooling his heels in a jail cell, awaiting deportation, having never seen the Holy City. That night, though a "messiah" arrives having bribed the guard, picks James out of the crowd in the cell, and takes him to his new home with other migrant workers (but still not in Jerusalem).

We soon discover, though that the "messiah" is merely a sneaky businessman, taking advantage of foreigners and their ignorance and naivete. The longer James stays in Israel, the greater grows his disillusionment with the land and the people of Israel. His idealistic notions of the Holy Land and it's inhabitants are toppled one after another, as are his high ethical standards as he struggles to make it in what he thought was a utopia. Viewers will feel their hearts sink each time he steps away from his high goal and as he learns that he can not be a "frayer", can no longer cling to mistaken ideals that allow others to take advantage of him.

It is sad to see the sweet, soft heart of a good man gradually grow harder because of the consistent mistreatment by others and the difficulty of making a living. I was particularly touched by this aspect of the film because I have watched my own husband lose his idealistic vision of America after coming here, in much the same way.

Inhabitants of both Israel and America often seem to have the false idea that immigrants and foreigners (particularly those from Africa) are stupid and ignorant. The hurt in James' eyes as he encountered this attitude was the same that I have seen many times in the eyes of my own East African husband. Perhaps this is why the film touched me so deeply.

James' Journey is a beautiful film with excellent actors and will capture the heart of any viewer. It shows both the beautiful and the ugly in a land that is so important to so many people world-wide, as it focuses on the life of one migrant worker.