What Happened Next - (Sudan)

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Sociopolitical Documentary hosted by Eric Campbell, published by ABC broadcasted as part of ABC Foreign Correspondent series in 2010 - English narration

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What Happened Next? Broadcast: 12/10/2010 Reporter: Eric Campbell

It was unimaginable. A horrifying onslaught of deadly violence, bloody mayhem and then an exodus of children. Many of them infants.

“We left as the sun reddened and dropped and we directed ourselves to the desert. We had been told by the villagers that we were close to Ethiopia, that all that was left was to cross the desert, that in a week’s time we would find the end of Sudan.The dying began on the fifth day.” ‘WHAT IS THE WHAT’

Thousands of children walking across a desert for well over a thousand kilometres. Many wouldn’t survive. Those who did became known as The Lost Boys. Valentino Deng was one of them and how he survived the dangers of the trek - human and wild – and the physical and psychological scars and bruises of his ordeal is nothing short of miraculous.

“I turned around and could see the soldiers, kneeling in the grass of the riverbank, shooting at us as we crossed. A scream came from very close. I turned to see a boy in the jaws of a crocodile. The river bloomed red and the boy’s face disappeared.” ‘WHAT IS THE WHAT’

What’s also extraordinary is how and in what form Deng’s story managed to reach a much wider world. The Lost Boy had managed to escape the trauma and entrenched divisions of his homeland for the United States. It was there he met author Dave Eggers who was being feted by readers and critics as a breakthrough new literary voice thanks to the spectacular success of his book ‘A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius’.

The pair collaborated for four years and the result was a fictionalised account called ‘What is The What’ in which Eggers draws directly from Deng’s thoughts , encounters and experiences but tells it within the framework of a novel. There was criticism but overwhelmingly there applause.

“The story of the lost boys and Valentino’s story in particular, just hadn’t been told. This is war that you know claimed over two million lives and we knew almost nothing about it.” DAVE EGGERS - AUTHOR

‘What is The What?’ became a publishing sensation. Deng suddenly found himself in the company of Presidents and Hollywood A-listers. Movie deals were in the wind. But what happened next … ?

Neither author not subject could have imagined it and not too many know. Until now.