In an unspecified African country, idealistic lawyer Emma decides to defend a war criminal allegedly responsible for killing masses of people. The commander of the rebel forces—who claims to have been a child solider—is clearly psychologically disturbed. When preparing for the trial, Emma’s curiosity leads her to want to succeed in her client’s defense, though he will almost certainly get a death sentence. But an incredible secret awaits her. Eye of the Storm is the first sensational film representing Burkina Faso for some time. The script meticulously divulges the issues and corruption surrounding child soldiers, one of the most contentious and intense issues in Africa. Director Sékou Traoré actually said it is about “justice and the issues of boy soldiers around the world, including Africa.” There are nearly 15,000 child soldiers today, mostly in Africa, but governments do nothing about this. Traoré realistically portrays the tragic lives of boy soldiers through the commander, while criticizing corruption in Africa, with scenes of the incarcerated commander that were filmed in an actual Burkina Faso prison. Eye of the Storm won multiple awards at FESPACO. (RHEE Soue-won)