Last year, two Film Production grads – Angela Buhr and Mohamed A. Soliman – travelled to Uganda with OA Projects, with the support and sponsorship of VFS. They were there to document the organization’s efforts to help heal war-affected northern Uganda through the power of community-building and soccer. And with the World Cup in full swing – hosted, for the first time ever, on African soil – the game’s ability to lift up and unify an entire continent has never been more keenly felt.

One of the results of the OA trip was a 6-minute documentary film called David – an extremely personal and affecting look at the situation through the eyes of one young man. This year, David screened at the Al Jazeera International Documentary Film Festival, and we’re very happy to tell you now that David has won the festival’s Award for Best Short Film for Children and Family.

“We’re very proud of this documentary, which proves that film can make a change in people’s lives and we’re very thankful for all the support VFS has given us,” Angela tells us.

“It’s awesome for the story about David to be recognized by such a meaningful audience,” says OA Projects Founder and Director Gavin Hollett. “Not only does it acknowledge the importance of a youth-focused rebuilding process in northern Uganda, it also rewards our presentation of a positive, local perspective on the situation in northern Uganda.”

“In David, we simply tell a true, accurate, and meaningful story about a boy who has experienced terrible things during a conflict but is now involved in locally-driven peacebuilding activities that are having a positive impact on him.”

Watch David right here: