Movie review: 'War/Dance'

"It is difficult for people to believe our story," 14-year-old Dominic says at the beginning of this enormously emotional and spirit-raising documentary. Winner of the documentary directing award at Sundance, "War/Dance" (★★★½; rated PG-13) is as irresistible as the African music on its soundtrack. It's a fantasy set in real life, and, like all great fantasies, its moments of light are set against a backdrop of darkness. The setting in this case is northern Uganda, where a terrifying group called the Lord's Resistance Army has been in rebellion for two decades and members of the Acholi tribe live in camps under military protection. Music and dance are so important in Uganda that it hosts an annual National Music Competition among the country's 20,000 schools. In 2005 students in the Patongo refugee camp -- largely war orphans or children once kidnapped to serve in the rebel army -- headed to the capital of Kampala to compete in the nationals. The remarkable thing about "War/Dance" is the restorative effect singing and dancing has on these understandably somber young people. Win, lose or draw, as Dominic says, "We are going to show them that we are giants." (Opens today at Lagoon Cinema, Mpls.) KENNETH TURAN, LOS ANGELES TIMES