Image Icon Entertainment (IIE): What are your duties as producer for The Devil Came on Horseback ?

Gretchen Wallace: Well, the film was made in association with Global Grassroots, which is the charitable arm of the production. I have been primarily responsible for spearheading the issue-based focus of the film, coordinating local and national groups to use the movie as a tool for social change and move the issue of Darfur further along.

 

IIE: How long has this project been coming together? How did it all begin?

GW: It really began with Brian deciding to resign from his role as a military observer with the African Union in February of 2005. We had had a number of conversations about images he was capturing on his own camera, and what he was generally aware of in terms of what was going on. A lot of information was not available, some of it was classified.

So [Brian and I] had conversations about who has the right to make genocide confidential. Since journalists had no access, we talked about the best ways about how to inform the world about what he was seeing. He wasn't so eager to come out in a public way and talk about it; he was essentially giving up the opportunity to have a job like that again.

We felt that film's ability to reach such a broad audience made it the best medium. We met in 2005 with the filmmakers [Annie Sundberg and Ricki Stern]. Very quickly, they saw that the real story was Brian himself: an all-American guy who didn't know what he was getting himself into, and having to make these really difficult moral decisions.

We were thrilled to find filmmakers who took a real interest in the matter. Brian and I went back to Chad in 2005, to help at the Darfur refugee camps that were there, and we had a cinematographer to accompany us there. Within weeks, we had the funds to bring everyone over, and we've been moving forward ever since then.

 

IIE: How have you enjoyed your time in the film industry?

GW: It's been a fascinating process. I've learned a significant amount. Through it all, I've become even more convinced that social issue films are an extremely powerful mobile mechanizing force for the public; it's an extremely effective tool for inspiring action.

There's been a level of action from individuals who simply saw the film. It's really exciting that this will be a film that gets out there because of the commitment of its audience.

 

IIE: Your background is in foreign affairs (a BA from UVA and an MBA from Dartmouth College ), and social entrepreneurship. You've done work in South Africa before. How does the content of this film strike a personal cord with you?

GW: For me, I've been very committed in helping women advance their lives with grassroots solutions. For my own exposure with poverty, conflict, sexual abuse, I have felt that the impact of crises like Darfur are obviously the greatest with women; women really bear the brunt of these sorts of conflicts.

I really wanted to put effort behind something that would raise interest in the issue. In Darfur, where rape is used extensively as a tool of war, as it was in Rwanda , I had not realized the long-term effects of rape and sexual abuse until I spent time there. I can only assume that it will be as bad, or worse, as Rwanda .

 

IIE: Brian Steidle, the military observer whom the documentary follows, is your brother. What was it like to know that he witnessed these events firsthand?

GW: We spoke often during it, and he shared with me a lot of what he was experiencing. We spoke very frequently via satellite telephone; he'd share things like being taken hostage, and some of it were some really horrifying things that he went through. Of course, my first and foremost thought was, “Is he safe?” When anyone witnesses this level of destruction, you worry about their safety.

It's a very difficult situation to be someone bearing witness in an environment where you have no control and no power to intervene. Emotionally, that can be a very difficult place to be in. We spent a lot of time about what his options were, how he could make a difference. He went through a great deal of frustration, anger, and grief over what he had seen. I had a lot of compassion for what he went through, he's an incredibly strong individual.

 

IIE: Darfur is an issue that is slowly becoming more recognizable and understood. What can the American viewing public do after seeing a film like The Devil Came on Horseback ? How can we help end the genocide in the Sudan ?

GW: There's a number of different things. You can immediately take action by reaching out to our elected leaders. We invite people to call 1-800-GENOCIDE, which is the simplest, easiest action you can do. You just type in your zip code and it will give you information about what's going on in legislative processes about Darfur, and by pressing 1, 2, 3, or 4, it will connect you with your congressman so you can demand a greater role in Darfur.

As well, on a very personal level, you can check your investments. Go to the SudanDivestment.org website and take a look to see if you own stock in anything that is funding the Darfur conflict, such as a company which purchases Sudan oil. We can certainly speak with our wallets. And encourage anyone who wants to learn more about the crisis to see the film, spread the word, read Brian's memoir of the same title, and use these materials to inspire others to take action.

 

IIE: How did your involvement as a military observer in Darfur begin?

Brian Steidle: I left the Marine Corps in 2003, and then worked a contracting job in Sudan . I heard about job opportunities in Darfur , and I headed over there to work with the African Union for six months.

 

IIE: How did The Devil Came On Horseback begin for you?

BS: Originally, it was just my sister and me. After returning to spread the word about Darfur , I started working on my book. I wanted to go back to Chad to do some filming about women in the refugee camps. We went through my sister's organization, hopefully to find some women to do social entrepreneurship programs. The producers came on board and wanted to see how they could help out. After that, it sort of became my story.

 

IIE: Why film? Why not op-eds or speeches?

BS: I originally chose book as a medium, and that was published in March of this year. We'll use any medium to tell the story, be it games, books, or film. We just wanted to tell the story any way possible.

 

IIE: What kind of conditions did you have to face during filming?

BS: We were shot at, held hostage. Those are all just parts of the job. The one time we were taken hostage by a group of villagers quite upset with the African Union, saying that we just come, take pictures of the dead, and leave. They wanted to steal our helicopter to search for people, but we convinced them that that wasn't their best option, that we were there to help. It was easy to talk our way out of it.

 

IIE: What can the Darfur genocide be compared to, in terms that Americans might understand a little better than a conflict going on half a world away?

BS: You can't compare it to anything. America 's never seen anything like that. Nothing.

 

IIE: What do you think of America and the world's involvement in Darfur so far?

BS: I think in the US there's a tremendous level of grassroots movement. I don't know how that compares to the rest of the world; I don't live in France or Italy . I do know that we have a movement in the states, but we need to put pressure to influence our government to make a difference on the ground.

There's been no difference in Darfur , and they're even suffering more than two years ago. They're living in camps, food can't get to them, they're starting to starve. It's a difficult situation.

 

IIE: How do you feel about the press and awards that The Devil Came on Horseback has earned so far?

BS: I don't care about any of that stuff. I just care about getting the word out further. If [the press] does that further, great; if it doesn't, I don't care. I want people to see the film, and motivate people to make a change.

 

IIE: What do you think the situation in Darfur would be without this film? How do you believe your film has helped to this point?

BS: I don't know about that. I think we've been able to inform a large number of people and give them the tools to try to make a difference. I don't know if someone else would have come out, there's no way to tell really.

 

To learn more about The Devil Came on Horseback , visit www.thedevilcameonhorseback.com. The film opens in New York City on July 25 th at the IFC center.