From 1977-1992, Mozambique was embroiled in an absolutely brutal civil war between the socialist government, and right-wing terrorists, bent on bringing down the state. It is at the height of the war that we are introduced to Nelio, a young boy whose village has been razed to the ground by the terrorists. He is taken as a child soldier, but when ordered to kill his little brother, he kills one of the rebels instead and makes his escape to the city. Nelio soon finds himself the leader of a gang of street children, and earns a reputation for himself as a healer who is able to bring the dead back to life. Despite being a Mozambican co-production, Nelio's Story was made by a crew mostly consisting of Swedes and Portuguese, and the novel it was based on was written by a famous Swedish crime writer. Because of this, Nelio's Story often finds itself victim to the western gaze, and an unhealthy dose of orientalism. Africa is dirty, Africa is poor, Africa is full of witch doctors, and bongo music, pretty standard stuff. I am not dismissing this as a bad movie, because it actually is quite good, Nordlund certainly knows how to put together a good looking and well-crafted film, but it is obvious that she is out of her element.
Sérgio Titos, who plays the titular character, gives a stirring and emotionally charged performance. One genuinely believes he is living through the horror on screen, and his face expresses a wisdom that seems beyond his years. This is one of the most rousing performances I have seen given by a child actor, and is really the lynchpin that holds this film together. After watching this one, I find myself only more excited to delve into the films made by actual Mozambican directors.
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