The Stairway To Heaven Leads Nowhere

The lost boys of Sudan is a documentary filmed viewing the lives of several refugees of the Dinka Tribe of South Sudan. The documentary centers around the two Dinka boys, Peter Dut and Santino Chour and then conflicts they face within Sudan, and in America where they migrate to. Due to the civil war of Sudan, there was a huge amount of killing through invasions of North Sudan. People who had survived from the genocide were forced to migrate, fleeing into the refugee camp in Ethiopia. Along the journey to the refugee camp, many other Dinka children encountered one another and had grouped up to take their journey to the camps together. The journey to the Refugee camps however was not pleasant, many Dinka boys were killed by lions, or had fallen due to exhaustion and hunger. The crossing of Gilo River had ended up with the deaths of many Dinka boys, some due to their incapability to swim, some eaten by sharks, and others shot. Finally, the refugee camp in Kakuma Kenya was the final destination for the Dinka boys where they remain today, some to be transferred into America to start new lives.

Having experienced the slaughter of his whole family, Peter Dut talks of his past experiences within South Sudan. Having to be one of the Dinka boys who were forced to migrate and end up in Kakuma. Peter and Santino, both lost boys are given the chance to go to America and start new lives there however they wish it to be. Before taking the life changing trip, an orientation speech is made, stating never to forget the Dinka culture, not to become brainwashed by the lifestyles of some people of America. Unsure about the outside world, away from Africa, Peter and Santino are culture shocked. They view the trip to America as if it were the pathway to heaven. The lost boys who are given the chance to go to America have no experience with items we may seem to be of no importance. Having stepped out of how their normal styles of living were, the Dinka boys are surprised to be able to provide food for themselves whenever they want. The transfer from forced migration into a relaxed lifestyle was a huge impact towards the lost boys. At first, Peter, Santino and all the other Dinka boys view America to be a place like heaven. Life's easier in America, there is no limited amount of rations, and they would be able to do whatever they wanted. Santino starts his life in Houston Texas successfully by applying and getting into a job. The money he earns from his work, he uses to pay his bills. However, as Peter realizes that he had come to America for education and not to just enjoy living there, he leaves Santino along with the other Dinka boys in Houston, and goes to Kansas where he wishes for a more diverse life.

As Peter manages to get into highschool, he makes friends and does well in school. However, where Santino lives, he gets robbed in his own house, he encounters many racial terms, and he is unsure of how everything works in America. Life is hard for Santino, and he is very independent. He is the only one with a job who works to pay his bills. As the lost boys spent more and more time in the foreign country, the more and more they forgot about their own culture. They had started to pick up the tone of voice, different words and phrases they'd hear others say and use them in their own sentences. As Santino continues to live his hard life along with the other Sudanese people in Houston, Peter continues to attempt at pursuing what he had come to America for. Peter while attempting to make things better for himself is also trying to help the people who depend on him at the Refugee camps as he is America. There is an incredible amount of pressure on Peter, as while there is an incredible amount of stress on Santino. The pathway to heaven and lead the Lost boys into a harder and individual lifestyle.