Andrew Berends, the director of five documentary films and most recently a cameraman on the Oscar-winning “Free Solo,” has died.Berends spent his career making films that illuminated underreported aspects of various international conflicts, particularly in Africa.
His 2012 film “Delta Boys” covered an evolving battle over the oil-rich regions of Nigeria.
In 2015, his film “Madina’s Dream” highlighted the story of a young girl caught in the ongoing aftermath of the Sudanese civil war.Prior to the premiere of “Madina’s Dream” at the SXSW Film Festival, Berends wrote to IndieWire: “I want the SXSW audience to be saddened and outraged by what’s happening in the Nuba Mountains.
I want people to be uplifted by the magic of the region, and the spirit and beauty of girls like Madina.
I want them to leave the theater with the awareness that the war is continuing with children under threat at this very moment.
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