Every so often, a truly great soul comes along in life. These are people who seem to be imbued with love, kindness and generosity. Goodness flows from them all the time, wherever they are, in whatever they do. We all know many good people, but these great souls stand out above all others. Some of us may have met one or two such people in our lives. Others of us have heard or read about one or more such people. But whether we have known such a person, or read a story, or heard a tale, or seen a movie, we are moved and inspired by them.
"Bakhita" is a story of such a person. It is a story about freedom, love, unselfishness and sacrifice. It also gives a picture of the cruelty and inhumanity of the slave trade prevalent in northern Africa in the 19th century. The film is inspired by the story of a Black Sudanese girl who was kidnapped and sold as a slave, and who later became a Catholic nun in Italy.
Bahkita was born around 1869 in the Darfur region of Sudan. She was kidnapped by Arab slave traders at age nine, and suffered frequent beatings and torture. At age 14 she was sold to an Italian official who took her to Italy two years later. She was given to a friend to care for his daughter, and three years later she entered a school in Venice that was run by an order of nuns. At age 21 she was baptized and three years later entered the convent. She took religious vows in 1896, and worked the rest of her life in convents in Italy. She died in 1947, and in 2000 was canonized a saint by Pope John Paul II.
This excellent film is a highly fictionalized version of her story. But the message of Bakhita's great love and care for others is beautifully portrayed. The cast, setting, direction and all aspects of the film are excellent. It's an inspiring story about the great freedom found in unselfishness and the power of love to change hearts, minds and lives.
