Unlike most documentaries, "The Devil Came on Horseback" is rugged and unfeigned.  While the camera is shaky and the dialogue is unscripted, it is the first real depiction of what's really going on in Darfur, Sudan.  Creator Brian Steidle was sent to Sudan in 2005 to monitor a supposed ceasefire.  Armed with only a camera and his notebook, Steidle witnessed this century's worst mass atrocity so far.

After completing his stint in the Marines, Steidle wasn't sure what career path he wanted to take.  He said at the beginning of the film that he was open to anything. 

When he got a call from the U.S. government about an expedition as an observer in Darfur, his commitment wasn't a question.  Steidle admitted knowing nothing about the crisis at the time.  But after his first week in the war-torn region, Steidle knew something had to be done about this "Hell on Earth."
   
Most of the film is an amateur video account of Steidle's efforts in Darfur.  As an official military observer in civilian clothing, he traveled throughout the region interviewing internally displaced refugees and capturing the remains of burned villages on film. 

There are no stars in the film, only real people.  Steidle's interviews with the refugees are moving because they illustrate the war through victim eyes.

In the beginning, Steidle's reason for being in Darfur was simply to witness and report to the government.  But after coming upon a ravaged village of burned, beaten and raped bodies of children, his purpose changed. 

"If America knew what was really out here, our troops would be deployed within the hour," he said in the film.

But as Steidle and his audience come to realize throughout the documentary, the world seemed to ignore the situation. In the film, Steidle said he sent numerous messages to the United States via the African Union.  The U.S. government claimed only to have received three.

Steidle was not allowed to carry weapons under strict orders from the U.S. government and African Union.  He was also not permitted to carry out any sort of violence against the attackers.  After over a year serving as a witness to the destruction, Steidle decided to leave Sudan, promising the people of Darfur he would make their horror public in America.

Steidle gathered his footage and pictures together and presented it to the New York Times.  After consideration, Steidle agreed to let the newspaper publish some of his personal photos, creating a media whirlwind.  Steidle appeared on numerous talk shows, news programs and universities. 

Steidle heard numerous excuses and reasons why the United States doesn't want to get involved. Steidle exposed just how political politics really is.  But Steidle didn't get discouraged, he got infuriated. 

The documentary not only motivates citizen action, but it also teaches about the complicated reasons for the warfare in Darfur.  Because there are so many different groups and armies fighting in Sudan, it is often hard to report on current events from the region.  However Steidle does an exceptional job of explaining the details of the conflict in a visual language that viewers can understand.

Steidle is the "Everyman."  He's very relatable because he displays his fear and frustration.  His simple vernacular and genuine horror connect his audience with Darfur.  There are no stars in the film, only real people.  Steidle's interviews with the refugees are moving because they illustrate the war through victim eyes.  He shows children screaming in pain and parents crying quietly.  Although the language is different, the emotion is universal.  The sentiment of the film is raw, and the tears of both Steidle and his audience are real.

When Steidle was introduced as an American at a refugee camp, every Darfurian stood and applauded.  One older man talked openly with Steidle about how America is Darfur's only hope for survival and thanked Steidle for caring enough to speak with him.  With tears in his eyes, the man was ashamed he couldn't offer Steidle more than his story.  Steidle ended his interview and turned to the audience.

"Why should you care about Darfur?" Steidle asks his viewers.  "Because we are Americans.  Because we don't know this pain and have been blessed with safety.  Why should we care about these people?  Because they care about us."

Steidle's work is different because it does more than evoke emotion, it evokes action.  Steidle's passion for the Darfurian people transcends beyond the screen and into audiences' conscious.  He encourages viewers to write letters to congress and get the word out about Darfur. The film was shown at UT on Feb. 13.  More than 30 students attended and wrote letters to Senator Tim Burchett protesting the United States' absence in Darfur.