Sometimes in life, a story filled with hope emerges from the midst of violence and tragedy. War/Dance, a film by Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine, attests to this peculiar aspect of humanity and utilizes it as a theme from beginning to end.

A civil war has gripped northern Uganda for 20 years, killing over 20,000 people. Meanwhile, the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has kidnapped over 30,000 boys and forced them to become child soldiers. Entirely ignoring the political elements of the civil war, this documentary follows the journey of three children who live in a displaced persons camp called Patongo. In 2005, after months of training, their school group won the right to compete in Uganda’s prestigious National Music Competition. War/Dance is a beautifully composed film that captures audiences through its examination of the impact of music on children living in a war zone.

Caught in the conflict, many children have been forced to grow up too fast. Nancy, a 14-year-old girl whose father was brutally murdered by the LRA, must look after her younger siblings while her mother works in other camps to make money. Dominic, also 14, was abducted by the rebels when he was only nine years old. For two weeks they held him captive as a child soldier, and he still has not told his family that the army forced him to kill two people. The third child, Rose, is a 13-year-old orphan who blames herself for her parents’ deaths at the hands of the LRA.

War/Dance documents children who are damaged, but not broken. A professional musician who helped the school group train said, “Music is a big therapy in children’s lives.” The children find joy in the music, and the few times that the filmmakers catch them smiling occurs when they sing or perform their traditional dances. Dominic, in particular, takes pride in his xylophone and is determined to become the best xylophone player in all of northern Uganda.

Music gives the children a source of pride and confidence, something in short supply considering they have lived their entire lives in displacement camps. After performing in the competition, Nancy says, “In my heart, I am more than a child of war. I am talented. I am a musician.” Another girl adds, “In everything we do, if there’s music, our lives become good.” The music allows them to escape their worries, and the competition offers a unique chance for them to bring pride and honor to their Acholi tribe. Ugandans equate the national contest to a type of Olympics, and 20,000 students compete with their regional and tribal reputations at stake. The film’s finale encompasses the exciting, tension-filled moments of the competition.

Winner of the best documentary directing prize at Sundance Film Festival, War/Dance also offers a visually pleasing look at traditional Acholi culture. Their costumes stand in stark contrast to a sober background of the war torn country. Superb camerawork captures different elements of the Bwola dance, allowing viewers to witness everything from the audiences’ expressions to the children’s stomping feet to the colorful costumes and choreography. Unfortunately, the documentary lacks this same detailed focus on the history of the conflict in Uganda, which remains the one negative aspect of the film. Even a cursory explanation of the motivation behind the ongoing war would give an important perspective to the children’s stories. The determination of the filmmakers to present a poignant, positive tale prevents a closer examination of the violence, causing the film to entirely ignore the conflict that gave it life.

Still, this minor flaw does not distract from what was essentially a moving and powerful documentary. The capability of music to transform lives comes across clearly, as the children find refuge from the turmoil in their young lives. Audiences will be brought to tears by their stories, but the children will soon transmit their smiles to viewers as they sing and dance onscreen. Dominic says at one point that from the beginning he set out to prove that “even though we are from the war zone, we can do good things.” War/Dance constitutes one of many stories devoted to the triumph of the human spirit. In this case, excellent filmmaking and stunning imagery combine to create a remarkable examination of the beauty that can endure in a war zone.