TIFF turns nightmare into a dream for former child soldiers

Art does more than imitatelife for EmmanuelJaland Ger Duany. For the actorsand former child soldiersartstirs updark nightmares, and turns them into light thateveryone can see.

The creation in question is PhilippeFalardeau'sThe Good Lie.The based-in-real-life film made its world premiere Sunday at the Toronto International Film Festival,telling the story offour Sudanese refugees who find new life in the United States.

• VIDEO|EmmanuelJaland GerDuanyon The Good Lie
• RAW VIDEO| ReeseWitherspoon on fact-checking The Good Lie
• Big stars take on real-life characters at TIFF 2014

ReeseWitherspoonstars as the brash American woman who helps them build afresh start.

ForJal, who witnessed his mother's death at hands of government forces, and could fire a gun before he was 10, Sunday'sgala premiere was a like dream come true.

"The movie is our story, he told CBC News. "He [Duany] saw his home burn down. He became a child soldier in the process, I became a child soldier too.

"But the movie is no longer our story now. It's the story of a lot of people who got involved."

Witherspoon shines a light

Jal creditsWitherspoonfor bringing much-needed attention to the stories from his country's dark past, butthe 38-year-old Hollywoodactress credits himfor teaching her so much:

"Emmanuel was just amazing," she explained,on the film's red carpet. "He educated us, honestly.And we really changed a lot of the script because of the things that he said."

Learn more about Jaland Duany's experiences in the video above, and watch raw video from The Good Lie's red carpet premiere in Toronto.

Eli Glasner has the full story on Sunday's The National.

The Toronto International Film Festival runs through Sept. 14.