Pray The Devil Back To Hell

72mins/ 2008/ Liberia/ Dir. Gini Reticker

The remarkable story of the courageous Liberian women who came together to end a bloody civil war and bring peace to their shattered country.

Thousands of women — ordinary mothers, grandmothers, aunts and daughters, both Christian and Muslim — came together to pray for peace and then staged a silent protest outside of the Presidential Palace. Armed only with white T-shirts and the courage of their convictions, they demanded a resolution to the country’s civil war. Their actions were a critical element in bringing about a agreement during the stalled peace talks.

A story of sacrifice, unity and transcendence, Pray the Devil Back to Hell honors the strength and perseverance of the women of Liberia. It is a compelling testimony of how grassroots activism can alter the history of nations.

Best Documentary (Tribeca Film Festival 2008)

‘Inspiring, enraging’ New York Times

Plus discussion: Women, Protest & Unity

Sian Jones was an active member of the Greenham Common protests and has been organizing Aldermaston Women’s Peace Camp and Campaign since 1985.

Kate Nustedt, joined Women for Women International as UK Executive Director in May 2009. She is an experienced global campaigner and has run high profile campaigns on social justice, women’s rights, anti-poverty and environmental issues. Kate was part of the Labour Party campaign team that won the landslide general election in 1997, and she has since managed campaigns and communications teams at Greenpeace, ActionAid and the Royal National Institute for Deaf People.

Chitra Nagarajan is a lifelong activist for gender equality, working to promote and protect the human rights of women in China, the United Kingdom, the United States and countries in West Africa.  She currently works in the West Africa programme of International Alert, as well as engages in feminist activism in the UK through setting up the black feminist network, re-starting the consciousness raising movement and organising the annual Feminism in London activist conferences, which this year will be held on 23rd October and feature a panel on the global women’s movement.

Marie-Claire Faray-Kele is a research Scientist and Human rights Activist and Vice-president of the UK section of the Women International League for Peace and Freedom; where she coordinates the Voices of African Women Campaign and work on UN SC RES 1325. She is also a Spoke person for Common Cause UK, a platform of Congolese women in the UK.