In a world dictated to and dominated by the selling of product it’s empowering to see ‘The Somnabulists’ a self financed film directed by Richard Jobson.
Enraged by our general apathy towards the war in Iraq the film is a dramatization of events inspired by the testimonies of British servicemen and women who were directly involved in the conflict in Basra.
Challenging and thought provoking it gives voice and life back to those that have lost theirs in the hope that we will waken from our slumbered acceptance of the untold damage and consequence of war.
Numbed by media saturated images and increasingly shocking content this film is simple, stark and bold in the message it conveys. As each ‘soldier’ talks about their experiences the camera glides into the lives that might have been and the people they left behind to paint a visual and emotional picture that remains with you long after the final harrowing scene.
As Jobson says ‘Like many people I was angered by the Iraq war and like most people did nothing about it. This is my response to that apathy. In the film although it appears that the speakers are the ghostly presence it is, in fact, we the audience who are the Somnambulists. It is us who were sleep walking in the build up to the war and its tragic aftermath.’

Meeting up with Richard Jobson I’ve been privileged to preview this film several times and I urge you all to go to
The World Premiere of THE SOMNAMBULISTS on Friday 14 October with additional screenings on Saturday 15 and Monday 17 October at the 55th BFI London Film Festival 2011

The Somnambulists ‘Trailer’ from Steven Sander on Vimeo.