Piece Description

Part One: INNOCENT VOICES: In 1986 eleven year old Oscar Torres hugged his mother goodbye as she sent him off to the United States, literally to save his life. Oscar’s very next birthday would have made him eligible for conscription into either the government militia or the guerilla army, fighting a brutal civil war in El Salvador that raged from 1980 to 1992. Oscar then grew-up in relative safety and turned the nightmarish memories of his war torn childhood into a movie screenplay. A chance meeting with acclaimed, Mexican born film director, Luis Mandoki, launched a friendship and a recently released movie, Innocent Voices. Kathy Golden talks with director, Luis Mandoki and writer and principal character, Oscar Torres. Optional Cutaway Cue: “You’re listening to Voices of Our World" at 14:00. Part Two: INNOCENCE LOST: The movie, Innocent Voices, is far more about the issue of child soldiers than it is specifically about the Salvadoran civil war. Today about 300,000 children have been drafted into the turmoil of 33 current national civil wars. These children are serving as combatants, porters, sex slaves, decoys, spies and human landmine detectors. When director, Luis Mandoki had some difficulty getting his child actors to comprehend the gravity of their roles, he explained to them that they were making the film so that children might never become the pawns of war again. Kathy continues her discussion with Luis Mandoki and Oscar Torres. Then members of the audience give their comments on the film, Innocent Voices.