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The Redemption Of General Butt Naked

Sundance Institute and Film Festival

One of the warlords who terrorized Liberia during the country’s 14-year civil war was a man who called himself “General Butt Naked." He ran a brigade of child soldiers – most of whom he’d kidnapped and taught to rape, cannibalize and torture.

After the war, a group of evangelical Christians reached out to the former warlords. General Butt Naked was among those who converted. He now travels the country as a preacher, under the name Joshua Blahyi, asking forgiveness from his victims.

Filmmakers Danielle Anastasion and Eric Strauss spent five years following Blahyi around Liberia. They wondered whether a man like that could ever truly be reformed. And the answers they found are far from clear.

More stories from KUOW Presents, Thursday, April 11: