The Good Lie turns nightmare into 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, which had its world premiere last month at the Toronto International Film Festival,tells the story offour Sudanese refugees who find new life in the United States.

• VIDEO|EmmanuelJaland GerDuanyon The Good Lie

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

ForJal, who witnessed his mother's death at thehands of government forces, and could fire a gun before he was 10, telling the story to a broader audience is a dream come true.

"The movie is our story, he told CBC News during aan interview at TIFF. "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."

• RAW VIDEO | Reese Witherspoonon fact-checkingTheGoodLie

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.

The Good Lie opens in theatres this weekend.