“Kassim the Dream” Airs TONIGHT!

Ouma’s story is one worth watching

At an age when most children are starting first grade and playing with crayons, boxer Kassim Ouma was forced to become a child soldier and shoot real guns. Not exactly “child’s play.”

I have seen the riveting film “Kassim the Dream” a couple times now and I encourage you to catch the cable broadcast TONIGHT on the Sundance Channel at 8 p.m. (ET/PT), also airing Tuesday 1:50 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

Kidnapped at age six by the NRA rebel army, this is Ouma’s intense and heartbreaking true life story. The middleweight, by way of East Africa and Florida, is now living and training in Southern California. Stay tuned for a future column as I caught up with the Ugandan-born fighter who has managed to leave this tragic life behind him while he continues to fight in the boxing ring–not in the war zone.

The former IBF and WBO NABO titlist was last seen in the ring on January 16 of this year when he faced off against Vanes Martirosyan. In his career, he has scored victories over Sechew Powell, Roman Karmazin, Verno Phillips, Carlos Bojorquez and Marco Antonio Rubio, to name a few. Next up for the southpaw is Joey Gilbert, who he’ll take on in Reno on September 25.

And while he has had to leave his homeland and beloved family members behind, Kassim can never forget those early years in the war where he was made to maim, torture and kill innocent people. This award-winning film by Kief Davidson, which was a big hit on the 2009 film festival circuit, does an admirable job of weaving scenes from Ouma’s recent successes in America along with the nightmare memories from the past that Ouma faces on a daily basis.

As the reel begins, the young man is seen explaining, “Boxing is my therapy; it has gotten me through a lot of stuff that happened in my life.”

And the “stuff” that has happened in his life is stuff that would have surely destroyed most people. War. Torture. Murder. The haunting images play out in his head but he has somehow risen from his fate to make something worthwhile out of his life.

When the story unfolds, the viewer may be expecting a complete downer; a dark and depressing tale. While it is a stark and brutally honest, it’s also a story of hope. The filmmaker blends the shocking tragedies with scenes of optimism and change too. The thumping soundtrack and the village scenes immerse you into the African culture in this entertaining and thought-provoking film.

In a captivating portrayal, Ouma himself lets us see him at his most vulnerable, which ironically only lends to his strength and resolve to succeed.

During his years as a tiny soldier forced to kill, Ouma found solace in many ways. He explains he’s been smoking since age seven to cope with the atrocities he was forced to take part in during the war. And he also found solace in boxing. At age 15, he was an amateur champ and while traveling with the team defected to the United States. He had a 62-3 record as an amateur. After turning professional, he has fought to a 26-7-1 and 16 KOs ledger.

Win or lose, Kassim Ouma has already proved he’s a true warrior by facing his demons head on–and through his success in the boxing world–conquering the enemies that stole his childhood. Again, the middleweight could have easily chosen to live a bitter, destructive life. But the Ouma showcased in the documentary is often funny, thoughtful, kind, gentle and upbeat. He is even shown helping other displaced soldiers back home the basics of boxing. The fighter has become a hero and role model to many. He’s also seen returning to his village as the community comes out to cheer him on with a hero’s welcome.

While the documentary is called “Kassim the Dream,” the 31-year-old has really lived through a nightmare. It’s an unbelievable story that you won’t forget. After seeing what he has gone through, you’ll definitely have a different opinion of him the next time you see Ouma step inside the ropes. For boxing fans, there are great behind the scenes footage of training and fights connected with the slugger’s bittersweet return to his home country where he is reunited with his grandmother and finds the grave of his father who was tragically killed.

You also get to see the boxer (and now a father himself) with his two sons as they engage in their daily routine. His little boy is very charming in their family scenes showing how Ouma strives to give his sons all the best that America offers, while still clinging to his Ugandan upbringing. We see scenes of him taking the kids shopping for the hippest clothes in town while in another scene, he offers the boys a tasty snack from his homeland–grasshoppers! The insects, actually bush crickets, were part of of the bare bones village diet that Kassim sustained himself on. It’s this duality of his two parallel lives that makes the movie so gripping.

It’s an excellent film; his story is riveting. In “Kassim the Dream,” you get to follow the boxer on his emotional journey. You will find yourself rooting for the fighter. How he overcame such a personal tragedy is the telling of one man’s fortitude, strength and will.

Having come so far in his journey, he is lucky to be alive. He is a survivor.

While the killing fields will always be part of his past, he is currently now training and living in sunny SoCal for his September 25 battle.

For this former child soldier, Kassim really is now living the dream.

Photos courtesy of Kassim Ouma/”Kassim the Dream”