The Dateline Sunday episode “Kidnapped, a Dateline Survivor Story” tells the story of Canadian journalist Amanda Lindhout. She and Australian photojournalist Nigel Brennan were kidnapped by rebels in Somalia in August 2008. She was held captive for 15 months while her mother, Lorinda Stewart, negotiated with the kidnappers to save her daughter. She was released in November 2009. Both Lindhout and Stewart are interviewed by NBC News correspondent Kate Snow.
When Lindhout returned to Canada, she founded the Global Enrichment Foundation (GEF) which offers university scholarships to women in Somalia. Two years after her release, Lindhout returned to Somalia with a large convoy carrying food aid for 14,000 people in Somalia. Her trip was documented by CBC’s The National and titled Return to Africa. She also wrote A House in the Sky: A Memoir which was optioned to become a film starring Oscar-nominated actress Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Social Network, Carol) as Lindhout. Lindhout told Variety: “Rooney Mara is someone whose talent and adventurous spirit I admire deeply. I’m thrilled that she’s teaming with Annapurna Pictures to bring ‘A House in the Sky’ to the screen. I can’t imagine a better match.” Note: Mara is an Oxfam ambassador who has traveled to South Sudan (see photos below). Dateline NBC airs Sundays at 7pm.
