Thursday 30 August 2012

Rwanda Genocide

This short film (5 minutes) was chosen today in order to bring regular readers up to speed for tomorrow's interview with Rwandan filmmaker, Annette Uwizeye. 

1994. The genocide. We saw the headlines, even if we didn't bother with the fine print. Lots of trouble, lots of bad news. That was then, this is now.

Today things have changed in Rwanda. There is a mood of hope, and a determination to heal the land and bring a lasting reconciliation to all the people who live there.

The fledgling film industry in Rwanda is playing a part, telling the story of renewal and hope. 

Today the bad news, tomorrow the good news. Thanks for watching.



2 comments:

Kathy said...

This is a very powerful movie. For once the use of writing works.
I'm a bit worried about its propaganda aspect as no mention is made of the horrific revenge taken when power was reversed.

Tomas Vandas said...

Kathy, to which "horrific revenge" do you refer?

As was so overwhelmingly reported at the time, 2 million+ refugees fled across the borders (many to the Congo) immediately after the genocide out of fear of reprisal. What wasn't as widely reported was that in 1996 almost all of those refugees (in the Congo) safely returned to their homes, en mass, in 3 days.

Obviously nothing is ever black & white, but there has never been a suggestion of a horrific revenge. If anything, it is surprising at how tolerant the new government was...