I'm deeply moved and very impressed by this film. It's no doubt the kind of film that sticks in your mind-you'll keep thinking about it for a VERY long time.
Raul Peck's 2005 film "Sometimes in April" takes place in Rwanda, during the Rwandan genocide, which went on for a hundred days. Nearly a million Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed. As the film's title tells us, the start of the genocide was in April 1994.
Having traveled in Rwanda myself, this is a film I've wanted to see for a long time, and it did not let me down!
In my opinion this film comes across as more realistic than the better-known and more Hollywoodized "Hotel Rwanda", which is more of a hero/love story. "Sometimes in April" gives a more honest description of how something like this can happen in the modern days. The film was shot at different locations in Rwanda, which contribute to make the film even more realistic. This is the real deal, the real story of what happened. At the same time, it's not so graphically violent that it's impossible to watch.
This is an important and necessary film. The fact that it's not over-brutalized makes it possible for more people to watch it. It's also very informative, for those who want to learn more about what happened outside of their doorstep!
The actors do a formidable job in making this film as realistic as can be. Carole Karemera immediately captured my heart as the Tutsi-woman, Jeanne, who is married to a Hutu-man. Idris Elba also does a great achievement as her very handsome husband, Augustan, who has a heart of gold. Of the more familiar faces, we find Debra Winger and Dan Barlow.
It's very hard to capture the real essence of this film; how people can turn around and become brutal murderers, and kill their friends and neighbors. That's why the film should have focused more on the background and the propaganda against the Tutsis, as this was the main tool to change the people and turn the country upside down. The film is also 140 minutes long, which can be a bit too much.
The film has beautiful music and images of the Rwandan nature. The first sentence in the film; "When did paradise become hell" gives a good description.
I watched the movie by myself on a rainy Wednesday night, and it was not just outside it was pouring down! If you start to cry it WILL make you cry till the end.
So maybe I do have more than just a general interest in the topic and I have a relationship to the country Rwanda, but I honestly think this is a film that everyone should watch.
Raul Peck's 2005 film "Sometimes in April" takes place in Rwanda, during the Rwandan genocide, which went on for a hundred days. Nearly a million Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed. As the film's title tells us, the start of the genocide was in April 1994.
Having traveled in Rwanda myself, this is a film I've wanted to see for a long time, and it did not let me down!
In my opinion this film comes across as more realistic than the better-known and more Hollywoodized "Hotel Rwanda", which is more of a hero/love story. "Sometimes in April" gives a more honest description of how something like this can happen in the modern days. The film was shot at different locations in Rwanda, which contribute to make the film even more realistic. This is the real deal, the real story of what happened. At the same time, it's not so graphically violent that it's impossible to watch.
This is an important and necessary film. The fact that it's not over-brutalized makes it possible for more people to watch it. It's also very informative, for those who want to learn more about what happened outside of their doorstep!
The actors do a formidable job in making this film as realistic as can be. Carole Karemera immediately captured my heart as the Tutsi-woman, Jeanne, who is married to a Hutu-man. Idris Elba also does a great achievement as her very handsome husband, Augustan, who has a heart of gold. Of the more familiar faces, we find Debra Winger and Dan Barlow.
It's very hard to capture the real essence of this film; how people can turn around and become brutal murderers, and kill their friends and neighbors. That's why the film should have focused more on the background and the propaganda against the Tutsis, as this was the main tool to change the people and turn the country upside down. The film is also 140 minutes long, which can be a bit too much.
The film has beautiful music and images of the Rwandan nature. The first sentence in the film; "When did paradise become hell" gives a good description.
I watched the movie by myself on a rainy Wednesday night, and it was not just outside it was pouring down! If you start to cry it WILL make you cry till the end.
So maybe I do have more than just a general interest in the topic and I have a relationship to the country Rwanda, but I honestly think this is a film that everyone should watch.