Never Again is Again: Stand Up Against Genocide in Africa

Had the chance to see a longer cut of the film that I’ve been following along with for the last few years–and the one for which the first Never Again is Again event raised money.

The director warned stood humbly before us and explained that what we were about to see was sort of like being let into someone’s house before they have the chance to hide the mess in the closet and tidy things up.

The verdict? It’s got class. One thing that has always struck me is that this is not a violent film. It effectively portrays the awful events leading up to and during the genocide, but it does so stylishly, so that it is impactful but not gaudy or unwatchable by a wide audience.

It is aesthetically beautiful, and is a pleasure on the eyes to watch. Not perfect (what is?), but they captured what looks like an absolutely beautiful country. It’s so obvious, too, that this is also a story of love. The love of the main character for his wife (and vice-versa), the love of the Rwandese for their country–and probably, the love of the director for the people, the place, and the story.

It’s a great project; I think the whole team should be really proud of what they’ve accomplished before. This is the result of local, homegrown talent, and of dreams and convictions that start and finish with Rwanda. I hope that you all get the chance to see it at some point.

- sara