Liberation Day

A film about the genocide in Rwanda, made by a 28-year-old Korean-American and entirely spoken in the local Kinyarwanda language – everyone will agree after seeing Liberation Day that such an unlikely combination can lead to very beautiful things. Based on a script only nine pages long, Chung and his team developed the film as an aid project for war orphans and refugees. They largely form the (very strong) cast and crew of the film.
Ngabo and his friend Sangwa leave Kigali, the town where they live, to put something right from the past. On the way they stop at the parental home of Sangwa, who hasn’t been there for three years. His mother is delighted, but his father is still angry at his son for staying away so long. Sangwa wants to change their plans and stay longer with his parents, but Ngabo wants to carry on. He’s determined to complete his original mission. When Sangwa’s father however finds out that Ngabo is from a different tribe, the friendship between the two boys is put under even more pressure.
Chung made a self assured, natural film. He only allowed himself a few stylistic interventions that are therefore more prominent and only serve to make the film more powerful. Liberation Day is undoubtedly one of the best films – if not the best then certainly the most refined – about the genocide in Rwanda.

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