The Rwandan genocide of 1994, in which a million people were slaughtered in three months, is widely recognized yet often misunderstood. This film seeks to challenge the narrative that frames the genocide as merely an instance of inter-ethnic violence in Africa, irrelevant to a wider, especially European, audience. It argues that the massacre of the Tutsis was not an outbreak of collective madness but the culmination of decades of planning, deeply entrenched in the legacies of European racism and colonialism.
By tracing the origins of the genocide back to 1959, the documentary exposes the sequence of events and mechanisms that led to the atrocities of 1994. It explores how ethnic divisions were deliberately created and manipulated, and how geopolitical rivalries, particularly between America and France, contributed to a global indifference that allowed Hutu extremists to prepare for the massacre openly. The film also delves into the role of societal manipulation and polarization in turning ordinary people against each other.
Featuring interviews with a range of key figures, including President Paul Kagame, survivors, perpetrators, experts, and diplomats who attempted to prevent the violence, this documentary presents a moving and thought-provoking investigation into one of the most devastating tragedies of our time.