Flower in the Gun Barrel (2008 film)

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[edit] Synopsis

Flower in the Gun Barrel is a documentary that focuses on the process of reconciliation and forgiveness in post genocide Rwanda. The film depicts both the current conditions in Rwanda as well as the build up to the genocide in 1994. It is unique in that it shows the complexities of average citizens as they attempt to forgive the neighbors who slaughtered their families. It's an incredible testament to what human beings are capable of. The topic of forgiveness - and the difficulty of coming to terms with those who have killed one's parents, sibblings, children and neighbors - is a universal theme that comes to life through the example of Rwanda.

To a large extent, the film consists of interviews with genocide survivors, many of them children in 1994. Through these interviews, the survivors discuss what it means to be a Rwandan living next door to the people who killed their families. They show how they deal with their country's request that they forgive one another and move on, so that Rwanda can rebuild and unify.

Perpetrators views are also highlighted in the film. They shed light on the madness that took hold of the culture in 1994 and talk about their experience apologizing to their victims. Additionally, they examine what it is like to be looked at as a murderer in their society.

In all, over thirty survivors, perpetrators, and experts were interviewed for the film.

According to Flower in the Gun Barrel, there were a series of events that led to the genocide. The colonization of Rwanda, first by the Germans and then the Belgians, led to a situation where the citizens of Rwanda were intentionally pit against one another. As a means of dividing and conquering, the Belgians took an economic distinction and turned it into an ethnic one. Previously, a Tutsi was defined as a Tutsi if he owned more than ten cows. A Hutu owned less than ten cows and usually worked in the fields. Creating an ethnic class and empowering the "Tutsi" (upper class), created hatred and jealousy between these newly imposed "tribes".

In 1959, the Belgians left Rwanda and the Hutu quickly took over the government. There were a series of battles between the Hutu and the Tutsi between '59 and '94. Tutsis would often take sanctuary in churches in order to survive. Knowing this, in 1994, the Hutu government forged partnerships with several Catholic Priests, Prefects, and Nuns, so this time no Tutsi could be saved. There were innumerable massacres in Churches and Convents ... sometimes officiated by the priests and nuns themselves. Indeed, in a country of seven million, one million were killed in one hundred days. The Hutu government succeeded in killing 75% of the Tutsi population.

After 100 days, the RPF stopped the fighting and a year later, over 100,000 perpetrators were in prison. This put an impossible strain on the economy and the judicial system. The new Rwandan government, led by both Tutsis and Hutus, responded by creating the Gacaca (translated as participative justice) court system. Previously, the Gacaca courts were used to settle domestic disputes and small crimes. Suddenly, the courts were asked to resolve issues of genocide and murder, an overwhelming task for untrained judges. Prisoners were told that if they admitted their crimes and apologized to their victims, they would be set free. This created a certain amount of doubt amongst the victims as to the level of contrition the perpetrators actually felt.

Nevertheless, the Rwandan government has appealed to both sides to forgive so that their children can grow up in a united country. They have rewritten the constitution so that the country is required to have a plurality of power between Hutu and Tutsi. There is a new national anthem calling for unity. The reality for most Rwandans is that this is a daily struggle. Hutus live ashamed of what they did, and Tutsis live trying to forgive, but with the bitter memory of what happened. It is this struggle that "Flower in the Gun Barrel" depicts.

"Flower in the Gun Barrel" is the first documentary feature by director Gabriel Cowan. The Rwandan community has invited the film to have a preview showing at their annual gathering in July, 2008.

It is produced by Amiee Clark and Monica Forouzesh and edited by Woo Tony Joun. The film is narrated by Martin Sheen.