100 Days
The main focus is on the genocide involving the Hutus and the Tutsis. HOWEVER, instead of being informative/formal there is twist to the telling of many deaths. The LOVE factor added a twist to the movie as director Nick Hughes attempts to pull away from the typical Rwandan documentary (not that documentaries aren’t important). There was a difference in atmosphere as Josette and Baptiste were two lovers standing out away from the turmoil while still in the turmoil. Their love is an innocence in life as they want to experience each other in all sorts of ways. Josette seems a little held back as Baptiste is really into her telling him that they have so much time for their love to flourish. It seems as though LOVE wants to give a break or a sense of security away from the actual reality of death. Although, in the end it is clearly seen as a clear wipe out of the Tutsi people. It is a genocide. It is massacre. It is DEATH.
Another significant aspect of the movie are the children. Everything seemed to be dedicated/done for the children, for the future. Many were taught to hate Tutsi because of smell (and other things), with this the deaths were acceptable because of what Hutu parents placed in their mindsets. Nick Hughes emphasizes the children as many of them suffered (Tutsi) because of the differences that ranged from smell to appearance. The children are seen with such intensity and strength in the movie from both sides. For example, those Hutu that watch their Tutsi friends die and believe it to be fine as they “deserve it.” On the side of perspective the kids(Tutsi) stand quite and usually just take whatever method of death is taken to them by Hutu. The kids that were to get burned in the chapel stood their and said nothing as they were to die. The importance of the children’s focus is that they are young and those that survive will remember whether they suffered deaths, or massacred other families (Tutsis specifically). The future is not guaranteed as much revenge, spite, and hate still grows in those Rwandans that suffered or want to bring about suffering because of their childhood experiences/loses.
3 comments:
Hi Ana!
I agree, the love aspect of the movie is almost a welcome change from other Rwandan genocide films. I feel like we all realize that some horrid things happened there, and that a film reiterating that awful fact might have become lost among other documentaries of the same sort. This one is set aside because there is a hope associated with the young love between Baptise and Josette. In this way, Nick Hughes almost guaranteed himself prestige amongst that elite group of films.
I agree also about the importance you placed on the children, but I wanted to recall the end scene with the waterfall. In your blog I think you are making the point that the hope for the future traditionally associated with images of children is somewhat lost in this film because of the pervasive death. I think this is true in the scene at the gas station, but I would argue that the final sequence of the film makes a different point. The scene at the waterfall where Josette gives up her baby clearly signifies, in the beginning, that the future cannot continue the way the past has been. This is shown by Josette herself, in her unwillingness to bring a child into the world that has so cruelly mistreated her. Even the water runs red with the rememberance of the blood spilled. But moments later, an innocent child picks up the baby and the water turns clear again. This signifies the real hope for the future. The boy has hope and a sense of right, and by saving the baby he has literally "turned the tide" back to the correct order of things.
Hi Ana –
I agree that adding the realistic / tangible relationship of two lovers in the film, gives it an entirely different perspective than we find in most other movies about this genocide. I also liked the idea that the director developed the relationship between Baptise and his friend to a certain extent, further developing the characters. Humanizing a de-humanizing event is important.
The children – what can I say? They were the victims and they were the heroes. They broke my heart and yet . .. those that survived (like the little boy who picked up Josette’s baby) are the future. My hope is that they will see Rwanda as a single, sovereign, independent nation of ONE people.
The children in this film were very strong and evoked the most emotion out of me because children are the ones who always suffer. I think scene at the end of the movie between the solider and the Tutsi little girl when the solider discovered the bodies is the strongest. She answers that her friend is suppose to be dead and she shows no remorse which is chilling. The genocide stole her innocence and that is something a child can never get back. She represents how easy it is to brainwash others and how it is easy for history to repeat itself.
Post a Comment