*Sometimes in April*

*Sometimes in April* is a 2005 historical drama film directed by Raoul Peck. The narrative centers on the experiences of a Hutu family during and after the Rwandan genocide, interweaving personal tragedy with the international political failure to intervene. It premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival before its television broadcast on HBO. The film is noted for its unflinching portrayal of the atrocities and its critique of the roles played by the United Nations, the United States, and France.

Plot

The story follows Augustin Muganza, a Hutu officer in the Rwandan Armed Forces, and his Tutsi wife, Jeanne Mukandori, as the genocide begins following the assassination of President Juvénal Habyarimana. While Augustin is complicit with the Hutu Power regime, his brother, Honoré Butera, is a propagandist for the incendiary radio station Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines. The plot alternates between the chaos of 1994 and 2004, where Augustin, now a teacher, travels to Arusha to testify at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda against his brother, while also searching for his children who survived the killings at the Nyanza massacre.

Cast

Idris Elba portrays the lead role of Augustin Muganza, with Oris Erhuero playing his brother, Honoré Butera. Carole Karemera appears as Jeanne Mukandori, and Pamela Nomvete plays Martine, Augustin's lover in the aftermath. Key supporting roles include Fraser James as Lionel, a BBC journalist, Noah Emmerich as US State Department official William Bach, and DeRay Davis as Jay, an American soldier. Rwandan actors Cleophas Kabasita and Ruth Nirere portray Augustin's children, while Jean-Baptiste Karegeya appears as a Rwandan Patriotic Front commander.

Production

Director Raoul Peck, who had previously examined political violence in *Lumumba*, developed the film to provide a counter-narrative to *Hotel Rwanda*. Principal photography took place in Kigali and the surrounding Rwandan countryside, utilizing many actual genocide sites. The production was a co-operative effort between Velvet Film, Rue Royale Films, and HBO Films, with significant involvement from the Rwandan government and survivors' organizations. Peck conducted extensive research, incorporating details from the Gersony Report and testimonies from the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

Release and reception

The film premiered on January 17, 2005, at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and was broadcast on HBO later that year. It was also screened at the Berlin International Film Festival and the Carthage Film Festival. Critical reception praised the film's historical accuracy and powerful performances, particularly that of Idris Elba, though some noted its challenging, non-linear structure. It was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Made for Television Movie and won the Humanitas Prize. The film sparked renewed discussion about the international community's inaction, often being analyzed alongside documentaries like *Ghosts of Rwanda*.

Historical context and themes

The film is set against the meticulously documented events of the Rwandan genocide, which occurred from April to July 1994. It explicitly references the role of Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines in inciting violence, the failure of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda under Roméo Dallaire, and the controversial policies of the Clinton Administration. A central theme is the dissection of ethnic division, exploring how colonial policies under Belgium and the post-independence politics of Grégoire Kayibanda and Juvénal Habyarimana cultivated the genocide's ideology. The film also examines themes of guilt, complicity, and the long journey toward justice and reconciliation, as embodied by the work of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the national Gacaca court system.

Category:2005 films Category:American films Category:French films Category:Rwandan films Category:HBO original films