Through My Eyes: A Film About Rwandan Youth

Ten years after Rwanda exploded in an ethnic genocidal rage that took the lives of an estimated 800,000 people in 100 days, Through My Eyes asks how well the nation's youth (using the U.N.'s definition of ages 15-24, many of whom are orphans) are dealing with the aftermath. Kavila Matu's documentary focuses on surviving Rwandan youth who express past horrors through theatre, music, art, and dance (younger victims are also profiled, including a 14-year-old girl who is head of a household consisting of just her two younger siblings). Although many young people actually took part in the killings, the emphasis here is on creative efforts to forgive, heal, and work towards a brighter future in Rwanda (the desire for education is very strong, from the street kids who wish they could go to school, to the rural children whose classes are conducted under acacia trees with a paper-sized slate serving as their blackboard). Moving and thought-provoking, this is highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (R. Reagan)