The story is about the life of a boy named Gaby with the background of the Rwandan genocide back in 1993.
The director, Eric Barbier, brilliantly captures the contrast between just being a kid and a victim of a confrontation between two sides. Also the irony of slaughter in a heavenly beautiful country.
Rwanda post-French colonization is divided into two (Hutus and Tutsis), each tugging to be in power. Democracy is the system being left to be adopted by the locals, which is flawed and open for abuse. The peak is the blood-spilling genocide where the victorious inherit a land filled with the dead.
"In war, whichever side may call itself the victor, there are no winners, but all are losers." - Neville Chamberlain.
And the irony about democracy,
Palmyra then asked: 'What is "democracy"?’ 'Democracy', replied the Alchemist, 'simply mean the majority vote is right.' 'But what if they are wrong?!' Exclaimed Palmyra The Alchemist hesitated, then replied: 'Well, the truth is that right or wrong are not democratic. If something is right, then it's right, no matter how many vote against it.' 'But then something is very wrong with democracy!' Cried Palmyra.
The director puts one with the scene of Gaby carrying a bag with the Captain America logo on it.
The inherited generation is one that is scarred for life. Gaby returned home after his exit from Rwanda to find it is a relic of happy memories (greatly built prop)
His mother can be a metaphor for the motherland who is in trauma that will never be cured.
The arrogance of the ex-colonialist refers to himself as God. And there is an exchange between Gaby and his brother which goes something like this,
"Do you believe in God?" "No..." "Why?" "Because I am a Communist..."
Watch the trailer
