141 minutes / Color
Release: 1997
Copyright: 1996
Fifty years after the Holocaust, the world allowed another genocide to take place, this time in Rwanda. In April, 1994 the international community, including the U.S., sat by and watched as 800,000 Tutsi men, women and children were massacred. The killings took place under the eyes of UN peacekeepers. Today, Rwanda remains torn by ethnic killings.
Shot over three years, CHRONICLE OF A GENOCIDE FORETOLD follows several Rwandans before, during, and after the genocide. The film, on one tape, is in three parts:
Part 1: "Blood was flowing like a river"
Part 2: "We were cowards"
Part 3: "We felt betrayed"
"A powerful film… rich in both narrative and imaginative photography. The almost lyrical quality of the cinematography, backed by Rwandan music, captures some of the beauty and culture of Rwanda against which the unfolding atrocities stand out sharply…CHRONICLE OF A GENOCIDE FORETOLD contributes to our understanding of Rwandan history and politics and the wider context of genocide studies, and the role of international organizations and non-intervention. This film will repay use by academics, students, and Africanists in general, as well as policy makers and all concerned to study the tragedy of Rwanda and to ensure that similar events do not recur."- Peter Limb, University of Western Australia, for H-AfriLitCine
"The most powerful thing I have seen on television in ages."- Yves Rousseau, 24 Images
"Highly recommended! Powerful and gripping... the accounts are rendered with a sad yet controlled dignity. An excellent tool for teaching social justice and making the public aware of contemporary human rights issues and violations."- Catholic Library World
"A vast, moving mural of outrage and horror; never underestimating the enduring power of human hatred, CHRONICLE still leaves room for justice, even reconciliation."- Human Rights Watch Film Festival
Select Accolades
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An unprecedented feat in international law: the dictator of Chad, Hissein Habre, is brought to trial.
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A different perspective on the Rwandan massacres derived from study of historical relations between the Tutsi and Hutu.
Luc de Heusch and Kathleen de Béthune | 1996 | 60 minutes | Color
