Beyond the Gates and Sometimes in April

People often ask me if I've seen Hotel Rwanda and if I can recommend any other movies about the genocide besides it. I've seen two other films that talk about the Rwandan genocide that I appreciate even more. (Though I still recommend seeing Hotel Rwanda as a starting point) Those other two movies are Beyond the Gates and Sometimes in April

Beyond the Gates

Beyond the Gates is a British film telling the story of a teacher and a priest who ministered in Rwanda and who chose not to evacuate as the genocide began. They take drastically different paths as the effects of the genocide ensue. What I appreciate so much about this movie is that it doesn't leave you with the "warm fuzzies" after seeing it. Paul Rusassebagina was a wonderful man, who saved so many peoples' lives, but after seeing Hotel Rwanda you feel a sense of closure and neatness to the whole story (Probably because this is a Hollywood produced film). However, in Beyond the Gates, you are left with more questions than answers at the end of the film which is a response more true to the genocide.

Please read the review from Rotten Tomatoes below for a good synopsis of the film:
Joe Connor has come to teach in Rwanda because he believes he can make a difference. When the school becomes a haven for thousands of Rwandans fleeing the genocide, Joe promises his brightest... Joe Connor has come to teach in Rwanda because he believes he can make a difference. When the school becomes a haven for thousands of Rwandans fleeing the genocide, Joe promises his brightest pupil, Marie, that the UN soldiers will protect her from the hordes of extremist militia baying for blood outside the school. But when the UN abandon the refugees, Joe and the school's headmaster, Father Christopher, face an agonising dilemma: should they leave or should they stand firm with the Rwandans. As the UN trucks force their way through the terrified refugees, Joe stares at the tear-stained face of Marie: what should he do? What would you do? Based on real events and filmed at the actual location where this story took place, Beyond the Gates is directed by Michael Caton-Jones and stars John Hurt and Hugh Dancy. It is an emotionally gripping, authentic and powerful recreation of a tragic real life story that took place during the Rwandan genocide in 1994. --© IFC Films

Sometimes in April

Sometimes in April is the story of two brothers and their very different response during and after the genocide. What I appreciate about this film is its portrayal of how wide reaching the genocide was in Rwandan society. It makes a point of portraying all who were involved in the genocide.

Please read the interesting synopsis from Rotten Tomatoes below:
HBO pushes the envelope once again with this dramatization of the brutal events that befell the citizens of Rwanda in April 1994. Director Raoul Peck shot the bulk of the picture in Rwanda, adding an incredible feeling of poignancy to his film by revisiting many of the sites where the unthinkable acts of genocide occurred. Peck focuses his cameras on two Hutu brothers, a military man and a DJ. The Hutu's were responsible for the estimated 800,000 deaths of their Tutsi countrymen during this period; the violence was sparked when Rwandan president Juvenal Habyarimana--also a Hutu--was killed after his plane was shot down on April 6th. As the gruesome events unfold, the two brothers lives are immeasurably changed in ways they never thought possible. Hard hitting and not afraid to depict many of the graphic scenes of violence that exploded across Rwanda during this dark chapter in Africa's history, SOMETIMES IN APRIL is a courageous, brave piece of filmmaking that stands alongside Terry George's HOTEL RWANDA as an important document of a tragic time.

If you want to understand more about the Rwandan genocide do watch Hotel Rwanda but then watch one of these lesser known films. Surely they will impact you.