My Neighbor, My Killer (2009) Online

Revisiting the Rwandan genocide trials, which applied the remarkable Rwandan traditional ideals of confrontation and then forgiveness to horrendous acts of violence, this film goes a step deeper, and is more emotional than Ms. Agion's laudable 'In Rwanda We Say…'. (I have yet to see the other two parts of her examination of this issue; 'Gacaca' and 'Notebooks of Memory' - but I hope to have the opportunity)

The film spends much of it's time examining how nearly impossible a task forgiveness was for the victims who saw their families slaughtered. As with 'In Rwanda We Say...' I found myself wishing for an even longer running time, so the film could have gone even further into the hearts and minds of those involved. But that minor quibble aside, there's no denying the power and complexity it does show.

Sadly, the films are not currently available for rental or sale, except at very high 'institutional and public screening' rates. That's a shame, since these are films that could touch many more people given the opportunity. Still, they have played on the Sundance Channel, and there seem to be occasional festival and educational screenings, so keep your eyes open for them.

I saw a screening of Anne Aghion's new documentary, My Neighbor, My Killer, when Anne Aghion actually showed up and gave a presentation. The movie is a beautiful and compelling documentary about how the country of Rwanda is forced to live with a killer. It goes between the Rwandan's point of view on the killer, and the killer's trial. As the movie goes in deeper with the trial, and what angle everyone else looks at the killer, it goes from compelling to compelling and beautiful. It becomes not only them deciding the killer's fate, but forgiveness. Can we just forgive people for one mistake? Doesn't everyone deserve a second chance? Is there room in these people's hearts to just say don't do that again? You start to wonder if these people actually have hatred in their heart, or do they just not want to admit they forgive the killer? All this comes together perfectly, sucking you in, and not disappointing at any point. The movie shows you stuff that people forget was even fact. It's much better than most documentaries on focusing on the subject than most of the documentaries today. It focuses on the subject without little bits of something not relevant. This is a beautiful and compelling movie, and a must-see.