In collaboration with Ishuri-Umuco, a cultural school established by Rwandans living in the city of Liège, journalist Hélène Annet and filmmaker Yvan Gorré, a journalist at the Belgian national television station RTBF, traveled to Rwanda with children from the Ishuri-Umuco school.
They were led by Eric Twagirimana, the school's founder and director, alongside his colleague Karurenzi Donatille.
While visiting Rwanda, they produced the documentary, showcasing the children's experiences, particularly regarding the history of the genocide and how their parents had lived through it.
It also highlighted how Rwanda has rebuilt itself. Donatille Karurenzi, a survivor from Kabgayi, shared her testimony, which added a unique perspective to the film by combining the children's conversations with her personal story.
The visual footage and music used in the documentary also contributed to its powerful impact.
Ishuri-Umuco was founded in late 2019 by Rwandans in the diaspora from DRB-Rugari Liège, who came together to provide solutions for their children and help them unite and preserve Rwandan culture.
The documentary, titled 'La Force des Racines' (translated as "The Strength of Roots"), was chosen from 19 other films to win the Journalism Prize 2024 at the Brussels Parliament.
The jury selected this 26-minute film due to its thoughtful and careful approach, which made it an excellent educational tool for young people to understand the history of the Genocide against the Tutsi and learn about Rwanda's progress today.
This award, presented by Speaker Benoit Dispa and other Belgian parliamentarians, journalists, researchers, and others, highlights the value of the media as a tool for education and advocacy for positive change. It also underscores the importance of living in peace.
Through the film, Hélène Annet and Yvan Gorré made a significant contribution to explaining the difficult experiences of Rwandans and encouraged young people to confront global issues like violence and discrimination.
Hélène Henet explained that the film was created to highlight the events of the Genocide against the Tutsi using the testimony of Donatille Karurenzi, who was 13 years old in 1994 and survived in Kabgayi.
'For us, it was essential to make this film to revisit the history of the Genocide against the Tutsi that happened 30 years ago in Rwanda.
'Even here in Europe, the seeds of hatred, violence, and denial continue to persist, sometimes in small ways. Our goal is to show that what happened in Rwanda can happen anywhere. It's a warning for the youth to be alert, understand history, respect one another, and avoid conflicts over differences like race, language, and origins,' she said.
Director Yvan Gorré explained that the documentary sought to highlight the historical ties between Belgium and Rwanda and stressed the relevance of learning from past mistakes.
'Some of these links are difficult,' he noted, 'but there is also a present and a diaspora here, including survivors living in Belgium. What was important for us was to exercise a right to memoryâ€"not as a passive view of history, but as a positive action,' he noted.
In an interview with IGIHE, Donatille Karurenzi expressed her joy about the award, noting how it would help further spread the film's impact.
Since its release, teachers and students in Belgium have been using the film in schools, occasionally inviting genocide survivors to share their testimonies for a deeper understanding.
She said, 'Beyond the award, we are grateful for the journey that led to the making of this documentary. It gave us the strength to continue teaching children about their country, its history, and the experiences their parents went through. That's why it's called 'La Force des Racines.''
This award is not just recognition but also honors those affected by and survivors of the Genocide against the Tutsi. It serves as a reminder to people around the world to build a better future based on peace and mutual support.
Eric Twagirimana, the director of Ishuri-Umuco de Liège, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the National Academy of Culture, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Rwanda National Police and the Ministry of Unity and Civic Engagement for their significant support in the journey that led to the creation of this film.
He also thanked everyone who contributed to making this project a success.
'I also want to thank the parents who work with us to teach our children about culture and all that comes with it in Liège. Keep it up!' he said.
Some of the photos of the children and parents from Ishuri-Umuco de Liège during their journey in Rwanda served as the inspiration for this documentary film
Karirima Aimable Ngarambe
