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Jeff Rutagengwa, Eric Ndorunkundiye, Jean Marie Vianney Nkurikiyinka, Jean Pierre Harerimana, Edouard B. Uwayo ... see more see more... , Narcicia Nyirabucyeye , Etienne Rugazora , Pierre Claver Kayitsinga

In a Kigali, Rwanda marketplace, local adolescent boy Munyurangabo and his friend, Sangwa, swipe a machete from a vendor and hit the road together. Each young man is haunted by the ghosts of past expe... read more read more...riences. Munyurangabo lost both parents to the Rwandan genocide and now embarks on a quest for swift justice; Sangwa left home years prior and longs to return. So begins director Lee Isaac Chung's feature Liberation Day. The two young men at the heart of the story commence a journey to Sangwa's home, where they remain for several days, but they must soon confront the reality of the racial and tribal differences between them: one is a Hutu, the other a Tutsi, and as Sangwa's parents remind their son, members of the two groups are never supposed to consort with one another -- making the boys' friendship highly inadvisable. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

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62% liked it

876 ratings

Critics

95% liked it

21 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 37 min.

Directed by: Lee Isaac Chung

Release Date: May 29, 2009

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DVD Release Date: October 6, 2009

Stats: 41 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (41)

  • gator681
    August 20, 2010
    gator681
    In "Munyurangabo," Ngabo(Jeff Rutagengwa) is mad at his friend Sangwa(Eric Ndorunkundiye) for spending their bus money, forcing them to hitchhike instead from Kigali. It turns out the money was for a dress shirt to impress his parents who he has not seen in three years. His mo... read morether(Narcicia Nyirabucyeye) is very happy to see her son but his father(Jean Marie Vianney Nkurikiyinka) is more than angry, saying that he wish his son had never been born. Things cool down as times are tough and the labor of the two men is needed in the fields. Regardless, Ngabo wants to move on because they have a man to kill, attested to by the machete he is carrying in his backpack.

    "Munyurangabo" is a compelling and deliberately paced look at Rwanda fifteen years after the genocide. It is interesting to see a new generation coming of age and how they are haunted by the mistakes and crimes of their parents' generation. While some seek revenge, others are left wondering what role their parents may have played in the atrocities. At the same time, the healing process that is necessary for the country to move forward is starting to unfold.
  • jam233
    October 4, 2009
    jam233
    A simple and beautiful film. The production is a bit crude, but the plot is so rich it doesn?t really matter. Well written, poignantly directed. Very well acted, believably told and striking images. Very memorable.

View All Munyurangabo Reviews

Critic Reviews

Tom Long
February 12, 2010
Tom Long, Detroit News

Munyurangabo may be a simple film with a straightforward message, but the details and conflicts Chung captures give it a reality that cannot be denied. Full Review

Roger Ebert
July 23, 2009
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

It is in every frame a beautiful and powerful film -- a masterpiece. Full Review

Walter V. Addiego
June 12, 2009
Walter V. Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle

Munyurangabo, a simple, naturalistic parable about a journey to the countryside by two young men, reflects on the chances of peace and reconciliation for survivors of Rwanda's bloody recent past. Full Review

Andrew O'Hehir
June 5, 2009
Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com

It's raw and rough, but beautifully photographed and classically constructed, with an undercurrent of awful tension and a lyrical sensibility. Full Review

A.O. Scott
May 29, 2009
A.O. Scott, New York Times

Munyurangabo uses the fine-grained techniques of cinematic neorealism to illuminate the psychological and emotional landscape of a still-traumatized place.

Nicolas Rapold
May 27, 2009
Nicolas Rapold, Village Voice

Without proselytizing, what's left in this machetes-to-ploughshares tale is, unexpectedly, a powerfully Christian film. Full Review

Jeffrey Overstreet
May 11, 2010
Jeffrey Overstreet, Looking Closer

Chung's film feels 'organic.' ... Rather than giving Western viewers a guilt trip by exploiting Rwanda's pain, he makes a movie by Rwanda for Rwanda. Full Review

Philip Martin
October 5, 2009
Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Compared to "Munyurangabo," admirable films like Terry George's "Hotel Rwanda" or Michael Caton-Jones' "Shooting Dogs" seem like so much heavy-handed melodrama. Full Review

Robert Roten
September 25, 2009
Robert Roten, Laramie Movie Scope

If you can get past the mercurial changes in emotions and the slow pace you'll find a film that has a lot to say about war and peace, hatred and love, revenge and reconciliation Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
September 19, 2009
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Poignant and authentically moving film. Full Review

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