The documentary was shown at the Kigali Genocide Memorial on April 8, 2025. It revisits Rwanda’s history, with a particular focus on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Albine Noella Ishimwe told IGIHE that there are parts of this history that are hard to comprehend, but they offer important lessons nonetheless.

“There was a scene from Gacaca courts where a genocide survivor was sitting side by side with the person who had killed their loved ones. I told my friends, ‘That’s something I personally could never do.’ But the fact that our parents were able to do this is a sign of strength and not being defeated by history, that alone is a powerful lesson,” she said.

Erick Mutabazi said that having access to documentary films about Rwanda’s past is a rare opportunity for young people, as it allows them to learn and reflect on how to preserve the truth.

“As youth, in our mission to build peace, we need to meet each other, educate each other, visit memorials and other places to learn more about our history. We’re a large group here today, but many others couldn’t make it. For those of us who came, we have a responsibility to go out and share with others what we saw today,” he said.

More than 600 young people who attended the screening of the documentary film “Beyond the Genocide”

Israel’s Ambassador to Rwanda, Einat Weiss, said what happened in Rwanda is deeply painful, but she is moved to see Rwandan youth so eager to learn about and preserve their history.

She noted that while her own country experienced the Holocaust, what stands out about Rwandan youth is how they own the history as their own, rather than viewing it as something that happened only to their parents.

“Since yesterday, I’ve been watching how deeply people are moved by these stories. And most of them were born after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. What surprised me is that the genocide is not just a story told to them by their parents, it’s something they carry, something they live with,” she said.

Zion Mukasa Matovu Sulaiman, the filmmaker, said the idea to make the documentary came from looking at what happened 31 years ago and how far Rwanda has come in rebuilding, a journey the world should learn from.

“These people didn’t have money. The Inkotanyi who came to stop the genocide didn’t come with wealth. It means they took on responsibility, set aside the pain they had endured and vowed to take on a duty to rebuild this country,” he said.

Zion Mukasa Matovu Sulaiman, the filmmaker, said the idea to make the documentary came from looking at what happened 31 years ago.

Israel’s Ambassador to Rwanda, Einat Weiss, said what happened in Rwanda is deeply painful.

The documentary was shown at the Kigali Genocide Memorial on April 8, 2025.