Lee Isaac Chung "MUNYURANGABO"
Anthology Film Archives
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An exquisite, deeply moving feature from Korean-American filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung, developed and shot in Rwanda as part of a filmmaking class Chung taught there. MUNYURANGABO paints a sensitive, patient portrayal of Ngabo and Sangwa, two friends of different ethnic backgrounds, struggling with the legacy of the genocide that devastated their country. In the midst of a journey whose goal is revealed only gradually, the two stop for several days at the home Sangwa left years ago. Faced with the hatred harbored by Sangwa's father towards the Tutsi, their friendship is threatened by the sorrow, anger, and guilt inherited from their forebears. Observing the painful and difficult process of coming to terms with this burden, Chung and his cast of non-actors convey the enduring tragedy of the Rwandan genocide while expressing a measure of hope in the capacity of individuals to overcome the obstacles standing in the way of reconciliation.
"Chung, a Korean-American based in New York, has crafted a remarkable debut that is set, shot and completely immersed in rural Rwanda. Surprisingly African in theme and sensibility, this film is nothing short of a marvel. ... Crafted with dramatic precision and deep humanity, MUNYURANGABO rises to a stunning plea for reconciliation, delivered by a poet the boys meet along the way. There is no shocking violence here, just the dilemmas of two teenaged boys. But those dilemmas resonate across history, and offer a rare insight into Rwanda on an intimate scale." -Cameron Bailey, TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
"Like a bolt out of the blue, Chung achieves an astonishing and thoroughly masterful debut with MUNYURANGABO, which is - by several light years - the finest and truest film yet on the moral and emotional repercussions of the 15-year-old genocide that wracked Rwanda." -Robert Koehler, VARIETY
Director Lee Isaac Chung and writer/co-producer Samuel Anderson will be here in person on Friday and Saturday, May 29 & 30
Media
Schedule
from May 29, 2009 to June 04, 2009
Friday, May 29 through Thursday, June 4 at 7:00 & 9:00 nightly. Additional screenings on Saturday and Sunday at 3:00 & 5:00.