Árvores da Paz (Trees of Peace) is a film inspired by true events that took place in April 1994, during the genocide committed in Rwanda by the Hutu community against the Tutsi community. The plot revolves around Annick, a Hutu woman who shelters three different women – Peyton, Muteshi and Jeanette – during the terrible attacks. They all take refuge in the food storage cellar of her kitchen. Annick's husband, a Hutu named François, confidently assures them that everything will be fine with the UN's intervention and promises his wife that he will one day return to rescue them all. However, the days pass and help does not come. The women find themselves shut in an underground storeroom that opens only from the outside. Through a small window, they watch the Hutu men committing heinous crimes, and strive to survive the deadly terror of the war they are witnessing.
The film, shot entirely in the confined space of the underground storeroom, sends a chill through us with what happens to the characters. It becomes an agonising waiting game, not only for those women but also for the viewers. The constant question of whether they will manage to survive consumes us until the end.
Directed by Alanna Brown, the film features superb performances from Ella Cannon as Peyton, Bola Koleosho as Muteshi, Charmaine Bingwa as Jeanette, Eliane Umuhire as Annick and Tongayi Chirisa as François.
With a running time of 1 hour and 38 minutes, the film exposes us to the emotional and mental damage caused by murder and armed conflict. It is a disturbing tale of survival that chills anyone who watches it. Available on the Netflix streaming platform, the film provides a valuable perspective on the history of Rwanda, perhaps known to few.
