Trees of Peace Parent Guide

In 1994, the central African state of Rwanda seized the world’s attention with a horrifying bloodbath. After the death of the Rwandan president was blamed on the Tutsi minority, the majority Hutu population sought revenge. Primed by years of inflammatory propaganda, large numbers of Hutus grabbed their machetes and began slaughtering their neighbors. Over the next 100 days, the killing spree would leave 800,000 dead.

Trees of Peace opens in the early days of the genocide. The principal character is Annick Irakoze, a thoughtful, gentle woman, married to Francois, a teacher. Both are Hutus, but they are moderates and want no part in the killings. Determined to save his pregnant wife and unborn son, Francois lowers her into the tiny cellar beneath their kitchen. In the next few days, he brings three more women: Jeanette, a nun; Peyton, an American volunteer teacher; and Mutesi, a young Tutsi woman who “claims her anger like her name”. As the days unfold, the women grapple with logistical challenges, recoil from the violence they hear through their tiny window, and learn to work through their differences, while forging an unbreakable bond.

Given the violent historical context, parents and teachers who are considering this film for teenagers will be understandably concerned about levels of negative content. Thankfully, the setting mitigates against a gore-fest. Almost the entire film is shot in the cellar – a cube so small that the women can’t stand up straight. Through their window, they witness people being raped and murdered and overhear gruesome conversations about torture and death. This can be disturbing, but, frankly, if a movie about genocide isn’t upsetting, the filmmakers have done something wrong. With Trees of Peace, director Alanna Brown depicts the horrors of Rwandan history and the individual trauma in the women’s lives in a way that is honest without being explicit or gruesome. It’s a real achievement and makes the movie accessible to a broader audience.

Along with its moving story, the script provides both relevant warnings and uplifting messages that will hit home for viewers of any age or culture. First, the warnings. As social media continues to make our politics ever more polarized and toxic, Rwanda stands as a cautionary tale. Having consumed hate-filled, ethnocentric radio and television broadcasts, the Hutu killers in the massacre repeatedly refer to Tutsis as “cockroaches”. Denying the humanity of others is a common tactic in extremist political discourse and Rwanda reminds us of how deadly dehumanizing and stereotyping others can become.

Despite the darkness, Trees of Peace also carries messages of hope, forgiveness, and the power of female friendships. The women struggle in their confined spaces as they figure out sanitation, share inadequate food, and deal with each other’s emotional challenges. None of the women are perfect but Annick’s gentle kindness provides a safe place as they all work through the burdens they carry. There are powerful moments as the women empathize with one another, stop judging, and help each other persevere through the grueling physical and emotional experiences they share.

Trees of Peace is a film that will leave you appalled at the horrors that humans can inflict on each other. It will also give you a sense of awe for the resilience and power of the women in the story. And, it will not surprise you to know that it is female leadership that provided much of the guidance Rwanda needed as it healed from its horrible history and continues to rebuild for a new generation.