Beyond the Gates (DVD)

Fox Home Entertainment

Grade - A

The film, “Beyond the Gates,” is based on the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.  Although the main characters are partially fictionalized, the back-story is true and several survivors and family members of the victims were include in the making of the film.

After watching the film I had to take a step back and spend a moment alone thinking about the implications of the film. Within the movie, there is a BBC film crew who are asked to film what is going on at the school where several Tutsis were seeking refuge.  The character Joe Connor stated something like, people will know it’s real if they see it on TV.  Basically, if they don’t see what is happening they will not believe what is happening.  I thought to myself while watching, that this film was done in such a way that it too makes it real for people.  Sadly, many people (myself included) do not feel impacted by stories we hear as much as TV and movies impact us. 

“Beyond the Gates” is not for the faint of heart.  It’s gruesome and tragically sad.  It is filmed in such a way that you get to know the characters and as much as you can hope for a happy-ending, it’s not reality.  The film that I viewed was the “clean language” version and the absence of foul language did not diminish the impact of the film. 

The DVD was released mid-September and included on the DVD is a behind the scene view of the making of the film.  “Beyond the Gates” is a film that invokes many emotions. It will challenge you to think about the world from the point of view of those who are oppressed and treated like animals in a contemporary world where the Internet and wireless phones give us more pleasure than that of helping others.  Overall it reminded me of the horrific sinful nature of man.

For more information on the film go to www.beyondthegatesdvd.com. 

Ken W.