Roger Ebert named Alrick Brown's Kinyarwanda on his Top 11 Films of 2011 list, along with other choices such as Tree of Life, A Separation and Shame. Ebert said that Borwn's film shook him "deeply" and that it is a film of "great emotional impact."

He was so taken by the film that he has invited the film to be presented at his 13th annual Ebertfest Film Festival which will take place at the Virginia Theater in Champaign Illinois from April 27- May 1st 2012.