Described by Göteborg (Sweden) festival organizers as a deftly directed debut from Rwandan filmmaker Joel Karekezi, Imbabazi: The Pardon follows two good friends in the same village, who find themselves on opposing sides in the Rwandan genocide in 1994. Manzi is elevated to the position of local leader and is unable to withstand the peer pressure when the genocide begins. He kills Karemara's father and younger brother. After a long bout of illness, Karemara has managed to make a new start in the city with his wife and children, but when Manzi is released from prison after 15 years, Karemara begins to plot his revenge. The film intercuts between present day and the time just before and during the genocide.

A 2011 Durban FilmMart (DFM) alum (where it was awarded the CineMart Rotterdam Lab Award), Imbabazi: the Pardon was produced with support from Göteborg International Film Festival Fund, and it's at the Swedish film festival where it premiered last month.

For those at the Pan African Film Festival in LA, it's screening there today as well.

It continues its festival travels

Watch the trailer below: