Movie spotlight
100 Days
The film centers on a pair of young lovers; Bapiste is more than ready to have sex with his girlfriend Josette, but she refuses, arguing that when they are married they can have all the sex they would like. Meanwhile, powerful Hutu leaders have had enough of Tutsi rebels and call on all Hutus to kill their Tutsi neighbors. As chaos breaks out, the Tutsis flee and the lovers are separated. Josette and her family find solace in a Catholic church run by a sadistic priest. The Catholic Church, the state, and the French army look the other way as bloodshed ensues. Josette is taken as a "wife" by the priest and repeatedly raped. When the Belgian army sent in to protect the church is called away on an emergency, the Hutus attack and massacre hundreds of women and children. Josette miraculously survives, but she is only a husk of the woman that she was. As the Tutsis regroup, they exact terrible revenge.
Insights
Plot Summary
Set in South Africa during the Rwandan genocide, '100 Days' tells the story of a young woman named Khosi who is forced to flee her village and embark on a perilous journey. Along the way, she encounters various characters and faces immense hardship, all while grappling with the trauma of war and the loss of her loved ones. The film explores themes of survival, resilience, and the enduring power of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable brutality.
Critical Reception
While '100 Days' was a significant film for South African cinema, it received a mixed critical reception. Praised for its ambition and its attempt to address a difficult historical event, some critics found its narrative structure uneven and its emotional impact occasionally hampered by a lack of polish. Audiences, however, often responded to its powerful portrayal of personal struggle against a backdrop of national tragedy.
What Reviewers Say
Praised for its brave subject matter and strong performances, particularly from its lead.
Criticized by some for its pacing and occasional melodrama.
Seen as an important, albeit flawed, cinematic representation of a critical period in African history.
Google audience: Information regarding specific Google user reviews for '100 Days' is not readily available.
Fun Fact
The film was shot in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, chosen for its diverse landscapes that could evoke the ravaged terrain of a war-torn region.
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