The Uncondemned
On Tuesday January 31st, The Uncondemned was shown at the Hippodrome, with a Skype Q&A with the director after the film. Co-directed by Michele Mitchell and Nick Louvel, The Uncondemned is a 2016 documentary which examines the first trial to prosecute rape as both a war crime and act of genocide, in the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide. Though the 1919 War Crimes Commission listed rape as a crime of war after World War I, rape had never been prosecuted as a genocidal act primarily because the attention to murders typically takes precedence. Still, as the film points out, that the prosecution of rape as a war crime and act of genocide had never been pursued has meant survivors of rape in conflict have consistently been refused justice.
The Uncondemned traces the story of how the charge of rape as a war crime came to be used in the prosecution of Jean-Paul Akayesu, a former mayor of Taba commune in Rwanda. The United Nations investigation of Akayesu focused primarily on murders which occurred under his supervision, but a few key investigators also made sure to collect testimonies of rape. Still, the testimonies were not prioritized, including testimonies from male sexual assault survivors, and were often incomplete. It was not until the trial against Akayesu had already begun that a witness informed prosecutors that she had seen rapes being committed at the mayor’s compound. Other witnesses came forward and the charges against Akayesu were amended to include rape as a genocidal act. The bravery of the witnesses in testifying was paramount in achieving Akayesu’s conviction, particularly since one witness’s family was murdered leading up to the trial and witnesses are still harassed in their communities as of the time the film was made.
Though The Uncondemned only premiered for one night at The Hippodrome, we are hoping to make it available through UF’s library system as soon as possible. In the meantime, a trailer of the film is available, as well as co-Director Michele Mitchell’s Ted Talk regarding the film.