Europa, “Based on a True Story” (2019)

• 75%
• 2019
• Documentary
• Kivu Ruhorahoza

Rwandan director Kivu Ruhorahoza (Grey Matter, Things of the Aimless Wanderer) decides to film his new movie, A Tree Has Fallen, in London. It is to be a stylish drama about Simon, a mysterious Nigerian man (Oris Erhuero), who returns to London to make amends with Anna, his mixed-race lover (Lisa Moorish) and Bruce, Anna's white ex-husband (Matt Ray Brown). Progressively, this love triangle mirrors the increasing social and racial tensions in Great Britain and Europe. In parallel to his narrative fiction, Kivu documents these tensions by filming a series of rallies in the streets of London. But inevitably, the 'hostile environment' immigration policy of the ruling Conservative Party comes back to haunt the reunited lovers and to disrupt Kivu's filmmaking effort. Sensing that his London stay is coming to a forced end, Kivu attends and films a number of protests, including one of the far right, to try and understand the rising xenophobia of the Brits and of his character Bruce.