Saturday October 28 @ 10pm - Alex Theatre

A Brililant Genocide

Director: Ebony Butler
Producer: Jason Byrne - Australian Premiere

In 2012 small time African leader Joseph Kony was deemed a terrorist by the US government and became the world's most wanted man thanks to Youtube. Like pieces of shrapnel, shards of reportage on his activities barely pierced mainstream Western media other than providing images of child soldiers. TV news services and especially daily newspapers were useless in following the story of Kony and in fact the entire dire political situation in Uganda has remained wholly underreported since. In fact, perhaps due to vested interests Uganda's Wikipedia page has barely been updated since then. Enter Melbourne based filmmaker Ebony Butler and the creation over a period of years of the documentary A BRILLIANT GENOCIDE. Sharp visuals, editing and consistent tone provide a picture of clarity with serious global consequences that deftly demonstrates the reality of its own title. A BRILLIANT GENOCIDE is AFRICA BLOOD AND GUTS on another level that should create sadness and anger amongst all viewers but motivate those who are not simply numbed by it all. Of greatest importance is its exposure of world leaders both symbolic (the Queen & the Pope) and those in charge of military budgets (U.S presidents Clinton, Bush & Obama) and their continual support of Uganda's President Museveni who as of 2016 was elected for a fifth term and remains the go to guy in Africa for arms purchases and is still upheld as a universal role model for how to run a third world country that apparently only needs its health services upgraded. Museveni's own monster squad has allowed the emergence of another monster Kony and in between these opposing forces the general population continues to suffer.  A BRILLIANT GENOCIDE is a taut and timely documentary that positively radiates with its own brilliance. A very serious opening night film.

Plus Short

Smoke

Director: Anthony Orsini (8 mins)

A schoolboy goes to extreme lengths to get stoned in the face of unexpected complications. Terrific local fare from an up and coming young film maker.