Uncertain Future – Political Unrest in Burundi

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Uncertain Future Film Difficulty Ranking: 3

Uncertain Future gives you a rare look into the small country at the heart of Africa: Burundi. It takes place in 2015 when President Nkurunziza seeks to rule for a third term against the wishes of a lot of the citizens of Bujumbura (the capital). Get a first hand look at the protests and violence in Eddy Munyaneza’s brave documentary.

From: Burundi, Africa
Watch: Trailer, Amazon (Rent), Vimeo (Rent)
Next: Winter on Fire, The Square, Rosewater

Why Watch Uncertain Future?

  • Find out what’s going on in Burundi
  • Experience what it’s like to live in exile
  • If you want to be a journalist
  • If you like your documentaries set in politically turbulent countries

The Breakdown

Uncertain Future starts with a peaceful protest in Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi. A large group of Bujumbura’s inhabitants are protesting against the President who is trying to run for a third term.

However, in the same vein as Winter Fire and The Square, the peaceful protest is brutally broken up by the police and army who start firing into the crowd. The violence isn’t spared from the camera. You’ll witness protestors being gunned down and beaten down by police. There’s even one injured man who is shot dead as he is trying to crawl away. It’s truly shocking to watch and hard to believe that it is all real footage.

Furthermore, the state violence is permanent. Anyone who protests or speaks out against the President is at risk of being imprisoned or killed. Therefore Eddy Munyaneza (the director) is faced with a choice:

  1. Stay in Burundi and try to make a better country, but run the risk of being silenced by the government (like the drummers in the hills).
  2. Flee into exile and lose your home, possessions, wealth, and identity.

Both options are terrible. So it’s not surprising that he spends a lot of time exploring these two options as he documents the progression of the political situation in Burundi

What to Watch Next

If you want to watch more political documentaries about protests and hope that is crushed by the government, check out Winter on Fire from Ukraine, and The Square from Egypt. Winter on Fire documents the Ukrainian crisis from the eve of the vote to join the EU. The Square documents the Arab Spring in Egypt as a mass of peaceful protestors occupy Tahir Square in Cairo.

Or if you’re more interested in exploring the psyche of someone battling with the politics of their own country check out Rosewater. It follows Gabriel Garcia Bernal as an Iranian journalist (we’re not sure why either) imprisoned in his home country.

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