Finding Mercy

By trying to find her childhood friend Mercy, filmmaker Robyn ends up encountering the chilling truth about contemporary Zimbabwe. The danger and paranoia that swept the country decennia ago still affect the Zimbabweans, and Robert Mugabe still has a tight grip on the population. Finding Mercy turns out to be a heart rending film about a country torn apart and about the 20,000 civilians that died during the Gukurahundi. At the same time, the film focusses on the Zimbabwean refugees who had the opportunity and strength to leave behind the country they love so dearly.

Political Relevance

During the Rhodesian Bush War, tensions rose between opposition parties Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZAPU) and Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) and their armies. The violence intensified after the independence of Zimbabwe in 1980 and especially in the Matabeleland region. In 1981, Prime Minister Mugabe formed elite unit Fifth Brigade in order to fight ZAPU in this area. The suppression of ZAPU supporters was called the Gukurahundi. When Mugabe became President in 1987, the two parties formed an agreement and were merged into one ruling party called ZANU PF.