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The Empty Grave

Play trailer The Empty Grave 2024 1h 37m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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THE EMPTY GRAVE follows the emotional journey of two Tanzanian families in search of their stolen ancestors. Their quest leads them to Germany where tens of thousands of human remains from former German colonies are stored in museum depots -- a haunting legacy of colonial plunder in the early 20th century, taken for racist research and as macabre trophies. Set in the present, the film unveils the enduring traces and traumas inflicted by colonial crimes on families and communities. It navigates the obscure maze of German and Tanzanian bureaucracy, revealing the struggle to reckon with this painful history. While the issue has gained political attention, the film shifts perspectives and highlights the resilience of the families while probing the complexity of identifying an repatriating these human remains.

Critics Reviews

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Elena Lazic Cineuropa The image of families waiting generations for their slain elders to return home remains seared in the memory. Mar 1, 2024 Full Review Sarah Manvel In Their Own League Highly painful but highly watchable. Feb 24, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Cast & Crew

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The Empty Grave

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Movie Info

Synopsis THE EMPTY GRAVE follows the emotional journey of two Tanzanian families in search of their stolen ancestors. Their quest leads them to Germany where tens of thousands of human remains from former German colonies are stored in museum depots -- a haunting legacy of colonial plunder in the early 20th century, taken for racist research and as macabre trophies. Set in the present, the film unveils the enduring traces and traumas inflicted by colonial crimes on families and communities. It navigates the obscure maze of German and Tanzanian bureaucracy, revealing the struggle to reckon with this painful history. While the issue has gained political attention, the film shifts perspectives and highlights the resilience of the families while probing the complexity of identifying an repatriating these human remains.
Director
Cece Mlay, Agnes Lisa Wegner
Producer
Christoph Holthof, Daniel Reich, Luna Selle, Amil Shivji
Screenwriter
Cece Mlay, Agnes Lisa Wegner, Agnes Lisa Wegner, Cece Mlay
Production Co
Kurhaus Production
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
Swahili
Runtime
1h 37m