Under the Hanging Tree Examines how Namibia’s Genocide Lives on Today

Despite two decades of gradual growth in the fledgling Namibian film industry, only about 20 features have been produced by the southern African country so far. Katjavivi’s efforts at writing, directing and producing are to be lauded. Under the Hangman’s Tree is his third feature and it premiered in the official selection of the prestigious International Film Festival Rotterdam. Katjavivi’s films offer political themes that reveal the dark underbelly of Namibian society. His narratives expose the devastating effects of colonialism, still felt today. The two opening scenes juxtapose one another and set the tone for the rest of the story. The Hanging Tree will proceed to gradually unfold, revealing a society torn between the old and the new, between tradition and modernity.

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