Never Again: A Broken Promise

Never Again: A Broken Promise is a documentary detailing the experience of four Canadian victims of genocide and persecution. The film was written and produced by a group of passionate filmmakers from diverse ethnic, religious and socio-economic backgrounds.  

The phrase “Never Again” emerged at the end of World War II when survivors of the Holocaust vowed to never allow innocent Jews to be persecuted. This phrase is now universally applied to combat any form of genocide. The film, however, documents how the promise of "Never Again" has been breached repeatedly in modern history.

The documentary is jarring as it reflects on the accounts of genocide survivors.  Although the Yazidi Genocide is the central focus, the film also examines the Holocaust, the Rwandan Genocide and Residential Schools’ Cultural Genocide.  These heart wrenching accounts are paired with interviews and insight of local scholars.

 The film seeks to raise awareness while educating viewers about the characteristics and parallels of genocide.  The documentary issues a call to action and urges viewers to raise their voices against oppression. We each have a responsibility to try to make a difference, particularly when innocent people face injustice.

The following testimonies are a description of the victims’ and scholars’ full interviews. Their complete stories will allow for an effective use of the film for educational purposes. Analyzing the stories and identifying connections between them will allow users to draw parallels and recognize early developments that may evolve into  genocide.