“Sorry For The Genocide” is a documentary film about remembrance, responsibility, and the question of how colonial history continues to resonate today. At the centre of the film are personal perspectives from people in Namibia and Germany whose lives and identities remain shaped by the shared history of both countries. Building on the so-called Joint Declaration between Germany and Namibia, the documentary follows descendants of the Ovaherero, Nama, Damara, and San communities alongside German-speaking Namibians, activists, scholars, and other voices engaged in conversations around remembrance culture, social responsibility, and reconciliation.

Between 1904 and 1908, German colonial troops committed a crime during colonial rule in what was then German South West Africa that is today recognised as the first genocide of the 20th century. More than a century later, the consequences of colonial violence continue to shape family histories, social structures, and political debates in both Namibia and Germany.
The film interweaves historical, social, and personal perspectives while focusing on the people behind the history. Through conversations, observations, and encounters across Namibia, Germany, and Botswana, “Sorry For The Genocide” becomes a multi-perspective documentary about memory, identity, and the ongoing engagement with the colonial past in the present.

The film was produced by the Cologne-based production company Wave In Motion GmbH in co-production with cineMars and the Namibian production company OBSESSIVE MEDIA CC.