The award-winning independent short Seeds from Kivu is a small film, but it carries a big message. The first European film screened at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, the Vatican, and the European Parliament, Seeds from Kivu opens our eyes to the horrific and ongoing sexual violence against women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The result is an explosive exposé that acts as part humanitarian rally cry, and part investigative journalism.

A Compassionate Doctor Turns Tragedy into Hope

Seeds from Kivu focuses on the work of Dr. Denis Mukwege, world-renowned gynecologist, human rights activist, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who runs the local hospital. In the opening scenes, several women arrive at the hospital after being gang-raped by local militiamen. Mukwege explains that the hospital opened in 1999 to prevent maternal mortality. However, doctors were noticing that most of the women coming to the clinic weren’t there to give birth. Rather, they were suffering from the aftermath of violent gang rapes. He recalls treating patients as old as 80 and as young as 6 months, a horrific statistic that is enough to send tangible chills down your spine.

Watch the full film, Seeds from Kivu, on YouTube here.

Not only do the women experience physical torture by their abusers, but a great deal of emotional and psychological torture as well. After addressing their trauma and wounds, which often include a detached uterus and vaginal canal tears, they are confronted with whether to accept the babies they have given birth to as a result of the rapes. It’s a heavy dilemma that comes with unimaginable stress and confusion. The main takeaway to this point is that regardless of how they came into the world, these children are the seeds of the future. They bear no responsibility for being born in such a tragic way, but their presence is nonetheless a gift worth honoring.

Risking Lives, On Screen and Off

The filmmakers hope Seeds from Kivu will leave a lasting impact to stop the world from turning a blind eye to the moral, ethical, and humanitarian discrimination happening in the DRC. It’s so important and personal to them that they risked their lives to film in an active war zone. Spanning nine years of production to offer a brief insight into this horror, the filmmakers plan to return next year to shoot the feature-length version in the same territory.

Takeaway

Says Dr. Denis Mukwege, “Seeds from Kivu captures the heart of our work at Panzi: restoring dignity, healing deep wounds, and standing with survivors as they rebuild their lives. In a time when conflict is intensifying, this film is a vital call for solidarity and for peace in Congo.”  Winner of the 2025 Goya Award for Best Documentary Short Film, Seeds from Kivu is now playing on YouTube. It was first released on November 25th, to commemorate International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.