Herero
After years abroad pursuing justice for the Herero genocide, activist Veraa Katuuo returns home to Namibia with his U.S. born daughter, Veundja — inviting her into a powerful journey of memory, belonging, and cultural renewal.
After years abroad pursuing justice for the Herero genocide, activist Veraa Katuuo returns home to Namibia with his U.S. born daughter, Veundja — inviting her into a powerful journey of memory, belonging, and cultural renewal.
Amid Namibia’s sweeping desert, HERERO follows unwitting peace activist Veraa Katuuo as he returns home - after decades in the United States - to continue the pursuit of restorative justice for his people. Once a young anti-apartheid protester forced into exile, he later spearheaded a landmark court case against Germany seeking reparations for the 1904–1908 genocide of the Herero and Nama peoples - and now supports a new legal effort unfolding in Namibia - even as political resistance threatens to silence the cause.
His Brooklyn-born daughter, Veundja, seeks a deeper immersion into the culture that has shaped her family’s story, while Veraa patiently passes down the history he has dedicated his life to defending. Through vibrant ceremonies like the Holy Fire, cultural commemorations of the genocide, and the quiet rituals of life on their family homestead, HEREROtransforms one family’s return into a meditation on belonging, justice, and the endurance of culture across generations.
Director/Writer/Producer - Kate Schoenbach
Producer - Alahna Lark
Director of Photography - Soren Nielsen
Field/Impact Producer - Nina Villani