Where We Planted Trees

Fifty years after losing their Port Elizabeth home because of the Group Areas Act, the Barrys return to reconnect with early memories. A disparate group, scattered by economics and politics after the removal, all remember a time of tall trees, the smell of crushed leaves and childhoods full of laughter and tears. Most intriguing is the interaction between the present white owners and the Barrys, who present a range of views; bewilderment from the very young, deep hurt from the second generation and grace from the first. Ultimately a film about the power of memory, it offers a moving argument for the benefits of closure – and the need for emotional as well as financial restitution.