Shake Hands With the Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire
Encyclopedia
Shake Hands With the Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire (2004
) is a documentary film
about the 1994 genocide in Rwanda
. It was directed by Peter Raymont and inspired by the book Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda
(2003
), by now-retired Canadian Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire
. It was co-produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
, the Société Radio-Canada, White Pine Pictures, and DOC: The Documentary Channel
.
ns were killed in 100 days. Most of the dead were Tutsis by the hands of the Hutus. The genocide began when Rwandan president Juvenal Habyarimana
's plane was shot down above Kigali airport on April 6, 1994.
Canadian Armed Forces General Roméo Dallaire was put in charge of a United Nations
peacekeeping force during this 1994 genocide. His proposal called for 5,000 soldiers to permit orderly elections and the return of the refugees. The soldiers were never supplied and the killing began.
The documentary tells the story of the now-retired Lieutenant-General Dallaire, and shows his return to Rwanda after ten years. It features interviews with Stephen Lewis
and BBC
reporter Mark Doyle
, among others.
and CBC Newsworld
on January 31 and February 2, 2005, and, subsequently, via CBC
On Demand.
A 91-minute and 56-minute English Versions; 56-minute French Version was released on DVD, Region 1 (North America).
The film has its American television premiere on DOC: The Documentary Channel
.
and Raoul Peck's HBO movie Sometimes in April
have already put a tragic human face on a catastrophe that the American mass media barely acknowledged while it was happening, Shake Hands With the Devil ratifies their horrifying visions. General Dallaire's descriptions of the sights, sounds, and smells of human butchery, as well as the movie's images of piles of dead bodies, severed limbs and rooms of skulls, are grimmer than anything seen in those films...Beyond apportioning blame, Shake Hands With the Devil acknowledges that the capacity for evil is a human component. Under certain conditions, entire populations can lose their humanity and go berserk. With madness all around him, General Dallaire maintained his humanity and (just barely) his sanity."
Jonathan Curiel, staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle
, interviewed Dallaire when the film was released, and wrote, "Raymont's movie, Dallaire says, is another way to raise awareness about Rwanda's legacy. But whether he likes it or not, Shake Hands With the Devil is also a chance to peer into Dallaire's inner thoughts—to get to know a man who says he's not a hero but 'a humanist.' If history is best understood through the decisions of individual men and women, then Raymont's film lets audiences revisit the siege of Rwanda through the eyes of a retired officer (and newly appointed Canadian senator) who tried to prevent hell on earth."
2004 in film
The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
) is a documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about the 1994 genocide in Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
. It was directed by Peter Raymont and inspired by the book Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda
Shake Hands with the Devil (book)
Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda is a book by Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire of the Canadian Forces, with help from Major Brent Beardsley...
(2003
2003 in literature
The year 2003 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-New books:*Peter Ackroyd - The Clerkenwell Tales*Atsuko Asano - No...
), by now-retired Canadian Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire
Roméo Dallaire
Lieutenant-General Roméo Antonius Dallaire, is a Canadian senator, humanitarian, author and retired general...
. It was co-produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
, the Société Radio-Canada, White Pine Pictures, and DOC: The Documentary Channel
DOC: The Documentary Channel
Documentary Channel is a specialty channel that features documentary programming. It airs independent documentary films from around the world, including those never-before-seen in the United States....
.
Synopsis
Between April and June 1994, an estimated 800,000 RwandaRwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
ns were killed in 100 days. Most of the dead were Tutsis by the hands of the Hutus. The genocide began when Rwandan president Juvenal Habyarimana
Juvénal Habyarimana
Juvénal Habyarimana was the third President of the Republic of Rwanda, the post he held longer than any other president to date, from 1973 until 1994. During his 20-year rule he favored his own ethnic group, the Hutus, and supported the Hutu majority in neighboring Burundi against the Tutsi...
's plane was shot down above Kigali airport on April 6, 1994.
Canadian Armed Forces General Roméo Dallaire was put in charge of a United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
peacekeeping force during this 1994 genocide. His proposal called for 5,000 soldiers to permit orderly elections and the return of the refugees. The soldiers were never supplied and the killing began.
The documentary tells the story of the now-retired Lieutenant-General Dallaire, and shows his return to Rwanda after ten years. It features interviews with Stephen Lewis
Stephen Lewis
Stephen Henry Lewis, is a Canadian politician, broadcaster and diplomat. He was the leader of the social democratic Ontario New Democratic Party for most of the 1970s. During many of the those years as leader, his father David Lewis was simultaneously the leader of the Federal New Democratic Party...
and BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
reporter Mark Doyle
Mark Doyle (journalist)
Mark Doyle is a world affairs correspondent for BBC News. A British citizen, he is known in particular for his articles on topics related to Africa.In 1980, Doyle volunteered as a student teacher at the British-Senegalese Institute in Dakar, Senegal...
, among others.
Distribution
In Canada, a shortened English version of the 91-minute film was broadcast on CBC TelevisionCBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
and CBC Newsworld
CBC Newsworld
CBC News Network is a Canadian English language Category C specialty news channel owned and operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation . It broadcasts into over 10 million homes in Canada. It is the world's third-oldest television service of this nature, after CNN in the United States and...
on January 31 and February 2, 2005, and, subsequently, via CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
On Demand.
A 91-minute and 56-minute English Versions; 56-minute French Version was released on DVD, Region 1 (North America).
The film has its American television premiere on DOC: The Documentary Channel
DOC: The Documentary Channel
Documentary Channel is a specialty channel that features documentary programming. It airs independent documentary films from around the world, including those never-before-seen in the United States....
.
Critical reception
When the film opened in New York City, film critic Stephen Holden gave the film a positive review, and wrote, "The film, which opens today in New York, is a respectful portrait of General Dallaire, now retired, who comes across as a thoughtful, resolute but profoundly shaken man, more philosopher than warrior...If Terry George's wrenching film Hotel RwandaHotel Rwanda
Hotel Rwanda is a 2004 American drama film directed by Terry George. It was adapted from a screenplay written by both George and Keir Pearson. Based on real life events which took place in Rwanda during the spring of 1994, the film stars Don Cheadle as hotelier Paul Rusesabagina, who attempts to...
and Raoul Peck's HBO movie Sometimes in April
Sometimes In April
Sometimes in April is a 2005 historical drama television film about the Rwandan Genocide of 1994, written and directed by the Haitian filmmaker Raoul Peck...
have already put a tragic human face on a catastrophe that the American mass media barely acknowledged while it was happening, Shake Hands With the Devil ratifies their horrifying visions. General Dallaire's descriptions of the sights, sounds, and smells of human butchery, as well as the movie's images of piles of dead bodies, severed limbs and rooms of skulls, are grimmer than anything seen in those films...Beyond apportioning blame, Shake Hands With the Devil acknowledges that the capacity for evil is a human component. Under certain conditions, entire populations can lose their humanity and go berserk. With madness all around him, General Dallaire maintained his humanity and (just barely) his sanity."
Jonathan Curiel, staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
, interviewed Dallaire when the film was released, and wrote, "Raymont's movie, Dallaire says, is another way to raise awareness about Rwanda's legacy. But whether he likes it or not, Shake Hands With the Devil is also a chance to peer into Dallaire's inner thoughts—to get to know a man who says he's not a hero but 'a humanist.' If history is best understood through the decisions of individual men and women, then Raymont's film lets audiences revisit the siege of Rwanda through the eyes of a retired officer (and newly appointed Canadian senator) who tried to prevent hell on earth."
Awards
Wins- Sundance Film FestivalSundance Film FestivalThe Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
: Audience Award, World Cinema - Documentary, Peter Raymont; 2005. - Directors Guild of CanadaDirectors Guild of CanadaThe Directors Guild of Canada is a Canadian labour union, founded in 1962, which represents more than 3,700 professionals from 48 different occupations in the Canadian film and television industry. The DGC represents directors, assistant directors, location managers, production assistants and...
: DGC Team Award, Outstanding Team Achievement in a Documentary, Peter Raymont (director); 2005. - Gemini Awards: Gemini, Best Picture Editing in a Documentary Program or Series, Michèle Hozer; 2005.
- Banff Television Festival: Banff Rockie Award, Best Feature Length Documentary, Best Canadian Program; 2005.
- Philadelphia Film FestivalPhiladelphia Film FestivalThe Philadelphia Film Festival is held annually in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Until 2009 it was generally held during the first weeks of April....
: Jury Award, Best Documentary, Peter Raymont; 2005. - National Academy of Television Arts and SciencesNational Academy of Television Arts and SciencesThe National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences or NATAS was created in 1955 to advance the arts and sciences of television. Headquartered in New York, NATAS's membership is national and the organization has local chapters around the country....
: Emmy AwardEmmy AwardAn Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
, Best Documentary, DOC: The Documentary ChannelDOC: The Documentary ChannelDocumentary Channel is a specialty channel that features documentary programming. It airs independent documentary films from around the world, including those never-before-seen in the United States....
, Tom NeffTom NeffThomas Linden Neff, known as Tom Neff, is a film executive, director and producer, born in Chicago, Illinois. Currently, he lives in Nashville, Tennessee.-Education:Neff received his Bachelor of Arts from Lawrence University with a major in English...
and Jimmy Holcomb; 2006.
External links
- Shake Hands With the Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire at California Newsreel
- Shake Hands with the Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire film clip at DOC: The Documentary ChannelDOC: The Documentary ChannelDocumentary Channel is a specialty channel that features documentary programming. It airs independent documentary films from around the world, including those never-before-seen in the United States....
(via Google Videos)