“Shake hands with the devil” movie shot in Kigali

He was here. Gen Dallaire witnessed the failure of humanity, and now the cinema brings us his story. The story of a soldier who fought against human indifference under gruelling circumstances. Many documentaries have tried to capture the Genocide against the Tutsi from a human-interest point of view but ‘Shake hands with the devil’ movie opens a new point of view to the story. The film is centered across Gen Dallaire refusal’s to withdraw from Rwanda after the genocide started and his insistence to protect thousands of Rwandans under his care. The movie shot in Rwanda tries to capture the tragedy of the genocide while at the same time revealing how the U.N. failed to help the Rwandan people. The film displays the atrocities committed against humanity from the eyes of a general who defied orders to protect over 30,000 Tutsi. Amidst horror General Romeo Dallaire, a Canadian General stayed behind when other soldiers were being evacuated to save and protect innocent people who had come to him for help. In the film, Dallaire is depicted as a tragic hero who was betrayed by his supervisors and ignored by the rest of the world. The Film director Roger Spottiswoode says, “We all did nothing to prevent the genocide or to protect the millions of Rwandans who died this time; the film is a lesson of what must change. We must take action to prevent this from ever happening again.” The film was first screened in Serena on Tuesdays receiving different reactions from the audience. Nicole Ilibagiza was able to watch this film first at Serena and she says, “This film is different because it tells a different side of the Genocide, I don’t know how objective this film is since its made from one person’s point of view, But I am glad to have learnt that Dallaire chose to help instead of running away. He saved a person that is what is important”. The movie’s key points include a scene when Dallaire shakes hands with the intrahamwe boss, in what is depicted to be his face-to-face encounter with evil. Sally Bugisha says, “I am very familiar with the story of General Romeo Dallaire from his book, and I have the utmost respect for him. Every time I watch this movie am greatly moved by his acknowledgment of his own failure, and his difficult fight with his past”. Some people however felt that, the producer did not at all depict a clear role that was played by the RPF in the rescue of thousands. “Yes, there is that part of the movie where General Paul Kagame insisted the interahamwe stop the massacres or else Inkotanyi attack, but not much of RPF’s role was shown,” Daniel Musoni added. The movie is mainly focused on the UN peace keepers-does not exhaust the opinions of the then UN leaders like Kofi Anan. Roger Spottiswoode explains that he felt the movie would be understood better without much account of the UN, as it would be too expensive and hard for him to penetrate its protocols. He however said that he hoped that people would watch and learn from this movie. According to Spottiswoode, the film Director, the movie has done well in Canada. People are eager to know the true story. The first time Dallaire went back home to Canada he did not tell anyone his story. He just kept quite about it now when people see the movie they are amazed at the heroism of Dallaire. The UN is not very proud of what they did to Dallaire and their failure to intervene in the Genocide. “Well Rwanda is complicated because of the history but it is finding a new path and this is hopeful. I wanted to tell people that we all have responsibility in challenging the people we have put in power. We need to push our leaders in the right direction for our people,” remarks, Spottiswoode. Email pgathoni@gmail.com

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“Shake hands with the devil” movie shot in Kigali