There are actually two movies called Shake Hands with the Devil: the documentary made in 2004 and released in 2005; and the feature, also made by Canadians, filmed in Rwanda and Halifax in 2006 and released in September 2007 at the Toronto Film Festival. In the 2007 acted version, which is half an hour longer than the documentary, Roy Dupuis plays Lt-Gen Romo Dallaire, the Canadian commander of the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping force, the blue berets, in Rwanda in 1994. Both are based on the book by Dallaire, Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda.
Oddly, in advertising the opening on March 27, DITSWHANELO used the poster from the new film and not the older documentary, but I wonder how many people noticed that? Instead the audience was overwhelmed by the horror of the genocide revealed in the documentary. Perhaps, it was not new to them? Some people spoke from the floor who had been in Rwanda in 1994. Others would be knowledgeable through various avenues, or have seen the feature film Hotel Rwanda (2004) (Mmegi, August 5, 2005). Nick Nolte played the general in it. More might have read the books: Bone Woman (2004) by Clea Msindo Koff; A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali by Gil Courtemanche; or even Lt. Gen. Romeo Dallaire's autobiography. But, scenes of genocide, no matter how often watched, will always be upsetting.
