(borrowing extensively from my description for my other Rwanda sift) This film is an account of the 1994 Rwanda Genocide. Hutu extremists were all but unopposed and ran amok all over the country, butchering eight hundred thousand Tutsis and Hutu moderates over a three-month period. The film follows Roy Dupuis as General Roméo Dallaire, the Canadian commander of UNAMIR whose hands were badly tied by a weak-willed UN that didn't want to allow the use of force to stem the carnage. (NB: There is also a strictly documentary film which goes by the same name and which also deals with Dallaire and Rwanda; there is Dallaire's own book by that title, too, which came first of all.)
I have gone to see General Dallaire speak and have met him, and would have been proud to serve in his command. I also worked closely with his son and his daughter, both of whom are also in the military, and I firmly believe what I said to her: "I think your father is a good man who did everything he could in a very difficult situation". General Dallaire came back from the mission suicidal with severe PTSD but fortunately appears to have rallied; having retired from the military, he is a Senator now and speaks regularly at Canadian universities.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rwandan_Genocidehttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472562/ (The IMDB rating as of this writing is 9.0 on 10, with 226 votes.)
11 Comments
snoozedoctorsays...Thank you for this post. Dallaire is what all men should aspire to be. A true hero in every sense of the word. The documentary had me loathing those in the UN, and our own government that could have stepped in and stopped the slaughter with a minimum of resources. I have had the good fortune to be involved, to some extent, in Rwanda. The reconciliation taking place there is nothing short of astounding. They are a remarkable people. They greet you with a hug, and they mean it.
calvadossays...And thank you for that, SD.
calvadossays...*requeue
siftbotsays...Re-queueing this video for one more try; last queued Wednesday, January 16th, 2008 6:35pm PST - requeue requested by submitter calvados.
my15minutessays...nice pick, cal.
calvadossays...Ta, 15. I've seen the whole movie; it's very well done. Recommended.
calvadossays...OK, the movie just came out on DVD on 29 January; in Canada, at least, it should be in the video stores. For the USA, etc., where it probably isn't readily available, it also appears to be on the torrents now. I saw one torrent with "TheWretched" as part of its filename which looks like a good bet.
calvadossays...*dark
NicoleBeesays...*doublepromote this incredibly moving account of what was happening while so many were transfixed by the spectacle of the OJ Simpson trial.
siftbotsays...Double-Promoting this video back to the front page; last published Saturday, January 19th, 2008 3:24pm PST - doublepromote requested by NicoleBee.
calvadossays...>> ^NicoleBee:
doublepromote this incredibly moving account of what was happening while so many were transfixed by the spectacle of the OJ Simpson trial.
Touché. Thanks for the promo Nic.
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