Rent Shooting Dogs (2005)
3.8 of 5 from 104 ratings
1h 51min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
Joe Connor (Hugh Dancy) has come to teach in Rwanda because he believes he can make a difference. When the school becomes a haven for thousands of Rwandans fleeing the escalating violence, Joe promises his brightest pupil, Marie (Clare-Hope Ashitey), that the UN soldiers will protect her from the hordes of extremist militia baying for blood outside the school. But when the UN abandons the refugees, Joe and the school's headmaster, Father Christopher (John Hurt), face an agonising dilemma: should they leave or should they stand firm with the Rwandans? Filmed at the actual location where the events on which this story is based took place, a number of genocide survivors make up the film's cast & crew. This is not just a film about Rwanda. It is a film about humanity, and the questions each one of us must confront, wherever in the world we may be. when evil threatens to steal the very basis of this humanity away from us. What would you do? - Actors:
- John Hurt, Hugh Dancy, Dominique Horwitz, Louis Mahoney, Nicola Walker, Steve Toussaint, David Gyasi, Susan Nalwoga, Victor Power, Jack Pierce, Musa Kasonka Jr., Kizito Ssentamu Kayiira, Clare-Hope Ashitey, Tom Shepherd
- Directors:
- Michael Caton-Jones
- Writers:
- David Wolstencroft, Richard Alwyn
- Others:
- David Belton
- Studio:
- High Fliers
- Genres:
- Drama
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Reviews (2) of Shooting Dogs
Uncomfortable message to the conscience - Shooting Dogs review by Swambi
This film makes difficult viewing. It pulls no punches in depicting the horrifying brutality that occurred. It is shot in a very realistic documentary style, over a few days in Kigale, giving you the uncomfortable feeling of actually being there. It largely set in a technical college, under siege from militias, and involves soldiers from the UN, and a catholic priest assisted by a young volunteer.
The film is largely seen through the eyes of the volunteer and the priest, giving a backdrop of serious questions as to where God is in suffering, and indeed how professingly "christian" hutus could act as they did. Ultimately the priest follows the example of Jesus, in an inspiring act of redemption.
This film is very similar to "Hotel Rwanda". Both leave an uncomfortable feeling that the rich and powerful just ignored the plight of the weak. However, I felt that this was the harder hitting and more horrifying of the two films.
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Disappointing - Shooting Dogs review by Tim from London
Reminded me of Mississippi Burning in that the film tells the story of the Rwandan genocide through the eyes of a white idealistic teacher. The film was much too focused on the guilt and impotence of the westerners rather than the suffering of the African victims. The black characters were one dimensional caricatures and should have been the centre of any film about Rwanda.
0 out of 2 members found this review helpful.