HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''Sometimes in April'' is a 2005 American made-for-television historical drama film about the
1994 Rwandan Genocide The Rwandan genocide occurred between 7 April and 15 July 1994 during the Rwandan Civil War. During this period of around 100 days, members of the Tutsi minority ethnic group, as well as some moderate Hutu and Twa, were killed by armed Hutu ...
, written and directed by the Haitian filmmaker Raoul Peck. The ensemble cast includes
Idris Elba Idrissa Akuna Elba (; born 6 September 1972) is an English actor.
, Oris Erhuero, Carole Karemera, and Debra Winger.


Plot

The story centers around Augustin Muganza, a Hutu who struggles to find closure after bearing witness to the killing of nearly 1 million Tutsis and moderate Hutus in 100 days, while becoming divided by politics and losing some of their own family. The plot intersperses between the genocide in 1994, and April 2004, when Augustin is invited by his brother, Honoré Butera, to visit him as he stands trial for his involvement in the genocide. In addition to Augustin's tribulations, the film depicts the attitudes and circumstances leading up to the outbreak of brutal violence, the intertwining stories of people struggling to survive the genocide, and the aftermath as the people try to find justice and reconciliation. The plot is also intercut with scenes of
Prudence Bushnell Prudence Bushnell (born 1946) is an American diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador to Kenya and as United States Ambassador to Guatemala. Early life and education Bushnell was born in Washington D.C. in 1946. Her father was a care ...
, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs for American President Bill Clinton, and her failed attempts to stop the genocide and advise the American government and public to acknowledge the unfolding genocide.


1994

Augustin, a
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
in the
Rwandan Armed Forces french: Forces rwandaises de défense sw, Nguvu ya Ulinzi ya Watu wa Rwanda , image = Rwanda Defense Force emblem.png , alt = , caption = , image2 = , alt2 = , caption2 ...
, lives in
Kigali Kigali () is the capital and largest city of Rwanda. It is near the nation's geographic centre in a region of rolling hills, with a series of valleys and ridges joined by steep slopes. As a primate city, Kigali has been Rwanda's economic, cultu ...
with his wife Jeanne, a Tutsi hospital worker with whom they have two sons, Yves-André and Marcus, and a daughter, Anne-Marie, who is staying in an all-girls
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
boarding school A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instruction. The word "boarding" is used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals. As they have existed for many centuries, and now exten ...
150 kilometres from Kigali. Despite constant political disagreement, he remains in close contact with Honoré, a pro-
Hutu Power Hutu Power is a racial and ethnosupremacist ideology that asserts the ethnic superiority of Hutu, often in the context of being superior to Tutsi and Twa, and that therefore they are entitled to dominate and murder these two groups and other mino ...
radio personality working for
Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM) ( rw, Radiyo yigenga y'imisozi igihumbi) was a Rwandan radio station which broadcast from July 8, 1993 to July 31, 1994. It played a significant role in inciting the Rwandan genocide that took place from April to July 1994, and has been ...
(RTLM). Augustin is also friends with Xavier Muyango, a fellow Hutu officer and fiancé to Felicie, a Tutsi. By April 1994, the power-sharing agreement between the Hutu-dominated Rwandan government and
Paul Kagame Paul Kagame (; born 23 October 1957) is a Rwandan politician and former military officer who is the 4th and current president of Rwanda since 2000. He previously served as a commander of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), a Uganda-based rebel f ...
's Tutsi-led
Rwandan Patriotic Front The Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF–Inkotanyi, french: Front patriotique rwandais, FPR) is the ruling political party in Rwanda. Led by President Paul Kagame, the party has governed the country since its armed wing defeated government forces, winn ...
(RPF) is breaking down as President
Juvénal Habyarimana Juvénal Habyarimana (, ; 8 March 19376 April 1994) was a Rwandan politician and military officer who served as the second president of Rwanda, from 1973 until 1994. He was nicknamed ''Kinani'', a Kinyarwanda word meaning "invincible". An eth ...
is viewed by Hutus to be conceding too far in favor of the Tutsis. Despite history of anti-Tutsi violence by hardline Hutus earlier in the Rwandan Civil War and warnings from Honoré and the Hutu ranks in the government that violent action from Hutu extremists may recur, Augustin insists on taking the position of a moderate and remaining in the country to Jeanne's disapproval. On the night of April 6, Habyarimana is killed when his plane is shot down and Prime Minister
Agathe Uwilingiyimana Agathe Uwilingiyimana (; 23 May 1953 – 7 April 1994), sometimes known as Madame Agathe, was a Rwandan political figure. She served as Prime Minister of Rwanda from 18 July 1993 until her assassination on 7 April 1994, during the opening stages ...
is assassinated by government soldiers the following morning, reigniting the civil war and signaling the start of mass killings of Tutsis and moderate Hutus by génocidaires comprising pro-Hutu government soldiers and militiamen backed by Hutu extremists, who were prior civilians, indoctrinated by Hutu Power propaganda. In response to the outbreak of violence, Xavier and Felicie seek refuge at Augustin's home. Fearing danger to his family, Augustin calls on Honoré to use his influence in the community to safely transport his family and Felicie to the
Hôtel des Mille Collines The Hôtel des Mille Collines () (English: ''Hotel of the Thousand Hills'') is a large hotel in Kigali, Rwanda. It became famous after 1,268 people took refuge inside the building during the Rwandan genocide of 1994. The story of the hotel and ...
, which is harboring refugees, while confident that Anne-Marie is out of harm's way. As Augustin learns from Honoré that he is documented as a Tutsi sympathizer by the government, he elects to stay at home alongside Xavier until it is safe to head to the hotel. On route, Honoré manages to slip his passengers through génocidaire roadblocks, but is stopped at an unexpected military checkpoint, where the group is detained and a scuffle ensues. After a few days of hiding, Augustin and Xavier escape the house and trail a UNAMIR convoy evacuating expatriates, but are separated from the convoy at a militia roadblock when the officer in charge of the convoy refuses to help. Augustin's life is spared but Xavier is executed as he has been branded a traitor on the radio. Augustin eventually reaches the hotel but is unable to locate his family, and remains there for the rest of the genocide. Meanwhile, Jeanne awakens in shock without her sons at the Sainte-Famille Church over a week after the altercation at the checkpoint. Felicie is later seen lined up for execution by the church building. Génocidaires eventually breach the school Anne-Marie resides at to screen for Tutsi elements, confronting Martine, a teacher at the school sheltering a group of students, including Anne-Marie, in a dormitory. The students rally behind Martine in solidarity as Martine refuses to divide them into Hutus and Tutsis, only for the group to be indiscriminately slaughtered by gunfire from government soldiers. Martine and Victorine, a fellow student, survive and find Anne-Marie alive but mortally wounded; as they escape, Anne-Marie eventually dies. The two soon find safety among the thick vegetation of the Kayumba swamps, where they are rescued by advancing RPF soldiers. Towards late-July, the RPF has scored massive territorial gains while members of the Hutu political and military elite and Hutu civilians flee the country out of fear of reprisal from the RPF, ending the civil war and the genocide. Augustin seeks out Anne-Marie at her school, only to find Martine and another woman tending to bodies in the dormitory where the massacre occurred. He grieves when Martine confirms that Anne-Marie is dead.


2004

Haunted by the events in 1994 and resigning to never learn of what had become of Jeanne and his sons, Augustin finds work as a school teacher and lives unmarried with Martine, who remains traumatized by her experience at her old school. Around the tenth anniversary of the start of the genocide, Augustin receives a letter from Honoré expressing interest to discuss in person the fates of Jeanne and his first sons. Honoré has been detained in
Arusha Arusha City is a Tanzanian city and the regional capital of the Arusha Region, with a population of 416,442 plus 323,198 in the surrounding Arusha District Council (2012 census). Located below Mount Meru on the eastern edge of the eastern b ...
in Tanzania, where he is tried by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda for his role at RTLM, after being on the run until his arrest in Italy in 1997. On Martine's insistence, Augustin reluctantly flies to Tanzania to attend the trial hearings as a visitor, dithering to meet Honoré. Furious to learn that those charged for inciting the genocide live in relative luxury with ample medication and meals while regular Rwandans struggle to survive, Augustin doubts remaining in Tanzania. His stance softens when he befriends Valentine, another genocide survivor. She invites him to listen to her testify in court as an anonymous witness, where he hears of the constant rape she endured in the hands of Interahamwe militiamen while as a mother of a baby. Augustin eventually learns that Valentine is caring for two young sons. Inspired by Valentine's courage to testify, Augustin is motivated to meet Honoré. At the meeting, Honoré recounts the events that unfolded at the checkpoint to the hotel in 1994: The soldiers were ordered to kill Jeanne, Yves-André and Marcus due to their Tutsi lineage. Augustin's sons were promptly shot dead, but in their excitement, the soldiers presumed Jeanne was also dead despite only being knocked unconscious by a rifle butt. Honoré hid Jeanne in a ditch, before carrying her to the safety of the church at night. For objecting to the kill order, Honoré was listed as a traitor and lost his privilege for safety, forcing him into exile and being unable to aid Jeanne any further. Honoré would later learn that while Jeanne was initially safe and pleaded to join Augustin at the hotel, she was raped by soldiers after the military began to probe the church for Tutsis. With the imminent threat of being killed, Jeanne sacrificed herself with a grenade to save a few rape victims and inflict injury on her aggressors. Reflecting on Honoré's revelation, Augustin finally finds peace and returns to Rwanda to raise his new family with Martine, who is now expecting a son. The film closes with Martine reconciling with her past by laying flowers at the remains of the school dormitory before attending a nearby
Gacaca court The Gacaca courts () were a system of community justice in Rwanda following the 1994 genocide. The term 'gacaca' can be translated as 'short grass' referring to the public space where neighborhood male elders (abagabo) used to meet to solve local p ...
to recount her experiences in the genocide.


Cast

*
Idris Elba Idrissa Akuna Elba (; born 6 September 1972) is an English actor.
as Augustin Muganza * Oris Erhuero as Honoré Butera * Carole Karemera as Jeanne * Debra Winger as
Prudence Bushnell Prudence Bushnell (born 1946) is an American diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador to Kenya and as United States Ambassador to Guatemala. Early life and education Bushnell was born in Washington D.C. in 1946. Her father was a care ...
* Noah Emmerich as Lionel Quaid * Pamela Nomvete as Martine * Fraser James as Xavier Miango * Abby Mukiibi Nkaaga as Col. Théoneste Bagosora *
Aïssa Maïga Aïssa Maïga (born 5 May 1975) is a Senegal-born French actress, director, writer, producer, and activist. Maïga has worked with major auteurs like Michael Haneke, Abderrahmane Sissako and Michel Gondry, and recently starred in Chiwetel Ejiofor� ...
as Young Militant *
Michael Wawuyo Michael Wawuyo Sr is a Ugandan actor and special effects artist. He is notable for his big screen roles on ''Last King of Scotland'', '' Kony: Order from Above'', '' The Only Son'', '' Sometimes in April'', '' The Mercy of the Jungle'' and small ...
as RAF Soldier #8


Production and release

In contrast to '' Hotel Rwanda'', which was rated
PG-13 The Motion Picture Association film rating system is used in the United States and its territories to rate a motion picture's suitability for certain audiences based on its content. The system and the ratings applied to individual motion pictures ...
and had most of the genocide violence subtly implied rather than explicitly shown, this film was noted for its more gruesome and graphic portrayal of the violence, which gave it a TV-MA rating. In addition, various scenes set in Rwanda were shot on location in and around Kigali, with prominent landmarks such as
Hôtel des Mille Collines The Hôtel des Mille Collines () (English: ''Hotel of the Thousand Hills'') is a large hotel in Kigali, Rwanda. It became famous after 1,268 people took refuge inside the building during the Rwandan genocide of 1994. The story of the hotel and ...
and the Sainte-Famille Church featured. The film originally aired on
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television, premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office busi ...
. It was later broadcast by
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educati ...
and followed with a
panel discussion A panel discussion, or simply a panel, involves a group of people gathered to discuss a topic in front of an audience, typically at scientific, business, or academic conferences, fan conventions, and on television shows. Panels usually include a ...
by journalist
Jeff Greenfield Jeffrey Greenfield (born June 10, 1943) is an American television journalist and author. Early life He was born in New York City, to Benjamin and Helen Greenfield. He grew up in Manhattan and graduated in 1960 from the Bronx High School of Sci ...
with Paul Bonerwitz and other speakers.


See also

* '' 100 Days (2001 film)'', a 2001 drama film directed by Nick Hughes a dramatization of events during the Genocide against tutsi in 1994 * '' Hotel Rwanda'', a 2004 film dealing with the genocide that centers on the
Hôtel des Mille Collines The Hôtel des Mille Collines () (English: ''Hotel of the Thousand Hills'') is a large hotel in Kigali, Rwanda. It became famous after 1,268 people took refuge inside the building during the Rwandan genocide of 1994. The story of the hotel and ...
, a location also seen in ''Sometimes in April''. * ''
A Sunday in Kigali ''A Sunday in Kigali'' (original French title: ''Un dimanche à Kigali'') is a 2006 Canadian feature film set during the Rwandan genocide. It is directed by Robert Favreau based on the novel '' A Sunday at the pool in Kigali'' by Gil Courtemanch ...
'', (French title: Un Dimanche à Kigali) a 2006 Canadian feature film by
Robert Favreau Robert Favreau (born July 9, 1948) is a Canadian film director and film editor. His film ''Les muses orphelines'' earned him Genie Award and Jutra Award nominations for Best Director. His follow-up feature, '' Un dimanche à Kigali'' earned hi ...
set during the genocide against tutsi. It is based on the novel A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali by
Gil Courtemanche Gil Courtemanche (August 18, 1943 – August 19, 2011)
. * '' Shake Hands with the Devil'', a 2007 film based on the book of the same name recounting General Dallaire's harrowing personal journey during the 1994 Genocide against tutsi and how the United Nations failed to heed Dallaire's urgent pleas for further assistance to halt the massacre * '' Shooting Dogs'', a 2005 film centered on the École Technique Officielle in Kigali * genocide against tutsi


External links


HBO: Sometimes in April
* * {{Raoul Peck 2005 drama films American films based on actual events French films based on actual events Films directed by Raoul Peck French drama films English-language French films English-language Rwandan films Rwandan drama films HBO Films films Kinyarwanda-language films Rwandan genocide films American drama films 2005 television films 2005 films Films scored by Bruno Coulais 2000s American films 2000s French films