Sometimes in April (2005)

Debra Winger, Oris Erhuero and Idris Elba star in this drama framed by the Rwandan genocide.

Director:

Raoul Peck

Writer:

Raoul Peck

Stars:

Idris Elba, Carole Karemera, Pamela Nomvete

Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 3 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Idris Elba	...	Augustin
Carole Karemera	...	Jeanne
Pamela Nomvete	...	Martine
Oris Erhuero	...	Honoré
Fraser James	...	Xavier
Abby Mukiibi Nkaaga	...	Colonel Bagosora
Cleophas Kabasita	...	Valentine (as Cléophas Kabasiita)
Noah Emmerich	...	Lionel Quaid
Debra Winger	...	Prudence Bushnell
Peninah Abatoni	...	Woman Refugee #1
Ashani Alles	...	Prosecutor
Hope Azeda	...	Brigitte
Théogène Barasa	...	RAF Soldier #1
Dan Barlow	...	Belgian UN Soldier
Johannes Bausch	...	UN Officer #1

Storyline

Debra Winger, Oris Erhuero and Idris Elba star in this drama framed by the Rwandan genocide.

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Plot Keywords:

woman takes off shoes | camera shot of feet | female stockinged soles | female stockinged legs | female stockinged feet | 

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Genres:

Drama | History | War

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Certificate:

TV-MA

Details

Official Sites:

HBO [United States]

Country:

France USA Rwanda

Language:

English Kinyarwanda

Release Date:

19 March 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Abril Sangrento

Filming Locations:

Kigali, Rwanda

Company Credits

Production Co:

CINEFACTO, HBO Films, Velvet Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

140 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Based on the actual 1994 Rwanda genocide

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Goofs

Depictions of U.S. military personnel are highly inaccurate, including the Marine officer wearing Army combat badges (and in the wrong location), as well as a Navy officer in a full beard and mustache.

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Quotes

Bushnell's Superior: [At Bushnell's office, immediately after the genocide begins] I'm telling you, we don't want another Mogadishu. We don't want our boys dragged naked in the streets. The public won't have it, the Pentagon won't have it, the president won't have it...!
Prudence Bushnell: [Urgent] Sir, we're only 48 hours into this and we already have reports of over 10,000 women and children already killed! And they're not just killing Tutsis, they're targeting moderate Hutus.
Bushnell's Superior: Prudence, what is our vital interest in Rwanda?
Prudence Bushnell: If ...
[...]

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Connections

Features The Great Dictator (1940)

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Soundtracks

NBC Nightly News Theme Music
Composed by John Williams (as John T. Williams)
Performed by John Williams

User Reviews

Worthy

"Sometimes in April" attempts to tell the story of the 1994 wholesale slaughter of about 800,000 mostly innocent people during the 100 day national ordeal when the top blew off the powder keg which Rwanda, Africa had become. This film of civil war and genocide focuses on one man, Augustin (Elba), a Rwandan soldier and his extended family as it jumps around in location and time using his story to connect the dots. Although this HBO docudrama makes a satisfactory dramatic watch, is asks more questions than it answers and leaves one wondering, among other things, how it is possible that so many helpless and innocent people could be savagely murdered by their own countrymen. The historical background and Rwandan zeitgeist are not sufficiently presented but the brutality of the horrific genocide perpetrated by the Hutus upon the Tutsis and Hutu moderates, stands out in bold relief. Snapshots of US State Department bureaucrat Prudence Bushnell's (Winger) frustration with her own government's slow reaction to the crisis and the seemingly inadequate UN war crimes tribunals only hint at the problems associated with intervention in civil strife and prosecution of war criminals. Overall, the film is a worthwhile entertaining and educational watch with language, violence, sex/rape thoughtfully maintained at a level which would probably yield about a PG-13 rating. (B)