The Roadblock Scene : Diary Entry from Paul Morris, 2nd Assistant Director

The road blocks were difficult for several reasons.

They were obviously shot in open, public places which needed to be carefully controlled in order to avoid alarming the locals for many of whom the events of 1994 are a recent and terrifying memory. We were painfully aware of the potential dangers of reawakening the nightmares which many of these folk had lived through.

Another challenge was to recruit and rehearse the 'Interahamwe' and the 'victims'. Clearly we had a responsibility to keep the atmosphere around the set as light and good natured as possible and, with the certain knowledge that many of those playing the Tutsi victims were re-enacting their real-life traumas of 1994, we took that responsibility very seriously indeed...

On the whole it was remarkable how all the locals applied themselves to the task and it became clear that there was a very real will to work together for the common good. Our film seemed to be perceived locally as an opportunity to remind the world of their tragic story and I am quite sure that this was why we received so much help and co-operation across the board from the survivors association to the Rwandan armed forces. It has to be said that, without their help and participation, the film probably wouldn't have been possible.

Without doubt, working on Shooting Dogs was an incredible and humbling experience and I remain immensely grateful for the opportunity.

Paul Morris - 2nd Assistant Director