Halifax: When The Halifax Film Company head Michael Donovan looked into acquiring the rights to make Shake Hands with the Devil into a feature, he was surprised to learn that Laszlo Barna was doing the same thing.

Donovan contacted the head of Toronto’s Barna-Alper Productions, and the two producers promised that whoever secured the rights to retired lieutenant-general Roméo Dallaire’s story would invite the other into the production. HFC got there first.

‘I had a number of meetings with the general and out of that we ended up making a deal, although it took about two years to negotiate,’ says Donovan.

Donovan says he has been developing the film for about five years, beginning back at his now-defunct prodco Salter Street Films. Shake Hands with the Devil – which also spawned the 2004 doc by Peter Raymont – is about Dallaire’s disastrous U.N. mission to Rwanda. Although often referred to as simply Dallaire, Donovan says the film is still without a title.

The project is moving forward with Yves Simoneau (Napoléon) aboard to direct and Donovan and Barna producing. Donovan says they are in negotiations with a possible South African coproduction partner. The current version of the script was written by Simon Barry (The Art of War), with Simoneau.

Donovan says Telefilm Canada has invested in the Dallaire project and most of the financing is lined up, but he will not discuss the film’s funding partners or budget until they are confirmed.

Most of the filming will take place in South Africa next year, but there will be a Canadian shoot, most likely in Quebec. Seville Pictures will distribute in Canada, and Donovan hopes to have the film ready for the 2007 festival season.