Hotel Rwanda (2004)

Paul Rusesabagina was a hotel manager who housed over a thousand Tutsi refugees during their struggle against the Hutu militia in Rwanda.

Director:

Terry George

Writers:

Keir Pearson, Terry George

Stars:

Don Cheadle, Sophie Okonedo, Joaquin Phoenix

Top Rated Movies #191 | Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 16 wins & 45 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Don Cheadle	...	Paul Rusesabagina
Xolani Mali	...	Policeman
Desmond Dube	...	Dube
Hakeem Kae-Kazim	...	George Rutaganda
Tony Kgoroge	...	Gregoire
Rosie Motene	...	Receptionist
Neil McCarthy	...	Jean Jacques
Mabutho 'Kid' Sithole	...	Head Chef (as Kid Sithole)
Nick Nolte	...	Colonel Oliver
Fana Mokoena	...	General Bizimungu
Jeremiah Ndlovu	...	Old Guard
Sophie Okonedo	...	Tatiana Rusesabagina
Lebo Mashile	...	Odette
Antonio David Lyons	...	Thomas Mirama
Leleti Khumalo	...	Fedens

Storyline

1994. In Rwanda, the classification of the native population into Hutus and Tutsis, arbitrarily done by the colonial Belgians, is now ingrained within Rwandan mentality despite the Rwandan independence. Despite the Belgians having placed the Tutsis in a higher position during the Belgian rule, they have placed the majority Hutus in power after independence. Paul Rusesabagina, a Hutu married to a Tutsi, Tatiana Rusesabagina, is the House Manager of the Hotel Des Milles Collines in Kigali. The Milles Collines, owned by Sabena (the national airline of Belgium), is a four-star hotel catering primarily to wealthy white westerners. Paul, who knows how to work the system to run the hotel effectively for its guests and for Sabena, is proud that most of the Caucasians who he meets in this professional capacity treat him with respect. After a specific incident, the relative calm between the Tutsi guerrillas and government-backed Hutu militia takes a turn. Paul's thought that the native ...

---

Plot Keywords:

central africa | ethnic warfare | mass murder | hotel | tutsi | 

---

Taglines:

Based on a true story of a man who fought impossible odds to save everyone he could and created a place where hope survived.

---

Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | War

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 on appeal for violence, disturbing images and brief strong language

Details

Official Sites:

Metropolitan Filmexport [France] MGM/United Artists [United States]

Country:

UK South Africa Italy

Language:

English French

Release Date:

4 February 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hotel Ruanda

Filming Locations:

Rwanda

Box Office

Budget:

$17,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£381,601 (United Kingdom), 4 March 2005, Limited Release

Opening Weekend USA:

$100,091, 26 December 2004, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$23,530,892

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$36,532,987

Company Credits

Production Co:

United Artists, Lions Gate Films, Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

It was later revealed by one of the survivors of the hotel, Pasa Mwenenganucye, that Paul Rusesabagina, was not as heroic as he was depicted to be. The people who sought shelter at his hotel were made to pay for their stay, with priorities given to the wealthier people. The backlash was so bad that Rusesabagina was pressured into canceling an appearance at a Canadian festival by members of Toronto's Rwandian community, who accused him of being "genocide revisionist and denier." The head of the UN's peacekeeping force in Rwanda at the time, Canadian Romeo Dallaire, addressed the controversy by simply calling the movie "okay". Despite all the claims, Paul Rusesabagina has stood by the movie and denied all claims of any wrongdoing on his part.

---

Goofs

Someone said early in the film that the Hutu-Tutsi distinction was introduced by Belgian colonizers. In fact, the distinction had existed beforehand (e.g. King Kigeli IV of Rwanda was a Tutsi), but the divide had been less marked before Belgian rule.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
George Rutaganda: [voiceover] When people ask me, good listeners, why do I hate all the Tutsi, I say, "Read our history." The Tutsi were collaborators for the Belgian colonists, they stole our Hutu land, they whipped us. Now they have come back, these Tutsi rebels. They are cockroaches. They are murderers. Rwanda is our Hutu land. We are the majority. They are a minority of traitors and invaders. We will squash the infestation. We will wipe out the RPF rebels. This is RTLM, Hutu power radio. Stay ...

---

Crazy Credits

The producers wish to thank the people of Alexandra and Thembisa, Johannesburg, S.A.

---

Connections

Referenced in Return to Rwanda (2005)

---

Soundtracks

Hutu Power Re-visited
Written by Afro Celt Sound System (Simon Emmerson (as Emmerson) / James McNally (as McNally) / Iarla O'Lionaird (as O'Lionaird) / Martin Russell (as Russell))
Published by Real World Music Ltd.
Arranged, produced, engineered & mixed by Martin Russell at Sonic Innovation 2/UK
(p) 2004 Afro Celt Sound System appear courtesy of Real World Records Ltd.

User Reviews

Extraordinary film based correctly on real deeds about the brutal genocide

1994 Rwanda,Kigali. Paul Rusesabagina(Don Cheadle)is a Hutu happily married(Sophie Okonedo) and with children.He's Hotel manager Millie Collines proprietary of Belgian Airlines:Sabena and its General Director(Jean Reno) placed in Belgium.Paul is respected for his generosity,charm,friendship and numerous contacts with important people.He's accidentally trapped in violent events when his family and neighbours are threaten to kill.He gets avoid it by means of bribes with the hope that United Nations(UN) and international forces arrive to preventing the civil war. However the happenings break out again.After assassination of President of Rwanda, all get worse.It begins the horrible genocide including rampage,ravishing and ravage in Rwanda which is spread for Burundi.Slaughter of Tusis by the Hutu is executed by soldiers and rebels. A journalist(Joaquin Phoenix)get into tumult and will shoot to show it at the world.Paul gets to protect his family and unfortunates refugees at the hotel but others hapless by the hundred are coming to ask help.Meanwhile the refugees Tutsis flee toward Congo to find shelter.The film has an acid critic to the indolence of United Nations(exception Colonel incarnated by Nick Nolte) and international community and specially, the abandon of foreign policy European.

Thus, a personage says that origin conflict is for Belgians whom in colonization epoch differentiated the Tutsi as highest and complexion more white and co-governed united the country,now the Hutu are taking the vengeance. It's calculated that in the indiscriminate massacre were cruelly killed by militia Interhamwe approximately one million people and in only three month.Conflict finished in 1994 when the Tutsi throw out the Hutu army and militia through of the frontier Congo. Leader of Interhamwe was condemned to maxim penalty. Don Cheadle interpretation is magnificent ,he was nominated for Acadamy Award although wrongly didn't obtain it.The motion picture is well directed by Terry George. Rating : Awesome and above average .Indispensable watching