*Hotel Rwanda* is a powerful and haunting film that tells the true story of Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel

manager in Kigali, Rwanda, who saved the lives of over a thousand refugees during the Rwandan
Genocide in 1994. Directed by Terry George and starring Don Cheadle as Rusesabagina, the film
highlights the horrors of the genocide, which saw an estimated 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutu people
killed by extremist Hutus over a period of 100 days.

### Themes

1. **The Impact of Inaction and Indifference**:

One of the central themes of *Hotel Rwanda* is the failure of the international community to
intervene. The United Nations, Western governments, and international organizations, despite being
aware of the unfolding genocide, either failed to act or responded ineffectively. The film poignantly
critiques the role of the international community in ignoring the crisis, leaving innocent civilians to fend
for themselves. The contrast between the diplomatic apathy and Paul’s personal heroism is striking and
serves as a critique of global indifference to human suffering.

2. **Courage in the Face of Horror**:

Paul Rusesabagina’s bravery is at the heart of the film. Initially, Paul is a pragmatist, more concerned
with his own family's survival and the preservation of his hotel’s status. But as the genocide escalates, he
evolves into a figure of immense moral courage, risking his life to shelter refugees and negotiating with
armed militia to keep the peace. His transformation from a man trying to save himself to a man fighting
for the survival of others demonstrates the extraordinary potential for humanity to rise above its
circumstances in the face of overwhelming evil.

3. **Humanity Amidst Dehumanization**:

The film also highlights how quickly humanity can break down when people are dehumanized. The
genocidal propaganda spread by extremist Hutu leaders reduced the Tutsi people to "cockroaches," a
tactic that helped justify their slaughter. However, the film also shows how simple acts of human
compassion, like sharing food, offering shelter, and providing safety, can defy this dehumanization. The
refugees sheltered in the hotel are not just statistics; they are individuals with hopes, families, and
dreams, and their survival hinges on the humanity of people like Paul.

4. **Moral Ambiguity**:

The film doesn’t present Paul as a flawless hero. His decisions, such as his willingness to bribe and
appease the militia in exchange for protection, reveal the moral complexities of survival during a
genocide. He faces a delicate balance between pragmatism and moral ideals, often making difficult
choices that challenge conventional notions of right and wrong. This ambiguity adds a layer of realism to
the film, showing that in extreme situations, survival often requires compromise and sacrifice.

5. **The Corrupting Influence of Power**:

The character of Colonel Oliver, a UN peacekeeper (played by Nick Nolte), represents the tension
between duty and the limitations imposed by power structures. Oliver is sympathetic to Paul’s cause and
horrified by the violence, but his ability to act is severely constrained by orders from his superiors and
the lack of military support. This highlights how institutional power, when disjointed or unwilling to act,
can thwart even those who want to do the right thing.

### Emotional and Political Impact

The emotional impact of *Hotel Rwanda* is profound, as it forces viewers to confront the brutal reality
of the Rwandan Genocide and the failure of the international community to prevent it. The film is not
just about one man’s heroic actions; it is about the global community's collective responsibility to
prevent such atrocities. It serves as a call to action, asking the audience to think critically about how we,
as a society, respond to instances of genocide, war crimes, and human rights violations.

*Hotel Rwanda* also serves as a reminder that genocides are not merely historical events but ongoing
challenges. Since the Rwandan Genocide, there have been other instances of mass violence, including in
Darfur, Syria, and Myanmar, where international inaction or insufficient action continues to result in
suffering. The film challenges viewers to reflect on what lessons have been learned since 1994 and how
we can better respond to such crises in the future.

### Conclusion

*Hotel Rwanda* is a poignant reminder of both the capacity for human cruelty and the possibility of
human kindness. It’s a stark portrayal of how indifference and the failure of leadership can enable
atrocities, while also showing that in the face of such darkness, individual acts of courage and
compassion can offer a flicker of hope. It is a film that not only educates about the Rwandan Genocide
but also calls on us to reflect on our own moral responsibilities in the face of injustice and to act in ways
that affirm our shared humanity.
Review by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

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We live in a world so convulsed by violence and war that many people are afflicted with compassion
fatigue. When exposed repeatedly to suffering, loss, and death on a large scale, it's quite natural to try to
protect ourselves by narrowing our attention to the circle of our own family and friends. This may help
explain what happened in 1994 when the Western world failed to respond to the cries for help coming
out of Rwanda. During a period of three months, the country's Hutu population killed more than 800,000
Tutsis. The United Nations was present as a peacekeeping force but did not have the power to intervene
on behalf of those whose lives were in peril.

Writer and director Terry George (Some Mother's Son) has made an ethically rich film about the terrible
genocide and the horrific indifference of the West in the face of this slaughter of men, women and
children. He is to be commended for taking on this brave project in a time when the world is turning its
back on the suffering in the Darfur region of Sudan. Perhaps Hotel Rwanda will stir the souls of those
who see it to join with humanitarian and human rights groups to pressure governments to stop the
continuing violence in Africa.

Paul Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle) is the meticulous and proud manager of the four star Hotel Des Milles
in the Rwandan capital of Kigali. He is subservient to his Belgian boss and careful to cater to the every
need of the establishment's wealthy clientele. He also knows his way around the black market in tobacco
and liquor and is able to keep military and government officials placated.

Paul is smart enough to realize that he lives in a country where long-term resentments, deep unrest, and
fear has pitted two groups against each other: the Tutsis, who were the favorites of the Belgians during
the colonial occupation, and the Hutus, who are now in power. Every person in the country carries an i.d.
card identifying his or her group. When the President of the country dies in a plane crash, the
government- sponsored radio station blames it on the Tutsis and encourages the people to root out
these "cockroaches" and exterminate them.

That evening Paul, who is Hutu, and his wife, Tatiana (Sophie Okonedo), a Tutsi, find their neighborhood
full of soldiers. They discover their son cowering in the bushes and covered with blood. Armed with
machetes, the Hutu militias have begun murdering Tutsis. At first Paul is determined only to protect his
own family but his wife convinces him to expand his compassion to include their terrified neighbors. He
takes them all back to the hotel, which has been abandoned by its wealthy patrons who have fled the
violent country.

Paul has friends on both sides of the conflict, and he must call upon them for favors as the situation
grows more critical. He bribes an angry Hutu militiaman who shows up at the hotel and demands that he
hand over any Tutsis inside. Paul doesn't tell him that a courageous Red Cross worker (Cara Seymour) has
just brought a band of Tutsis orphans to the hotel for sanctuary. When the beleaguered hotel manager
sees the video made by a Western journalist (Joaquin Phoenix) about the slaughter taking place on the
streets not too far away, he realizes that things are worse than he thought. On a trip to get supplies from
an African black-marketeer who supports the genocide, Paul is told to take a road by the river that is not
being used. The truck runs over some bumpy spots in the fog, which turn out to be the bodies of
hundreds of dead Tutsis. Paul returns to the hotel in such a state of shock that he cannot recall how to
put his tie on properly. He crumbles to the floor in a state of despair and paranoia.

Colonel Oliver (Nick Nolte), the Canadian commander of the U.N. forces in the area, feels increasingly
angry by the world's indifference of to the ongoing genocide. At one point, he tells Paul that he and
those at the hotel are considered to be "dirt," worthless in the eyes of the Western countries who do not
want to get involved in any African conflict. In one of the most powerful scenes, the U.N is supervising
the evacuation of foreigners. The Africans at the hotel watch as these privileged, lucky, and white people
are ushered into buses. When some priests and nuns appear with more African children, they are
informed that only the whites among them will be allowed to leave. In this one startling image, Terry
George captures the abyss that exists between the rich and the poor, whites and blacks, those who have
all the breaks and those who must suffer the most dreadful and terrifying circumstances of deprivation.

Hotel Rwanda is one of the best films of the year, and Don Cheadle gives a towering performance as the
heroic hotel manager who demonstrates courage and compassion in the face of impossible odds.
Throughout his ordeal, Paul grows as a moral individual as he sees himself afresh, thanks to his dealings
with Colonel Oliver, the head of police who comes to his assistance several times, a hotel employee who
hates him, and the president of the Belgian hotel and air conglomerate. Demonstrating incredible
resiliency, he goes far beyond the call of duty.

Paul is being called the "African Schindler" but that kind of comparison doesn't do justice to what his
caring and service to his fellow human beings signifies. This is an incredibly suspenseful movie,
reminding viewers again and again that Paul is risking his life and the lives of his loved ones for others,
some of whom are neighbors but many of whom are strangers. We see in him what is rarely depicted on
film: total and complete empathy for those in danger. Recognizing the broad and deep dimensions of
violence in a world of chaos, he responds by widening the circle of his compassion.

In his book The Future of Peace, Scott A. Hunt has written: "Even in the darkest times in our history,
people of extraordinary character have lived among us, showing us a way out of the deplorable cycle of
hatred and aggression. They exist this very day. It is to these people that we can turn in order to
replenish our encouragement, hope, and inspiration." Paul Rusesabagina saved the lives of 1,268
Africans by standing with them at Hotel Rwanda.