Is'Hotel Rwanda'based on a true story?
Read to find out if Hotel Rwanda based on a true story and more about the film's plot here. Hotel Rwanda is based on a true story documenting the real-life hotelier Paul Rusesabagina and his efforts to save both Tutsi and Hutu Rwandan refugees in the Belgian-owned Hôtel des Mille Collines.
Is the movie Hotel Rwanda historically accurate?
Like many other films that cover political turmoil, Hotel Rwanda is not a perfectly accurate film from a historical perspective. It delves into the fraught tension between two Rwandan ethnic groups — the Hutu, who controlled the government in April 1994, and the Tutsi rebels, which eventually led to a civil war.
Does Hotel Rwanda have a happy ending?
Among them is the ending itself — by Paul Rusesabagina's own account in his memoir, the refugee camp shown in Hotel Rwanda was far less peaceful and safe than it appears in the film. So, their arrival there was not so much a happy ending as yet another stressful chapter in their journey to safety.
What is the best book on the Rwandan genocide?
Barnett, Michael (2003). Eyewitness to a Genocide: The United Nations and Rwanda. Cornell University Press. ISBN 978-0-8014-8867-2. Chishugi, Leah (2010).
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Is Hotel Rwanda historically accurate?
Hotel Rwanda is not a historical record, but a fictionalised depiction of a story that many eyewitnesses dispute. And Paul Rusesabagina is not the character in a film but a complex and contested real-life figure. This should be noted for the sake of accuracy.
Who is Hotel Rwanda based on?
RusesabaginaRusesabagina is best known for his heroism in 1994 as the manager of the Hôtel des Mille Collines in Kigali, chronicled in the Hollywood film Hotel Rwanda. He gave safe haven to over 1,200 people during extermination efforts that claimed some 800,000 lives.
Where is Paul Rusesabagina now?
Since leaving Rwanda in 1996, he has become a prominent critic of Paul Kagame and the RPF government. He founded the PDR-Ihumure political party in 2006, and is currently President of the MRCD, a foreign-based opposition group to the Rwandan government.
Is Hotel Rwanda a real place?
The hotel is the setting for the film Hotel Rwanda, but it does not actually appear in the movie, which was largely shot in South Africa. The hotel does however appear in the 2005 HBO film Sometimes in April and the 2007 Canadian film Shake Hands with the Devil, which were shot on location in Rwanda.
Who saved the Hutus?
Zura Karuhimbi (c. 1925 – 17 December 2018) was a Rwandan woman who saved more than 100 people from being killed by Hutu militias during the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda . A traditional healer, she hid the refugees in her house and deterred attackers by masquerading as a witch.
What's the difference between Hutu and Tutsi?
"Hutus" were people who farmed crops, while "Tutsis" were people who tended livestock. Most Rwandans were Hutus. Gradually, these class divisions became seen as ethnic designations. Because cattle were more valuable than crops, the minority Tutsis became the local elite.
What is Rwanda called now?
the Republic of RwandaRwanda (/ruˈɑːndə, -ˈæn-/ ( listen); Kinyarwanda: u Rwanda [u.ɾɡwaː.nda] ( listen)), officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge.
What is the main religion in Rwanda?
Roman CatholicThe majority of Rwandans, about 65%, are Roman Catholic, with another 9% Protestant. Only about 1% of the population is Muslim. About a fourth of Rwandans are adherents of indigenous beliefs.
How many Tutsis live in Rwanda?
This census reported 596,400 Tutsi living in Rwanda, representing 8.4% of the population.
Where did the Hutus come from originally?
The Hutu are believed to have first emigrated to the Great Lake region from Central Africa in the great Bantu expansion. Various theories have emerged to explain the purported physical differences between them and their fellow Bantu-speaking neighbors, the Tutsi.
How did Paul Rusesabagina save lives?
It was during this period that Rusesabagina — a Hutu married to a Tutsi — managed to shelter about 1,268 Tutsis and moderate Hutus in his hotel and save their lives, reportedly by using cash, alcohol, cigars and connections to fend off the Hutu militias and generals.
Who created the difference between Hutus and Tutsis?
The Rwandan myth of the Tutsi and Hutu difference was perpetuated by the Belgian Colonial Administration, helped by filmmaker Armand Denis during the 1930s.
Where did the Hutus come from originally?
The Hutu are believed to have first emigrated to the Great Lake region from Central Africa in the great Bantu expansion. Various theories have emerged to explain the purported physical differences between them and their fellow Bantu-speaking neighbors, the Tutsi.
How many Tutsis live in Rwanda?
This census reported 596,400 Tutsi living in Rwanda, representing 8.4% of the population.
How did Paul Rusesabagina save lives?
It was during this period that Rusesabagina — a Hutu married to a Tutsi — managed to shelter about 1,268 Tutsis and moderate Hutus in his hotel and save their lives, reportedly by using cash, alcohol, cigars and connections to fend off the Hutu militias and generals.
How many Rwandans died in 1994?
6th April 1994 – For about a hundred days in 1994, about a million Rwandans were killed in what many historians have referred to as one of the most devastating tragedies in human history. The mass tragedy that was orchestrated by the members of the ruling Hutu ethnic group began when a plane carrying the then president of Rwanda, a wealthy Hutu native, Juvénal Habyarimana and his Burundian counterpart, another Hutu native, was shot down by an unknown missile on 6th April 1994, killing everyone on board.
What was the Hutus' problem after independence?
A few years after Independence, the Hutus got it into their heads that their problem was the Tutsi minority and plans were set in place to wipe out the entire Tutsi tribe. It began with the Hutu government fighting the Tutsis, whom they associated with the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), a rebel group, for about three years. In 1993, the United Nations had enforced the Arusha Peace agreement between the Rwanda government and the RPF, one that President Habyarimana had signed. However, with the attack on Habyarimana’s plane – which, till date, no one knows who was behind – the peace treaty was nullified.
What is the movie Hotel Rwanda about?
Hotel Rwanda is a 2004 drama film directed by Terry George. It stars Don Cheadle as real-life hotelier Paul Rusesabagina and Sophie Okonedo as his wife Tatiana. The film is based on true events of the Rwandan genocide which occurred during the spring of 1994. The film follows Rusesabagina's heroic efforts to save the lives ...
Who is the main character in Hotel Rwanda?
Hotel Rwanda plot follows how Mr Rusesabagina (Cheadle), a middle-class Hutu married to a Tutsi woman (Okonedo), used his influence - and bribes - to convince military officials to secure a safe escape for an estimated 1,200 people who sought shelter at the Mille Collines Hotel in Kigali.
Why is Paul Rusesabagina a hero?
While the film takes on the angle of how Paul Rusesabagina becomes a hero due to his efforts of saving thousands of lives, over the years the hotelier has been gripped in controversy, especially with reports claiming he used to "extort money" from the refugees for necessities like food water and other facilities. It was also reported that the UN headquarters in Kigali received information that Rusesabagina had provided a Rwandan army commander with a list of hotel guests and their room numbers.
Is Hotel Rwanda based on a true story?
Hotel Rwanda is based on a true story documenting the real-life hotelier Paul Rusesabagina and his efforts to save both Tutsi and Hutu Rwandan refugees in the Belgian-owned Hôtel des Mille Collines. The events took place amidst the horrific Rwandan Genocide where Hutu terrorists killed about 800,000 people mostly of Tutsi descent.
What is the movie Hotel Rwanda about?
Hotel Rwanda is a 2004 drama film directed by Terry George. It was adapted from a screenplay co-written by George and Keir Pearson, and stars Don Cheadle and Sophie Okonedo as hotelier Paul Rusesabagina and his wife Tatiana. Based on the Rwandan genocide, which occurred during the spring of 1994, the film documents Rusesabagina's efforts to save the lives of his family and more than 1,000 other refugees by providing them with shelter in the besieged Hôtel des Mille Collines. Hotel Rwanda explores genocide, political corruption, and the repercussions of violence.
When did Hotel Rwanda come out?
Hotel Rwanda premiered in theaters in limited release in the United States on 22 December 2004 and in wide release on 4 February 2005, grossing more than $23 million in domestic ticket sales.
What happened in Rwanda in 1994?
The film is set in 1994 during the Rwandan Genocide, in which an estimated 800,000 people, mainly Tutsi, were killed by Hutu extremists. During that year, Rwanda's population of seven million was composed of two major groups: Hutu (approximately 85%), and Tutsi (14%). In the early 1990s, Hutu extremists within Rwanda's political elite blamed the entire Tutsi minority population for the country's economic and political problems. Tutsi civilians were also accused of supporting a Tutsi-dominated rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front.
What did Paul and Gregoire do to collect hotel supplies from Georges Rutaganda?
Low on supplies, Paul and Gregoire drive to collect hotel supplies from Georges Rutaganda and witnesses Tutsi hostages being raped by the Interahamwe militia. Georges explains to Paul that the "rich cockroaches'" money is going to be valueless, because all of the Tutsis will be dead.
What happened to Paul and his family after the Rwandan genocide?
Following the assassination of the president, a Hutu, Paul and his family observe neighbors being killed, initiating the early stages of the genocide. When civil war erupts and a Rwandan Army Captain threatens Paul and his neighbors, Paul barely negotiates their safety and brings them to the hotel.
What is the goal of the film Rwanda?
"The goal of the film is not only to engage audiences in this story of genocide but also to inspire them to help redress the terrible devastation ," said George.
What road did Georges recommend to the refugees?
They return to the hotel through the dark, thick fog, of the riverside road recommended by Georges, only to find it is carpeted with dead bodies. When the UN forces attempt to evacuate a group of refugees, including Paul's family, Gregoire betrays them to the Interahamwe, who use radio broadcasts to accost them.
Who is the director of Hotel Rwanda?
But in "Hotel Rwanda," which stars Don Cheadle, director Terry George has created a searing, heartbreaking portrayal of a family caught in the frenetic, barbaric killing spree that left nearly 1 million people dead.Out of. The genocide in Rwanda, which took place a decade ago, was the subject of little news coverage at the time ...
How many people have been displaced in Rwanda?
Actor, 'Hotel Rwanda'. One and a half million people have been displaced from their homes, more than 2.3 million are in desperate need of aid, and international efforts have done little to stop the violence. Don Cheadle : It's so underreported.
Why did Rusesabagina say I was the first to be hunted?
Rusesabagina : That much, I knew. I knew I was the first to be hunted, because I was protecting people, refugees.
What is the movie Hotel Rwanda about?
Hotel Rwanda begins just as tensions between the Hutu and Tutsi are reaching a point of no return. Paul Rusesabagina, who manages the Belgian Hôtel des Mille Collines, knows the strain of this conflict first-hand — while he is Hutu, his wife Tatiana (Sophie Okonedo) is Tutsi, and their marriage causes friction with Hutu extremists, including Paul's goods supplier, Georges Rutaganda (Hakeem Kae-Kazim).
When was Hotel Rwanda released?
However, by focusing on the toll that the conflict took on those who were displaced by it, and thanks to Don Cheadle's Academy Award-nominated performance, Hotel Rwanda was acclaimed by critics for its humanistic approach to the story when it was released in 2004.
What are Paul's political connections with Hutu generals?
Paul's political connections with Hutu-sympathizing Army generals come in handy after the Hutu president is assassinated and civil war breaks out. He is able to negotiate the safety of his family and neighbors, and they refuge in the hotel.
How many refugees did Paul save in Hotel Rwanda?
The ending of Hotel Rwanda is powerful, if not entirely accurate. As is explained in the film's end title card, Paul ultimately saved at least 1,200 refugees by housing them at the hotel. The Rusesabagina family moved to Belgium, and the genocide, which ultimately claimed at least one million lives, ended in July 1994.
What happened to Paul when he left the hotel?
When Paul leaves the hotel to collect supplies from Georges, he witnesses a Hutu-led militia raping Tutsi refugees. On the way back to the hotel, Paul is shocked to see that the road is full of dead bodies. These moments remind both him and the audience how high the stakes are.
Who plays Tatiana in Hutu?
Paul Rusesabagina, who manages the Belgian Hôtel des Mille Collines, knows the strain of this conflict first-hand — while he is Hutu, his wife Tatiana (Sophie Okonedo) is Tutsi, and their marriage causes friction with Hutu extremists, including Paul's goods supplier, Georges Rutaganda (Hakeem Kae-Kazim).
Is Hotel Rwanda accurate?
Like many other films that cover political turmoil, Hotel Rwanda is not a perfectly accurate film from a historical perspective. It delves into the fraught tension between two Rwandan ethnic groups — the Hutu, who controlled the government in April 1994, and the Tutsi rebels, which eventually led to a civil war.
Overview
Production and historical accuracy
Sharing his thoughts about the lack of international intervention during the crisis, director George commented, "It's simple, ... African lives are not seen as valuable as the lives of Europeans or Americans." Attempting to share the horrors of the genocide, George sought to tell the story of Rusesabagina, portrayed as a humanitarian during the relentless acts of violence.
However, Rusesabagina has since come under criticism from survivors of the Genocide. In 2008…
Plot
In April 1994, tensions between the Hutu controlled government and Tutsi rebels led to genocide in Rwanda, where corruption and bribes between politicians were routine. Paul Rusesabagina, manager of the Belgian-owned Hôtel des Mille Collines, is Hutu, but his wife Tatiana is Tutsi. Their marriage is a source of friction with Hutu extremists, including Georges Rutaganda, a goods supplier to the hotel who is also the local leader of Interahamwe, a brutal Hutu militia. Paul carrie…
Cast
• Don Cheadle as Paul Rusesabagina
• Sophie Okonedo as Tatiana Rusesabagina
• Nick Nolte as Colonel Oliver, loosely based on General Roméo Dallaire
• Joaquin Phoenix as Jack Daglish, loosely based on peacekeeper Stefan Stec
Marketing
Hotelier Paul Rusesabagina's experience encouraged director George to produce the film. A paperback novel published by Newmarket Press, titled Hotel Rwanda: Bringing the True Story of an African Hero to Film, released on 7 February 2005, dramatizes the events of the Rwandan Genocide in 1994, as depicted in the film, and expands on the ideas of how Rusesabagina sheltered and saved more than 1,200 people in the hotel he managed in Kigali by summarizing t…
Release
Following its cinematic release in theaters, the film was released in VHS video format on 12 April 2005, marking the final United Artists film released on the format. The Region 1 Code widescreen edition of the film was also released on DVD in the United States on 12 April 2005. Special features for the DVD include; "A Message for Peace: Making Hotel Rwanda" documentary, "Return to Rwanda" documentary, Selected scenes commentary by Don Cheadle, Audio comme…
Reception
Among mainstream critics in the U.S., the film received largely positive reviews. Rotten Tomatoes reported that 91% of 194 sampled critics gave the film a positive review, with an average score of 7.95/10 and the consensus calling it a "sobering and heartfelt tale about the massacre that took place in Rwanda while most of the world looked away." At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average out of 100 to critics' reviews, the film received a score of 79 based on 40 reviews.
See also
• 2004 in film
• Hutu Power – a racist and ethnic supremacist ideology propounded by Hutu extremists in Rwanda
• Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines – a Rwandan radio station which played a significant role during the Genocide against the Tutsi