The “Hotel Rwanda” Film Analysis Essay

Name: Hotel Rwanda (Terry George, 2004)

Genre: drama, military, biography, history

Rwanda, 1994. In the former Belgian colony, the political situation is deteriorating, and tension is growing between the two peoples inhabiting the country – Tutsi and Hutu. After Belgium left Rwanda, the conflicts between the two ethnic groups arose, and the situation took a dark turn of violence and genocide. Hotel Rwanda is a historical drama that dwells on the issue of the first world’s unforgiving ignorance towards the life of less civilized countries.

The story centers around Paul Rusesabagina, a wealthy hotel owner in Rwanda, whose hotel eventually becomes a place of safety for his family and a part of the Rwandan population. While in the beginning, the situation is seemingly controlled by the UN Peacekeeping troops, eventually, Rwanda is left to deal with genocide and war crimes on its own. Paul accepts the responsibility of using his power to save thousands of Rwanda people up until they are able to evacuate with the help of UN forces.

The motion picture is intended for a broad audience to see, as every viewer has a chance to discover the struggle of international politics and the ignorance of developing and emerging countries. The movie itself pursues the purpose to shed light on the political crisis of Rwanda and the price of international abandonment of a whole nation. Terry George, a famous Irish director, screenwriter, and a twice-Oscar nominee made Hotel Rwanda his bold artistic, political statement on the stance of human lives in the context of corrupted and picky international political games.

By presenting the story from the perspective of a Paul, George depicts the truthful facts of the Rwandan 1994 genocide in combination with emphatic fictional additions to the story. While the story itself should not be perceived as a biopic, the events in 1994 Rwanda are portrayed with exceptional preciseness. Undeniably, the motion picture does not show all the horrors of genocide, but the director does a good job of showing the most important milestones of the crisis.

Hotel Rwanda is a moving and educational film that accomplishes its purpose of educating the audience and reconsidering its perception of life in the countries that do not have much attention from the international political arena. The powerful message of the film allows it to omit certain details, as the audience is still left with a shocking realization of the crises taking place across the world. This movie should be seen by anyone who considers themselves to be a conscious part of the global community.

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A hotel 'diplomat' offers sanctuary from genocide

hotel rwanda film essay

Don Cheadle and Sophie Okonedo in "Hotel Rwanda."

You do not believe you can kill them all?

Why not? Why not? We are halfway there already.

In 1994 in Rwanda, a million members of the Tutsi tribe were killed by members of the Hutu tribe in a massacre that took place while the world looked away. "Hotel Rwanda" is not the story of that massacre. It is the story of a hotel manager who saved the lives of 1,200 people by being, essentially, a very good hotel manager.

The man is named Paul Rusesabagina, and he is played by Don Cheadle as a man of quiet, steady competence in a time of chaos. This is not the kind of man the camera silhouettes against mountaintops, but the kind of man who knows how things work in the real world, who uses his skills of bribery, flattery, apology and deception to save these lives who have come into his care.

I have known a few hotel managers fairly well, and I think if I were hiring diplomats, they would make excellent candidates. They speak several languages. They are discreet. They know how to function appropriately in different cultures. They know when a bottle of scotch will repay itself six times over. They know how to handle complaints. And they know everything that happens under their roof, from the millionaire in the penthouse to the bellboy who can get you a girl.

Paul is such a hotel manager. He is a Hutu, married to a Tutsi named Tatiana ( Sophie Okonedo ). He has been trained in Belgium and runs the four-star Hotel Des Milles Collines in the capital city of Kigali. He does his job very well. He understands that when a general's briefcase is taken for safekeeping, it contains bottles of good scotch when it is returned. He understands that to get the imported beer he needs, a bribe must take place. He understands that his guests are accustomed to luxury, which must be supplied even here in a tiny central African nation wedged against Tanzania, Uganda and the Congo. Do these understandings make him a bad man? Just the opposite. They make him an expert on situational ethics. The result of all the things he knows is that the hotel runs well and everyone is happy.

Then the genocide begins, suddenly, but after a long history. Rwanda's troubles began, as so many African troubles began, when European colonial powers established nations that ignored traditional tribal boundaries. Enemy tribes were forced into the same land. For years in Rwanda under the Belgians, the Tutsis ruled and killed not a few Hutu. Now the Hutus are in control, and armed troops prowl the nation, killing Tutsis.

There is a United Nations "presence" in Rwanda, represented by Col. Oliver ( Nick Nolte ). He sees what is happening, informs his superiors, asks for help and intervention, and is ignored. Paul Rusesabagina informs the corporate headquarters in Brussels of the growing tragedy, but the hotel in Kigali is not the chain's greatest concern. Finally it comes down to these two men acting as free-lancers to save more than a thousand lives they have somehow become responsible for.

When "Hotel Rwanda" premiered at Toronto 2004, some reviews criticized the film for focusing on Paul and the colonel, and making little effort to "depict" the genocide as a whole. But director Terry George and writer Keir Pearson have made exactly the correct decision. A film cannot be about a million murders, but it can be about how a few people respond. Paul, as it happens, is a real person, and Col. Oliver is based on one, and "Hotel Rwanda" is about what they really did. The story took shape after Pearson visited Rwanda and heard of a group of people who were saved from massacre.

Cheadle holds his performance resolutely at the human level. His character intuitively understands that only by continuing to act as a hotel manager can he achieve anything. His hotel is hardly functioning, the economy has broken down, the country is ruled by anarchy, but he puts on his suit and tie every morning and fakes business as usual -- even on a day he is so frightened, he cannot tie his tie.

He deals with a murderous Hutu general, for example, not as an enemy or an outlaw, but as a longtime client who knows that the value of a good cigar cannot be measured in cash. Paul has trained powerful people in Kigali to consider the Hotel Des Milles Collines an oasis of sophistication and decorum, and now he pretends that is still the case. It isn't, but it works as a strategy because it cues a different kind of behavior; a man who has yesterday directed a mass murder might today want to show that he knows how to behave appropriately in the hotel lobby.

Nolte's performance is also in a precise key. He came to Rwanda as a peacekeeper, and now there is no peace to keep. The nations are united in their indifference toward Rwanda. In real life, Nolte's bad-boy headlines distract from his acting gifts; here his character is steady, wise, cynical and a master of the possible. He makes a considered choice in ignoring his orders and doing what he can do, right now, right here, to save lives.

How the 1,200 people come to be "guests" in the hotel is a chance of war. Some turn left, some right, some live, some die. Paul is concerned above all with his own family. As a Hutu, he is safe, but his wife is Tutsi, his children are threatened, and in any event, he is far beyond thinking in tribal terms. He has spent years storing up goodwill and now he calls in favors. He moves the bribery up another level. He hides people in his hotel. He lies. He knows how to use a little blackmail: Sooner or later, he tells a powerful general, the world will take a reckoning of what happened in Kigali, and if Paul is not alive to testify for him, who else will be believed?

This all succeeds as riveting drama. "Hotel Rwanda" is not about hotel management, but about heroism and survival. Rusesabagina rises to the challenge. The film works not because the screen is filled with meaningless special effects, formless action and vast digital armies, but because Cheadle, Nolte and the filmmakers are interested in how two men choose to function in an impossible situation. Because we sympathize with these men, we are moved by the film.

Deep movie emotions for me usually come not when the characters are sad, but when they are good.

You will see what I mean.

hotel rwanda film essay

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

Hotel Rwanda

hotel rwanda film essay

  • Sophie Okonedo as Tatiana
  • Don Cheadle as Paul Rusesabagina
  • Joaquin Phoenix as Jack
  • Nick Nolte as Col. Oliver
  • Keir Pearson
  • Terry George

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“Hotel Rwanda” (2004) by Terry George Essay (Movie Review)

1. introduction.

The film begins with a simple title card that reads "1994". Beneath the title card, the film's protagonist, Paul Rusesabagina, is seen taking a shower and preparing to go to work. As he dresses, we hear a car radio announcer speak of rising tensions between different ethnic groups within Rwanda. We follow Paul as he goes about his days, running an extremely successful Belgian-owned luxury hotel in Kigali called the Hotel des Mille Collines. With Paul's quick thinking and expert schmoozing, we see how he is able to please an extremely wide and diverse array of guests through very unlucky events, such as those caused by general bad luck, jealousies, and even an attempted bribe by a visiting general. At the same time, however, we also begin to see and understand the growing tension and danger just outside the four walls of the hotel. At first, the only acknowledgement of this growing tension is a scene of Paul and a journalist friend of his listening to a speech on the radio given by a man running against the current president of Rwanda, President Habyarimana. This man says that if he is elected, he will retake the country and finally get rid of the "cockroaches", referring to the Tutsi people. However, even after this, life goes on somewhat as usual in the hotel for quite some time, and there are a number of light-hearted and comedic scenes of Paul managing the hectic schedule and many demands of the guests. After the announcement of a plane crash killing President Habyarimana, though, everything changes and the grim reality of the situation forcefully intrudes on Paul and his family's lives and ultimately on the guests and workers of the hotel, too. Paul listens to the announcement - interrupted by static - on the car radio with a stunned and thoughtfully blank expression which quickly hardens and becomes purposeful and focused. From this point on, Hotel Rwanda turns into a film dealing with the horrors of genocide and humanitarian crises that unfolded in Rwanda in 1994. It becomes a violent film that is not so much gory as it is deeply saddening. The film's pace quickens and becomes disorientating, the colours on screen turn from bright and rich to washed out and faded, and even our protagonist is pushed to the brink of despair and madness. The film never hides the brutality and horror of the genocide and the impact it had on all Rwandans, and the film's ending, which shows real photographs of the genocide's victims, only deepens this impact on the audience. By this point in time, however, an audience watching Hotel Rwanda might be surprised about how much Paul has changed and how much he has to go through; although he starts out as a pretty carefree and self-centred capitalist go-getter, as he witnesses atrocity and murder and sees his own little pocket of humanity in the hotel destroyed, he becomes a fierce protector of others, especially his family. We see how he has to deal with betrayal, he has to balance moral rightness with pragmatism, and ultimately he has to try and keep not just himself but scores of others alive, one day at a time, often putting his own life in danger. This is especially effective as the audience knows that it is a true story and that Paul Rusesabagina managed to save so many people, and the film is therefore almost a testament to his strength and determination and a memoir of the suffering of the Rwandan people. However, the film never strays into the realm of the unreal and the saccharine, never allowing Paul to become a stereotype, and this means that the film ultimately is a challenging and insightful document of a horrible period in Rwandan history and the strength of humanity within it.

1.1. Background of the movie

The movie is set in 1994 when the genocide was happening in Rwanda. The film "Hotel Rwanda" is based on the real events that were happening in Africa. The "Hotel Rwanda" focuses on the horrifying events through the experience of a hotel manager, Paul Rusesabagina. The movie is directed by Terry George. It is a British-Italian-South African historical drama. The script is written by both Keir Pearson and Terry George. The main cast and characters are Don Cheadle as Paul Rusesabagina, Sophie Okonedo as Tatiana Rusesabagina, and Nick Nolte as Colonel Oliver. The film was released into the United States on 4th January 2005, but it was released earlier elsewhere. The movie received positive reviews from the critics and it was also nominated for three Academy Awards. The movie "Hotel Rwanda" was the 24th highest-grossing film in 2003-04 in Italy and it was the 22nd highest-grossing film in 2005 in the UK. This film is of great importance and it provides several insights into a number of political and social issues. It depicts the way how destructive prejudice and hate are against the background of international indifference and negligence. By depicting the events in Rwanda as they happened in 1994, the film has managed to shine the world's attention to the problems that occurred in a small African country. The case in Rwanda had been terrorizing the people for quite some time, and every time there was something happening, the signal would be the same. Those who died did not have the right identifications which identified them by their ethnic groups and hence they were always in problem. This was an ethnic conflict between the majority Hutu and the minority Tutsi. However, it is known that the ethnic conflict was used by a few groups of people in the political elites to manipulate the country. The result or rather the events of the genocide that followed were a demonstration of how politics can sometimes take the worst form, that is, vices lead to suffering and destruction of a nation.

1.2. Brief summary of the plot

The movie opens with a scene of the protagonist, Paul Rusesabagina, staying in his house and talking with a group of rebel soldiers. The story then flashes back to the beginning of a time of conflict and genocide in Rwanda, with Paul being the manager of the Sabena owned Mille Collines hotel. His wife Tatiana is of Tutsi origin, which becomes important later in the movie. As violence and tensions escalate throughout the country by the Hutu extremists, Paul is approached by the Rwandan Army General who asks for his support for the Hutu cause. Paul is placed in the difficult position as he doesn’t want to comply with the General but also fears to lose his job and putting his family in danger. He does shelter people who are targeted by the Hutus in his hotel and due to his actions, over a thousand people are saved. The hotel and the people staying there are protected from massacre up until the rebels arrive and Hôtel des Mille Collines is liberated. The last scene before the credits is a real life video of Paul and Tatiana an honorary citizen. The last sentence appears that they are walking on a runway entering a large crowd and voices off camera are chanting their names. This uplifting and perhaps emotional end differs greatly from the devastating events that dominate the rest of the film.

2. Analysis of the movie

From the first scene, the focus of the movie is apparent. The opening title cards announce that the movie is based on a true story and takes place during the Rwandan Genocide, a conflict that resulted in the deaths of nearly a million Tutsi at the hands of the Hutu in 1994. This immediately sets the tone for the film, positioning it as a historical and sociopolitical piece rather than an action-packed thriller. Paul Rusesabagina, played by Don Cheadie who was nominated for an Academy Award for this role, is the protagonist of the movie. An ethnic Hutu, Paul is the manager of the Belgian-owned luxury hotel, the Hotel Des Mille Collines, where much of the movie's action takes place. Although Paul himself and his family and neighbors are safe from the genocide outside, with Tutsis hiding in his hotel, the political situation and the country's ongoing massacre is the main focus of the film, providing a vital and deeply emotional backdrop. Paul is initially quiet and somewhat passive in his efforts to help his fellow Rwandans. While he is not completely indifferent to the violence occurring around him, he is mainly preoccupied with maintaining his hotel and putting on a facade of normalcy to please the foreign guests and potential allies of his struggling country. As an audience, we witness his transformation from a somewhat naive people-pleaser to a man who takes decisive and risky actions in the name of saving innocent lives. This character arc is reflected in the physical and psychological journeys that the main characters undergo. The soft and gentle opening scenes of the hotel's beautiful and opulent interior, full of warm golds and honeyed dusk light, contrast sharply with the scenes of horrific violence later in the film, accentuating the atrocities being committed and experienced at the time. This shift in setting and tone further echoes Paul's changes and reflects the innocence the characters had before as juxtaposed with the brutality of the genocide. The visual elements of the movie are striking and powerful in their own right, and are used thoughtfully to complement and enhance the narrative and character development. Through the narrative, Terry George allows the characters to be the focus of the shots with the omnipresent danger outside, as opposed to the danger itself becoming the central visual theme. This offers a unique perspective; rather than showcasing the violence and bloodshed to shock the audience, the director chooses to show the impact of those events on the characters and their human emotions, eliciting a much more profound and long-lasting response from the viewers at home. The final scenes in the movie as well hold important iconography, such as the focus on the UN trucks and soldiers and officials on the ground; the use of the UN flag, an international symbol of unity and peace, reflects the movie's message of international negligence and disinterest in the genocide in Rwanda. Animated credits roll over the screen detailing the number of people, of children, of human beings that the UN lost during that mission. The juxtaposition of the iconic and almost reassuring image of the UN flag with these chilling statistics highlights the contrast between the perceived international aid and the reality of the global response to the genocide.

2.1. Themes explored in the film

The movie is based on the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. Throughout the film, the characters are exposed to acts of violence, murder, and rape - all of which are inspired by real events. The film shows an honest portrayal of the cruelty that existed during the genocide of Rwanda. The extent of the violent acts is by no means hidden, with the Western world catering a virtually nonexistent response to the atrocities occurring in Africa. In one scene within "Hotel Rwanda," Paul's neighbors are slaughtered simply for seeking refuge in his hotel. One of the most perturbing scenes in the film is when Paul and his family's car is stopped by a policeman. The officer finds out that Paul is of the Tutsi tribe by cutting his arm with a machete and is about to kill them, only to be saved by the UN peacekeepers. This reveals the extent through which the very ideas of corruption and conflict even stem to the institutions created to maintain peace. The thematic impact is extremely significant as it helps connect the viewer not only with Paul's personal trials and the hardships of his family but also with the cultural and social distress that encompasses Rwanda at that time. The viewer is able to perceive the full extent of these impacts. Through the film, the director Terry George does not hold back to reveal global and political ills. The movie reflects reality by portraying heart-wrenching cruelty and the injustices done to a certain group of people solely based on their identity. The kinds of repressive institutions and ideologies that produced the violence and the differing ways in which men and women experienced and resisted those measures are reflected and focused in the film, known as historical arguments. The film's thematic focus on how gender and power intersect in perpetuating and resisting oppressive regimes has been well received by scholars alike.

2.2. Character development and performances

During "Hotel Rwanda", we see the evolution of the characters which is a main factor of the movie. Paul transforms from a man trying to do his job and nothing else, to someone who is taking side of the Tutsi. We see this change slowly as Paul becomes more and more responsible for the safety of people seeking shelter at the hotel. He has conversations with Gregoire, the manager of the hotel, and the general who first refuses to let the Tutsi stay. All of these interactions show the growth that Paul goes through in the movie and without it, the movie wouldn't be as powerful as it is. Not only does the character development make the movie impactful, the performances of all the main actors brings the characters to life. Don Cheadle does an amazing job portraying Paul and his struggle with what he should do and what he feels he has to do. From start to finish, Cheadle makes the character someone that the audience can connect to and really feel for. This can be said for all the main characters in the movie. Lesi and Gilbert have much smaller roles, however their performances cannot be understated. When they are attacked and, by miracle, are not killed by the Interahamwe, their desperation and hopelessness make the audience really connect with the characters. This is true with every performance in the movie. From the spoiled and ignorant reporter, to the desperate Tutsi who are hiding in the hotel, each character and the actor who plays them adds another layer to the story that helps build to the emotional and amazing ending. When it comes to the audience understanding the journey of Paul and the other characters, the director does a fantastic job. Terry George has used the camera work, the lighting, and the mise en scene to really help the audience understand the physical and emotional journey of the characters. When Paul is at his lowest, we see a close up of him sweating or shaking which shows how Paul is falling apart. There are times when the camera will show Paul from a high angle, making him seem small and vulnerable. The general who first refuses to let the Tutsi stay is always shot from a low angle, making him seem powerful and intimidating, regardless of his position in the scene. Every shot and every scene is designed to help the audience understand the characters and the emotions that they are supposed to be feeling. Every aspect of the movie is geared to make the audience understand the story that is being portrayed. The performances of the actors, and the decisions that the director has made, make "Hotel Rwanda" a truly exceptional film.

2.3. Cinematography and visual storytelling

The angle and position of the camera are always used to suggest hope or optimism in certain parts of the movie, while in other parts it suggests fear or despair. An example is the shot showing the UN trucks that are entering the frame. This is a low angle shot that is used to suggest hope and optimism throughout the scene, showing they are the kind of humanity riding in to help. It then follows the trucks with a high angle pan to suggest to the audience the dominance of the trucks in a shot. In this particular context, this suggests a relief caused by help. Moreover, the constant motion of the camera also helps to provide a visual impact of the situation the particular characters are in. This is particularly useful as we could assume that if it is a large action shot with little camera movement, then it is a relatively peaceful time. Such as when Paul is at a hotel or when the family is presented together for the first time. These kinds of shots can be starkly contrasted to the huge amount of shaky camera movement as seen in the western world while the Dube family is trying to escape. This magnitude of shaky camera helps to accentuate fear and desperation of the characters. When I watched this movie, the brutality of the acts that was captured into film was so great that it considerably shocked me. The use of lights and the general lighting in the movie was effective in my opinion. For instance, there is a shot showing the neighbor houses in Hotel Rwanda. The houses are evenly and comfortably illuminated by light with a bright gold color. However, this peaceful picture has been distorted by the loud sirens of the massacres. This gives a very effective and clear meaning to the audience that the idea of civilization and peace that was introduced at the beginning of the movie would be destroyed and trampled by the disturbances that are happening in the movie. This is a good example of how the director used the light to create false calm in the scenes and then changed into fear and despair by a sudden change of the lighting. The supply of power to each part of the hotel was also considered by the director. For example, the light in the rooms disappears when the national power is down. He gave up no chances to illustrate the defensive condition of the refugees. Power supply and the meaning of the director were well understood and anticipated by the audience. The use of light and the general sort of thing were fresh, different from ordinary Hollywood movies. The power of influence of light should always be well anticipated because the changed meaning of the scenes can easily confuse. Therefore, it creates a much better bleak and cruel environment.

3. Impact and significance

This film focused on showing the comparison between how different races were treated during the genocide in Rwanda. Both the movie and the historical events that took place were shown from the viewpoint of the hotel manager, Paul Rusesabagina, who used his resources and wealth to bribe and help save Tutsi refugees. Although some parts of the movie were slightly altered for entertainment purposes, such as killing a character that is alive in real life, the movie was overall accurate in showing what happened. This movie does not completely mimic the reality but is about ninety percent accurate and that demonstrates what an amazing job Terry George has done. The selection of Hotel Rwanda for the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival can be seen as the turning point from indifference to awareness. As the producer of the film sat in his home at New York, he started to receive DVDs of the movie. Many people were sending him the copy and telling him that he can even download it from the internet. The reason was until that time, almost no one was interested to invest money in such movies because they do not think people would be interested to watch them. The People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival has changed such attitude. The producer felt that the movie has overcome the stage of trying to attract attention and today people are downloading it. He had more phone calls than ever before. This movie would reach a lot of people than anyone would have imagined. He also received messages from television stations in Canada, offering to screen it for free worldwide.

3.1. Historical accuracy and portrayal of events

Audiences and critics have debated about the accuracy of "Hotel Rwanda" and whether it is a faithful portrayal of what happened in Rwanda in 1994. Some people have argued that the movie gives a distorted view of the events. For example, the British journalist David Sharps and his wife were not saved by the hero Paul Rusesabagina, but by a group of Rwanda Patriotic Front soldiers. In addition, Paul's personal heroism is emphasized in the movie whereas the efforts of the international community are largely ignored. Also, the movie mainly shows the experiences of the characters at the hotel, and there are very few scenes of the atrocities and killings happening outside of the hotel. For example, very little is shown of what the Interahamwe actually did in Rwanda during the genocide. On the other hand, some people believe that "Hotel Rwanda" is a powerful and moving film because it represents the real life and what exactly happened in Rwanda in 1994. The director Terry George has described the movie as an anti-violence film. He said that "the idea of the film was to help people understand how 1 million people can be killed in 100 days". He also said that the story in "Hotel Rwanda" is heroic and uplifting, but the reason it is so extraordinary is because it is a happy story born out of such tragedy. It demonstrates that people have the capacity to care for each other and give each other great hope. He suggested that we have the power to stop these things from happening again. This is different from the more commonly heard criticisms that the movie has neglected other explanations for the genocide and the ways in which it reflects and reinforces Western perceptions of Africa and Africans. These different perspectives on the movie reflect wider debates about the causes of the Rwandan genocide, the issues of Western intervention and non-intervention in African conflicts, and the ways in which several aspects of the genocide have been recorded and remembered over the past two decades.

3.2. Relevance of the movie in contemporary society

The relevance of "Hotel Rwanda" in contemporary society "Hotel Rwanda" was produced and filmed ten years after the civil war in Rwanda, but it is also set in the years 1992, 1993, and 1994. The time difference between the events and the production of the movie may lead one to ask whether or not the movie has any relevance in post-genocide Rwanda. Today, "Hotel Rwanda" is perhaps the most well-known film about the genocide, and it is also how most people are introduced to the subject. The film has been used as a teaching tool in schools and universities, and in numerous articles, books, and documentaries. Its enormous success, both commercially and in terms of critical acclaim, has helped to bring the genocide to the attention of an even wider audience. When a movie takes on a subject like genocide, there is a risk that it could be misused or that it could provide a viewer with a simplified version of events. According to the report by the United States Library of Congress, in 2005 "Hotel Rwanda" was found to be the most widely used American teaching resource on the subject of the genocide. In an article for "The Journal of the Association of Teachers of Social Studies," Daniel S. Brown recommended the movie to all educators of young adolescents when he observed it to be an appropriate and educational movie for students. This shows that "Hotel Rwanda" is significant not only in increasing the popularity of the subject matter of the movie, but the film is also acknowledged for its educational value and its potential to inform young people about the social and political complexities of life in Rwanda. The film is also useful as a teaching aid because it raises controversial discussions and topics, such as the role of the international community during the conflict. According to the report by the United States Library of Congress, in 2005 "Hotel Rwanda" was found to be the most widely used American teaching resource on the subject of the genocide. In an article for "The Journal of the Association of Teachers of Social Studies," Daniel S. Brown recommended the movie to all educators of young adolescents when he observed it to be an appropriate and educational movie for students. This shows that "Hotel Rwanda" is significant not only in increasing the popularity of the subject matter of the movie, but the film is also acknowledged for its educational value and its potential to inform young people about the social and political complexities of life in Rwanda. The film is also useful as a teaching aid because it raises controversial discussions and topics, such as the role of the international community during the conflict.

3.3. Critical reception and awards

The movie "Hotel Rwanda" was incredibly well-received and was nominated for a number of awards. The movie received three nominations at the Golden Globe Awards: Don Cheadle was nominated for Best Actor, Sophie Okonedo was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, and the movie was nominated for Best Original Song. Cheadle was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the movie. In addition, the movie won 6 awards at the 2005 NAACP Image Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Don Cheadle. These nominations and wins show how well "Hotel Rwanda" was received by audiences and critics. Also, the significance of these awards is that they indicate how powerful the movie is. Even though these nominations and awards primarily signify the talent of the actors and film crew, the fact that they were given to a film that deals with such important subject matter brings attention to that subject matter. The concept of awards, that is grabbing the attention of the public, in many ways is the last step of a movie's impact and that can be critical for movies like "Hotel Rwanda" that deal with human rights violations. The world needs to know what happened and what is still happening, and getting the commendation of well-respected audiences and societies with the ability to reach millions of people is one of the best ways to spread knowledge. Also, these awards are helping to cement the legacy of "Hotel Rwanda". By winning prestigious awards, it sets the movie apart from others and ensures that it will be remembered for years to come. This is important because the movie is based on real events and real people, so by giving it awards, the world is also acknowledging the people and the issues that the movie represents. Toussaint, the courageous and kind-hearted manager of the Hotel des Mille Collines, is alive and well today and has seen the impact of "Hotel Rwanda". He said, "The film has done so much for genocide awareness around the world." He explains how he meets so many people in America who say they never knew what happened in Rwanda and how much the movie brought the events to light. He explains that he does not have the heart to watch the movie since he lived it, but he understands how important it has been. He also said, "I believe that a powerful film like that or music like that has the ability to move a society, to change a society, to make a better world." The impact that the movie has had on real people, such as Toussaint, shows how important movies like "Hotel Rwanda" are, which further emphasizes the significance of its critical reception and awards.

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“Hotel Rwanda”: an In-Depth Film Analysis of the Cast and their Impact

This essay about “Hotel Rwanda” focuses on the cast’s crucial role in bringing the harrowing tale of the Rwandan genocide to life. Highlighting Don Cheadle’s nuanced portrayal of Paul Rusesabagina, the hotel manager who saved over a thousand lives, the essay underscores the emotional depth and complexity Cheadle brings to the character. Sophie Okonedo, as Tatiana Rusesabagina, and Nick Nolte, portraying a UN peacekeeper, are also discussed for their contributions to the film’s narrative and emotional resonance. The essay touches on the performances of other key cast members, emphasizing how each actor adds to the film’s exploration of humanity amidst tragedy. It concludes by reflecting on the ensemble’s ability to authentically convey the story’s gravity, thus ensuring the film not only serves as a historical recount but also as a poignant call to action against human rights abuses.

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"Hotel Rwanda," a film released in 2004, stands as a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit amidst one of the darkest chapters in recent history, the Rwandan genocide. Directed by Terry George, the movie brings to life the true story of Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager who used his wit and courage to shelter over a thousand refugees during the genocide. The film's impact is significantly bolstered by its cast, who deliver performances that are not only compelling but also deeply humanizing. Need a custom essay on the same topic? Give us your paper requirements, choose a writer and we’ll deliver the highest-quality essay! Order now

This essay aims to explore the ensemble of actors who brought this poignant story to the screen, shedding light on their roles and contributions to the film's narrative and emotional depth.

At the forefront of "Hotel Rwanda" is Don Cheadle, who takes on the role of Paul Rusesabagina. Cheadle's portrayal is both nuanced and powerful, capturing the complex web of emotions experienced by Paul as he navigates the perilous landscape of a country torn apart by violence. Through Cheadle's performance, audiences are offered an intimate look into the courage and moral fortitude required to make unthinkable choices under the shadow of genocide. His ability to convey the weight of the situation, coupled with moments of vulnerability, earned him widespread acclaim and several award nominations.

Sophie Okonedo plays Tatiana Rusesabagina, Paul's wife, and is the emotional cornerstone of the film. Okonedo brings a gentle strength to the character, portraying a woman who is both deeply concerned for her family's safety and supportive of her husband's efforts to save others. Her portrayal highlights the often-unsung heroism of those who stand by their loved ones in times of crisis, providing support that becomes a source of strength in itself.

The cast also includes Nick Nolte as Colonel Oliver, a character based on the real-life UN peacekeeper Romeo Dallaire. Nolte captures the frustration and helplessness faced by international forces during the genocide, constrained by the limitations of their mandate and the global community's indifference. Joaquin Phoenix, playing a journalist, offers a lens through which the international perspective on the crisis is critiqued, questioning the role and power of the media in shaping the world's response to such atrocities.

Supporting roles by actors like Desmond Dube, as Dube the hotel's receptionist, and Fana Mokoena, who plays General Augustin Bizimungu, add layers to the narrative, representing the diverse spectrum of experiences and moral choices faced by individuals during the genocide. Their performances contribute to the film's exploration of humanity's capacity for both cruelty and kindness.

"Hotel Rwanda" is a film where each cast member, regardless of the size of their role, contributes to a larger narrative that is both a memorial to the victims of the genocide and a call to action. The actors' dedication to authentically portraying their characters ensures that the story of the Rwandan genocide is told with the dignity, respect, and complexity it deserves. Their performances invite audiences to reflect not only on the events of the past but also on the ongoing need for vigilance, empathy, and action in the face of human rights abuses.

In conclusion, the cast of "Hotel Rwanda" brings to life a story that is as heart-wrenching as it is inspiring. Through their skilled performances, they navigate the delicate balance of portraying real-life horror without losing sight of the individual human stories at its heart. This ensemble not only memorializes a tragic chapter in history but also underscores the power of cinema to foster empathy, awareness, and, ultimately, change.

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“Hotel Rwanda” Directed by Terry George: An Analysis of the Film

The British film “Hotel Rwanda” is one of the most emotional historical dramas of this millennium, which is not a big box office movie but still conveys deep authorial meaning. Released in 2004 by Terry George, Hotel Rwanda raises many of the most pressing topics for today’s social agenda, from the romantic relationship between a woman and a man to the effects of globalization and entrenched corruption in the country. This paper describes the key insights and themes that emerged from watching this film.

Primarily, the overall plot of “Hotel Rwanda” should be briefly interpreted. The film describes the chronology of progress between two warring indigenous ethnic groups in the East African country of Rwanda. After the death of the local president, the Hutu people, whose key opposition was the Tutsi, were given temporary power over the state. Because of the conflict of political interests between the tribes and the unequal distribution of power, Rwanda’s population, which had formed friendly and kinship ties for decades, was radically divided into “good” and “bad.”

The Tutsis and the Hutus conflict became the basis for a bloody regime and brutal intra-state massacres. However, this problem mainly affected the key protagonist of the movie, Paul Rusesabagina, who is the head of a large hotel in the capital. Paul is a member of the Hutu tribe, but his wife is Tutsi. It seems like it could have been another Shakespeare story about people who cannot be together, but “Hotel Rwanda” has instead decided to be a topical sequel to Steven Spielberg’s legendary “Schindler’s List.”

In particular, instead of confronting the Tutsis and supporting his people, Rusesabagina decides to rescue victims from a tribe that is hostile to him, using his reputable businessman connections. The present film is a fictional vision based on actual events, as it is based on the true story of Paul Rusesabagina, who saved 1,268 disadvantaged Tutsis from the pressures of the political machine during the bloody period in Rwanda.

After watching the film, one of the main insights was the realization that “Hotel Rwanda” does not tell the specific story of the confrontation between the Hutu and the Tutsi in an East African country but generally covers the fundamental problem of civil conflict. In other words, the problem of the bloody political regime and human cruelty raised in the film has no national boundaries, but instead, it is familiar to everyone on the planet without exception.

It is probably for this reason that “Hotel Rwanda” is still relevant today, almost eighteen years after its publication because it reveals timeless themes that are familiar to everyone. Terry George conveys the idea that socio-political conflicts like Rwanda will still occur everywhere in the future, and that is why most people need to think about the importance of such values as humanity, love, compassion, and mercy.

One of the essential themes also emphasized in the film is the struggle for survival in the face of globalization. The leitmotif of “Hotel Rwanda” remains the philosophy that if someone needs something, it is their problem, whereas if someone wants to have something, the whole world is willing to share it. It becomes apparent that the modern world is devoid of social justice, which means that those who want to survive and live comfortably must move and adapt to achieve it. In this film, one realizes how small one person is on the scale of the great political machine of East African Rwanda and how uninteresting the major interethnic conflict of decades ago is for the major players in the global marketplace. Globalization in this film is not strictly positive or negative, but instead, Terry George shows its consequences and invites the viewer to determine for himself the limits and benefits of the rapprochement of peoples.

However, this is not difficult to do since the film also tells the story of the inaction of the UN’s peacekeeping mission as the most critical integrative association of humanity. Put differently, under this theme, George emphasizes the fact that even though globalization is a positive phenomenon of rapprochement, the problems of a small country, even those that have taken the lives of millions from the local population, will not be of interest to significant powers unless there is an economic or political benefit in doing so: and thus local people must adapt in order to survive.

In addition, one of the unobvious insights of this picture is the theme of the responsibility of people who have achieved success for the well-being of others. As in “Schindler’s List,” in “Hotel Rwanda,” a successful individual saves thousands of oppressed refugees who “should” be his enemies because of their membership in opposing political camps. In today’s world, the idea that each person on the planet is only responsible for himself is obsessively entrenched.

The conditions of a rigid capitalist world lead to the realities of Darwinian natural selection in an artificial global economy: survival of the fittest. Capitalism is often an apparent contradiction to compassion and care for the underprivileged, and “Hotel Rwanda,” exemplified by the exceptional Paul Rusesabagina, only confirms this rule. Through his actions, Paul shows that he has not only power and money but also a desire to help the oppressed Tutsi, potentially sacrificing his goods. This is one call for attentive viewers to cultivate a sense of selfless concern for others and humanity in such a difficult time to build social well-being.

“Hotel Rwanda” is thus one of the essential films highlighting actual historical facts through the lens of fiction. The film has been shown to raise important themes of interethnic conflict, the struggle for survival, and the effects of globalization, affirming the idea that one must move in order to survive. Moreover, “Hotel Rwanda,” tells the story of the importance of human compassion and morality even through the sacrifice of acquired wealth, for, in the end, we all remain human.

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COMMENTS

  1. “Hotel Rwanda” (2004) by Terry George Essay (Movie Review)

    Hotel Rwanda is a moving story about a hotel manager called Paul Rusesabagina. He uses his connections, goodwill and international assistance in order to save the lives of over one thousand Tutsis from radical Hutus.

  2. “Hotel Rwanda” by Terry George Film Analysis Essay - IvyPanda

    Hotel Rwanda is a 2004 film directed by Terry George, which is devoted to the confrontation between Hutu and Tutsi in Rwanda, known as Rwandan Genocide. The protagonist, Paul Rusesabagina, is a hotel keeper, Hutu by ethnicity, who is married to Tatiana, a Tutsi woman.

  3. The “Hotel Rwanda” Film Analysis Essay - IvyPanda

    The “Hotel RwandaFilm Analysis Essay. Name: Hotel Rwanda (Terry George, 2004) Genre: drama, military, biography, history. Rwanda, 1994. In the former Belgian colony, the political situation is deteriorating, and tension is growing between the two peoples inhabiting the country – Tutsi and Hutu.

  4. Main Themes in Film Hotel Rwanda: [Essay Example], 1809 words

    Review Of The Film Hotel Rwanda Essay. The film Hotel Rwanda is about a battle between the Hutu and the Tutsi that lead to a major war in Rwanda. Paul Rusesabagina who is the manager of Sabena owned the hotel called des Mille Collines. Paul is Hutu but he has a wife [...]

  5. A hotel 'diplomat' offers sanctuary from genocide - Roger Ebert

    When "Hotel Rwanda" premiered at Toronto 2004, some reviews criticized the film for focusing on Paul and the colonel, and making little effort to "depict" the genocide as a whole. But director Terry George and writer Keir Pearson have made exactly the correct decision.

  6. “Hotel Rwanda” (2004) by Terry George Essay (Movie Review)

    From this point on, Hotel Rwanda turns into a film dealing with the horrors of genocide and humanitarian crises that unfolded in Rwanda in 1994. It becomes a violent film that is not so much gory as it is deeply saddening.

  7. Hotel Rwanda | Film Analysis - UK Essays

    The film, which has been called an African Schindler’s List, documents Rusesabagina’s acts to save the lives of his family and more than a thousand other refugees, by granting them shelter in the besieged Hôtel des Mille Collines. Hotel Rwanda explores genocide, political corruption, and the repercussions of violence

  8. “Hotel Rwanda”: an In-Depth Film Analysis of the Cast and ...

    Essay Example: "Hotel Rwanda," a film released in 2004, stands as a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit amidst one of the darkest chapters in recent history, the Rwandan genocide. Directed by Terry George, the movie brings to life the true story of Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel.

  9. “Hotel Rwanda” Directed by Terry George: An Analysis of the Film

    This paper describes the key insights and themes that emerged from watching this film. Primarily, the overall plot of “Hotel Rwandashould be briefly interpreted. The film describes the chronology of progress between two warring indigenous ethnic groups in the East African country of Rwanda.

  10. The Tragic Reality of Genocide in Hotel Rwanda: a Critical ...

    The film is a powerful piece of storytelling that highlights the bravery and humanity of one man in the face of cruelty and violence. In this essay, I will discuss the various themes and issues that arise in Hotel Rwanda, and explore its significance and relevance in the context of the historic events it portrays.