Hotel Rwanda

Hotel

PRESENTATION

Rwanda

LESSON STANDARDS

10.2(B)

10.2(A)

10.1(A)

10.3

10.4(E)

10.4(F)

10.5(D)

10.5(C)

10.4(G)

10.6(B)

10.8(A)

10.9(C)

lesson Components

Language Objective

I will use academic language to discuss the themes and characters of Hotel Rwanda

Learning Intention

To deepen my understanding of the book Hotel Rwanda and its themes, and to critically analyze the impact of historical events on individuals and communities.

Success Criteria

I will be able to articulate at least three themes from Hotel Rwanda.

Do Now:

• What do you know about the Rwandan Genocide?

• genocide: the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group.

introduction

Based on real-life events of the Rwandan Civil War between the Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups, Hotel Rwanda dramatizes the heroic actions of Paul Rusesabagina, who is credited with hiding and saving more than a thousand people at the hotel he managed in the Rwandan capital of Kigali. In this excerpt from Keir Pearson and Terry George’s screenplay, civil war has erupted, and the situation at Hotel Mille Collines is dangerous and chaotic. *Watch Study Sync Video

Background

• Between 1916 and 1962, the central African nation of Rwanda was a colony of Belgium. At that time, the Rwandan population was made up of two related ethnic groups, the Hutus and the Tutsis. Belgian rulers created divisions between the two groups by favoring the Tutsis.
• In April 1994, the Rwandan president—a Hutu—was killed when his airplane was shot down. No group took responsibility. The extremist Hutu regime that came to power blamed the Tutsis and initiated the genocide, or mass murder, of all Tutsis. Within four months, 800,000 Tutsis had been killed.
• In July 1994, Tutsi forces took control of Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. Two million Hutus, fearing retribution, fled to Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo. To this day, fighting between the factions continues across the borders between the two countries.

What caused the Rwandan Genocide?

Vocabulary

the act of stopping, starting, or changing a process

intervention

a rapid succession of related images in a motion picture to illustrate an association of ideas

montage

very great or intense

profound

a person forced to flee their own country to escape danger or persecution

refugee

registry

an official record book

Summary

In Kigali, Rwanda, during the civil war and genocide, hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina is calling the president of the Sabena company to say goodbye. The Hutu Army has surrounded the Sabena-owned hotel. They are threatening to kill Paul, the hotel staff, and guests. Tillens, the president, tells Paul to do everything he can to stall and instructs his staff to call the UN and Prime Minister. Paul gives a false guest list to the Hutu soldiers. The Hutu lieutenant is unhappy and threatens to kill Paul. Suddenly, the lieutenant receives a radio call to stand down. He threatens Paul but then leaves. Next, Tillens informs him that the French have refused to rescue them. Paul tells his guests there will be no intervention, so they must call everyone they know who is of any influence. He tells his guests to say an emotional goodbye and to do anything they can to get their friends to intervene

FADE IN: INT. SABENA OFFICES –BELGIUM –TILLENS' OFFICE –DAY The Sabena President and three VPs have an early morning meeting. The intercom buzzes.

TILLENS Yes? SECRETARY (thru speaker phone) Sorry, sir, but I have a call from Paul in Kigali. He says it’s urgent. The President hits the speaker button. TILLENS Paul. Are you all right? PAUL (thru speaker phone) We have a big problem, sir. TILLENS What? PAUL (thru speaker phone) The Hutu Army have come. They’ve ordered us –all of us –out of the hotel.

TILLENS Why are they doing this? PAUL (thru speaker phone) I think they will kill us all. TILLENS (stunned ) Kill? What do you mean …all? How many? PAUL (thru speaker phone) We have one hundred staff, and now more than eight hundred guests. Tillens can barely form words to reply TILLENS Eight hundred! PAUL (thru speaker phone) Yes, sir. There are now eight hundred Tutsi and Hutu refugees. I do not have much time left, sir. I want to thank you for everything you have done for me and my family, and please thank all of my friends at Sabena. The President considers this. TILLENS Paul, wait. I’m gonna put you on hold. Stay by the phone. He hits the hold button, looks to the other executives. They are stunned to silence by Paul’s profound farewell. INT. HOTEL MILLE COLLINES –MANAGER’S OFFICE –DAY

Paul sits in the office, his hand over the mouthpiece. From the lobby come soldiers’ angry voices. SOLDIER (O.S.) Where are your papers? INT. SABENA OFFICES –BELGIUM –TILLEN’S OFFICE –DAY The President gets everyone working on the phone. TILLENS Louis, get on to the UN. Tell them what’s happening. Mary, call the Prime Minister’s office. Tell them I must speak with him now. The President lifts the telephone receiver and hits a button. TILLENS Paul, are you there? PAUL (thru speaker phone) Yes, sir. TILLENS Who can I call to stop this? Paul thinks. PAUL (thru speaker phone) The French –they supply the Hutu Army. TILLENS Do everything you can to bide time. I’ll call you right back. Paul hurries from the room. INT. HOTEL MILLE COLLINES –LOBBY –DAY

Dube is at the computer, printing something. Paul walks quickly to him. PAUL What are you doing, Dube? DUBE The Lieutenant, sir. He wants to see the guest list. Paul nervously glances at the soldiers. PAUL Go and get these boys some more beer. Dube walks to the bar to get the beer, and Paul is on the computer, typing. A receptionist looks at the screen. RECEPTIONIST Sir, that guest list is from two weeks ago. PAUL Shh. Paul hits the print button. The printer clicks to life. INT. HOTEL MILLE COLLINES –ENTRANCE –DAY Paul emerges with the printed registry. The Lieutenant marches up to Paul. HUTU LIEUTENANT Where’s the guest list? Paul hands him the print out. The Lieutenant studies it. HUTU LIEUTENANT Anderson, Arthurs, Boulier… What is this? PAUL It is the guest list, sir.

HUTU LIEUTENANT Are you trying to make a fool out of me? PAUL No. We stopped taking names after the President was murdered. This is the only guest list, sir. HUTU LIEUTENANT There are no Europeans left. Get me the names of all the cockroaches in there, now. PAUL That will take time. HUTU LIEUTENANT You don’t have time. If I don’t have the names so that I can pick out the traitors, then I’ll kill everyone in there. Starting with you. The Lieutenant’s radio comes to life and he turns to answer it. He listens for a moment HUTU LIEUTENANT (intro radio) Yes, sir? He angrily turns to Paul and grabs him. HUTU LIEUTENANT Who did you call? PAUL Who did I call? HUTU LIEUTENANT Don’t lie to me! What is your name? PAUL Rusesabagina. Paul Rusesabagina.

HUTU LIEUTENANT I’ll remember you. He prods Paul’s chest. HUTU LIEUTENANT I’ll remember you. He turns to his soldiers, gestures. HUTU LIEUTENANT Let’s go. They drive off. INT. HOTEL MILLE COLLINES –ROOF –DAY Paul emerges onto the roof. He looks around for his family, sees Tatiana, his children and the neighbors sitting huddled together. PAUL They’ve gone. TATIANA Oh. Tatiana grabs him. TATIANA I was so afraid for you. Dube appears. DUBE Sir, the President of Sabena is on the phone for you. Paul strokes Tatiana’s face.

PAUL I must talk with this man. INT. HOTEL MILLE COLLINES –MANAGER’S OFFICE –DAY Paul hits the button and lifts the telephone receiver. PAUL Mr. Tillens. TILLENS (thru phone) Paul, what’s going on? Paul shakes his head in disbelief. PAUL They left. Thank you, sir. What did you do? INT. SABENA OFFICES –BELGIUM –TILLEN’S OFFICE –DAY The Sabena President is at his desk. TILLENS I got through to the French President’s office. PAUL (thru speaker phone) Well, thank you. You have saved our lives. TILLENS I pleaded with the French and the Belgians to go back and get you all. I’m afraid this is not going to happen. Silence, Tillens is ashamed, angry.

TILLENS They’re cowards, Paul. Rwanda is not –worth a single vote to any of them. The French, the British, the Americans. I am sorry, Paul. INT. HOTEL MILLE COLLINES –MANAGER’S OFFICE –DAY Paul is stunned. PAUL Thank you. INT. HOTEL MILLE COLLINES –FUNCTION ROOM –DAY The refugees are gathered, Paul addresses them. PAUL There will be no rescue. No intervention force. We can only save ourselves. Many of you know influential people abroad. You must call these people. INT. HOTEL MILLE COLLINES –MANAGER’S OFFICE –DAY MONTAGE of influential refugees. Odette, Benedict, Xavier call, plead, write and send faxes. Odette sits at the desk, on the phone. PAUL You must tell them what will happen to us. Other refugees are on the phones. PAUL Say goodbye. But when you say goodbye, say it as though you are reaching through the phone and holding their hand. Let them know that if they let go of that hand… you will die. We must shame them into sending help. Most importantly, this can not be a refugee camp. The Interahamwe believe that the Mille Collines is a four-star Sabena hotel. That is the only thing keeping us alive. INT. HOTEL MILLE COLLINES –LOBBY –DAY Paul on the move, organizing, walks to the receptionist at the front desk.

PAUL Have you printed the bills? She hands him a stack of envelopes. PAUL Now please erase the registry. RECEPTIONIST Erase it? PAUL Yes. I want no names to appear there. Dube joins him. DUBE Boss, the carpenters are ready. PAUL Tell them to remove all of the numbers from the doors. DUBE And put what? PAUL And put nothing. INT. HOTEL MILLE COLLINES –HALLWAY –DAY Paul goes door to door, knocking. The rooms are all packed with Tutsi refugees. A door opens. He hands an envelope to the refugee. PAUL Good day. Here is your bill for the last week. If you cannot pay, or think you will not be able to pay, please go to the banquet room and Dube will take care of you. Thank you.

INT. HOTEL MILLE COLLINES –GROUNDS –NIGHT Refugees are clustered on the ground, in tents, as the radio voice plays over a reporter’s interview of a State Department Officer. AMERICAN REPORTER (thru radio) Does the State Department have a view as to whether or not what is happening –could be genocide? STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICER (thru radio) We have every reason to believe that acts of genocide have occurred. Inside his office Paul and the others listen. BRITISH REPORTER (thru radio) How many acts of genocide does it take to make genocide? STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICER (thru radio) Alan, that’s not a question that I’m in a position to answer. BRITISH REPORTER (thru radio) Is it true that you have specific guidance not to use the word genocide in isolation, but always to preface it with this word, “acts of”? STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICER (thru radio) I have guidance which I try to use as best I can. There are formulations that we are using that we are trying to be consistent in our use of. Paul is listening to all of this. Benedict turns off the radio in disgust.

Thank You!