History Film / HotelRwanda

* AxCrazy: Heavily implied with Georges Rutaganda. After allying himself with the genocidal Interahambwe militia and becoming a leading figure, he runs a prison camp at his warehouse where he has kidnapped Tutsi women kept as sex slaves. When telling Paul to take the river road back to the hotel, Paul finds it littered with hundreds of dead Tutsis, a massacre that Georges lead and just came back from.

* TheCavalry: The closest you'll get in a movie so dark despite being commented on as not being dark as the real thing. [[spoiler:As the hotel refugees are leaving by way of UN-emblazoned transports, a swarm of Interahamwe militiamen are seen on the road ahead. Colonel Oliver is armed only with ''a pistol,'' and he does nothing but cock it and order them to 'Keep driving.' Then, against what seems to be a building DownerEnding, a group of Tutsi rebels emerge from the nearby foliage and open fire, giving the trucks a way to pass through.]]

* PlayingPossum: Some Tutsi are seen playing dead near the bushes when the Interahamwe invade the hotel.

* HellHotel: {{Inverted}}. While it is pretty ominous at times due to being surrounded by a literal genocide, the hotel is one of the few safe places in the nation.

* WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue: During the closing credits, it is mentioned that the real Paul and Tatiana Rusesabagina now lived in Belgium with their children and adopted nieces, and that that Thomas and Fedens were never found. It goes on to discuss how the genocide was ended by the Tutsi rebels in July 1994 when they drove the Hutu army and Interahamwe out of the country and into the Congo. The fates of both the real-life Georges Rutaganda and Augustin Bizimungu are mentioned as well, mentioning that Bizimungu had been captured in Angola in 2002 to stand trial before the war crimes tribunal set up by the UN in Tanzania, and that Rutaganda was sentenced to life in prison at the same tribunal.

* RealPersonEpilogue: During the closing credits, it is mentioned that the real Paul and Tatiana Rusesabagina now lived in Belgium with their children and adopted nieces, and that that Thomas and Fedens were never found. It goes on to discuss how the genocide was ended by the Tutsi rebels in July 1994 when they drove the Hutu army and Interahamwe out of the country and into the Congo. The fates of both the real-life Georges Rutaganda and Augustin Bizimungu are mentioned as well, mentioning that Bizimungu had been captured in Angola in 2002 to stand trial before the war crimes tribunal set up by the UN in Tanzania, and that Rutaganda was sentenced to life in prison at the same tribunal.

* KickTheDog: One of the Hutu soldiers at the Hotel pours some beer at some of the Tutsi refugees mockingly ask if they want some.

* FakingTheDead: Some Tutsi are seen playing dead near the bushes when the Interahamwe invade the hotel.

* HistoricalVillainDowngrade: General Bizimungu. In the film, he's portrayed as only motivated by self-interest. While uninterested in protecting Tutsis unless Paul is paying him to do so, he also shows no particular desire to see them dead, unlike other Hutu officers. He also adamantly insists to Paul that he did not commit any atrocities when he has no obvious reason to lie. The real life Bizimungu, however, did indeed lead massacres.

* ImprobableWeaponUser: Subverted. Paul finds his wife and family hiding in a shower, wielding a shower hose as a weapon. He even points out, "What were you going to do with this?!" especially since the water was turned off by that point. They all start laughing in relief.

-->'''Gen. Bizimungu''': ''(To Col. Oliver)'' Colonel, the UN need not worry. The Interahamwe? We will control them.

-->'''Tatiana''': ''(To Col. Oliver)'' The Interahamwe, what about them?
-->'''Col. Oliver''': No one controls them.

* BigDamnHeroes: The closest you'll get in a movie so dark despite being commented on as not being dark as the real thing. [[spoiler:As the hotel refugees are leaving by way of UN-emblazoned transports, a swarm of Interahamwe militiamen are seen on the road ahead. Colonel Oliver is armed only with ''a pistol,'' and he does nothing but cock it and order them to 'Keep driving.' Then, against what seems to be a building DownerEnding, a group of Tutsi rebels emerge from the nearby foliage and open fire, giving the trucks a way to pass through.]]

** As if that alone wasn't horrifying enough, Dr. Archer explained that the little girl was begging for her life, and that her last words were, "I promise I won't be Tutsi anymore."

Paul finds himself in no real danger because he is a Hutu, but his Tutsi wife Tatiana (Creator/SophieOkonedo) is. After doing business with the very same Hutu extremists and witnessing horrific things done to his wife's people, Paul decides that he must do something about it and not let his neighbors and friends die. Refugees and orphans came to seek shelter in the Mille Collines hotel, and this film recounts that story.

''Hotel Rwanda'' is a 2004 historical drama directed by Terry George that is sometimes referred to as an African ''Film/SchindlersList'', with good reason. It tells the true story of Paul Rusesabagina (Creator/DonCheadle) during the Rwandan genocide. Paul was a successful Hutu businessman who managed the five-star Hôtel des Mille Collines, and hid and protected refugees there.

The Rwandan genocide started when the Tutsi fell out of the power they had been assigned by the Belgians, who used to control their country. The darker-skinned Hutus (the majority of the Rwandan population) were once considered inferior. Hutu extremists felt that the Tutsi were their oppressors and needed to be wiped out completely. Paul finds himself in no real danger because he is a Hutu, but his Tutsi wife Tatiana (Creator/SophieOkonedo) is. After doing business with the very same Hutu extremists and witnessing horrific things done to his wife's people, Paul decides that he must do something about it and not let his neighbors and friends die. Refugees and orphans came to seek shelter in the Mille Collines hotel, and this powerful movie recounts that story.

It's cited as one of the most inspirational movies of all time. Paul Rusesabagina was contacted for help with writing the film.

-->'''Colonel Oliver''': You should spit in my face, Paul.
-->'''Paul''': Excuse me, Colonel?
-->'''Colonel Oliver''': You're dirt, we think you're dirt, Paul.
-->'''Paul''': Who is we?
-->'''Colonel Oliver''': The West, all the superpowers, everything you believe in Paul, they think you're dirt, they think you're dung, you're worthless.
-->'''Paul''': I'm afraid I do not understand what you're saying, sir.
-->'''Colonel Oliver''': Don't bullshit me, Paul, you're the smartest guy here. You have them all eating out of your hand. You'd own this fucking hotel, except for one thing. You're black. You're not even a nigger. You're an ''African''. They're not gonna stay, Paul. They're not gonna stop the slaughter.

-->'''Rutaganda''': Soon, all the Tutsis will be dead.
-->'''Paul''': You do not honestly believe that you can kill them all?
-->'''Rutaganda''': And why not? Why not? '''''We are halfway there already.'''''

* AdaptationalSympathy: In the film, General Bizimungu claims that unlike the private Hutu militia leaders, his forces never massacred civilians (and Paul seems to agree), so he's at worst responsible for letting the Tutsi genocide happen rather being a major perpetrator. In reality, Bizimungu's troops did massacre civilians.

* FauxAffablyEvil: Rutaganda is superficially friendly towards Paul when trading with him, and is usually seen with a big grin on his face. For example, he offer Paul a crate of soft drinks for the kids, free of charge, before sending Paul to the bumpy road littered with corpses.
** General Bizimungu is this as well - he's always friendly and helpful to Paul and seems like a ReasonableAuthorityFigure in comparison to the private militia leaders, until Paul has nothing left to bribe him with anymore.

* PropagandaMachine: The pretty much TruthInTelevision. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_T%C3%A9l%C3%A9vision_Libre_des_Mille_Collines Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines]], the anti-Tutsi "Hutu Power" radio station we hear on the film.

* TheCameo: Creator/JeanReno appears briefly in an uncredited role as Mr. Tillens, the hotel CEO with whom Paul talks on the phone when the requests outside help.

* AxCrazy: Heavily implied with Georges Rutaganda. After allying homself with the genocidal Interahambwe militia and becoming a leading figure, he runs a prison camp at his warehouse where he has kidnapped Tutsi women kept as sex slaves. When telling Paul to take the ricer road back to the hotel, Paul finds it littered woth hundreds of dead Tutsis, a massacre that Georges lead and just came back from.

* AxCrazy: Heavily implied with Geirges Rutaganda. After allying homself with the genocidal Interahambwe militia and becoming a leading figure, he runs a prison camp at his warehouse where he has kidnapped Tutsi women kept as sex slaves. When telling Paul to take the ricer road back to the hotel, Paul finds it littered woth hundreds of dead Tutsis, a massacre that Georges lead and just came back from.

* TheCameo: Creator/JeanReno appears briefly as Mr. Tillens, the hotel CEO with whom Paul talks on the phone when the requests outside help.

* BluntTruth: Colonel Oliver informs Paul in the harshest but most honest way possible that neither the UN nor any western nations will come to stop the Rwandan genocide. See NWordPrivileges for quote.

* AdaptationalSympathy: In the film, General Bizimungu claims that unlike the private Hutu militia leaders, his forces never massacred civilians (and Paul seems to agree), so he's at worst responsible for letting the Tutsi genocide happen rather being personally responsible. In fact, Bizimungu's troops did massacre civilians.

** Hooray! The UN is here to help - the Europeans only.