Hotel Rwanda
by Keir Pearson & Terry George
FADE IN:
SCREEN TYPE: THIS IS A TRUE STORY
EXT. KIGALI AIRPORT. DAY
A burning white sun high in a clear blue sky,
PAN DOWN TO:
A rundown (sixties) airport, peeling in the heat.
A mad traffic jam of cars, vans, motorbikes all stopped at a checkpoint
where a RWANDAN POLICEMAN blows his whistle, waves some and stops
others as bored Rwandan soldiers look on.
CLOSE ON: A white van pulls out of traffic, a balls-out case of line
jumping. HORNS, OBSCENITIES.
A HAND: Extends from the passenger side of the van, Rwandan francs
pressed neatly between thumb and palm.
The van stops next to the policeman.
POLICEMAN
Mr. Rusesabagina, good morning.
In the passenger seat PAUL RUSESABAGINA, late 30's, flashes a smile. He
is dressed in a sharp blue suit (always dressed in a neat suit and tie,
it is a matter of pride).
A quick shake of hands. Money passes from one to the other.
EXT. KIGALI AIRPORT TARMAC. DAY
The van parked by the runway tarmac. African music plays on the radio.
Paul drums his fingers, checks his watch.
ZOZO, porter/driver, early thirties, sits nervously.
An airport baggage handler approaches the van.
HANDLER
Sir, the flight is delayed one more hour.
PAUL
Thank you.
(to Zozo)
We can get the beer.
ZOZO
(suddenly worried)
Rutaganda's place?
PAUL
What's wrong?
ZOZO
Beg your pardon sir, you are Hutu. You
are safe there.
PAUL
You are with me, Zozo, don't worry.
Zozo throws the van into gear and speeds off.
EXT. KIGALI STREETS. DAY
The white van, marked "THE HOTEL MILLE COLLINES," whips its way through
Kigali's packed streets and open-air markets.
EXT. KIGALI STREETS. DAY
Zozo works THE HORN, weaves in and out of traffic.
ZOZO
What is it like to fly on a plane, sir?
PAUL
It depends where you sit Zozo. In coach
it is like the bus to Giterama.
ZOZO
That is why they call it coach?
PAUL
Maybe. But in business class there are
fine wines, linens, Belgian chocolates.
ZOZO
(impressed)
You have taken business class?
PAUL
Many times.
Suddenly, Zozo slows.
Paul looks up, SEES: a gathering on the side of the road -- a large
crowd of men dressed in exotically, yet identically colored shirts.
They're members of the INTERAHAMWE - the Hutu Militia.
(Interahamwe - the Hutu Militia will de distinguished by these wildly
colored shirts) They chant, drink beer, dance onto the road,
obstructing cars, threatening the occupants. Several of them perform a
rhythmic dance - the INTERAHAMWE war dance to thumping drumbeat music
from a boombox.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Turn off.
Zozo, scared, looks for a side road, studies the traffic behind.
ZOZO
There is nowhere to turn, sir.
As the van approaches,
PAUL
Slow down.
The van pulls up beside the Militia.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Boys, do you know the way to Mr.
Rutagunda's warehouse?
Some Militia approach. They are suddenly friendly, helpful.
MILITIA MAN #1
It is one more mile on this road.
Paul reaches into his pocket, takes out some Rwandan dollars.
PAUL
This is thirsty work, let me treat you to
some beers.
As the van pulls away Zozo looks to Paul, relieved.
INT. RUTAGANDA'S WAREHOUSE. DAY
At his desk in front of a fan. GEORGE RUTAGUNDA, late 30's, huge, gold
chains, Rolex watch, (like an African Mafia boss) but the same
Interahamwe shirt. He squeezes an orange rind into a cup of espresso.
Behind him, through his office window, the white van is being loaded
with cases of beer.
George holds out his massive shirt.
GEORGE
You will join us at the rally today?
Paul sits opposite, sipping coffee.
PAUL
I will try my best George but these days
I have no time for rallies or politics.
GEORGE
Politics is power, Paul. And money.
Paul studies his watch.
PAUL
Time is money, George. We need extra beer
today.
GEORGE
Business is good at the hotel?
PAUL
Very good.
GEORGE
I am always glad to see you Paul.
George leads Paul out into the warehouse.
As a forklift lifts A WOODEN CRATE, George angers.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
Hell man, that is not beer, put it back!
DRIVER
But, sir, the Carlsberg is behind...
GEORGE
Forget the Carlsberg, give him Grolsch.
(to Paul)
I won't charge extra.
PAUL
Thank you.
The driver of the forklift, anxiously, spins the machine to return the
crate but it slides off and CRASHES onto the floor: MACHETES, hundreds
of them, spill out.
An awkward moment then George picks one of the crude blades.
GEORGE
A bargain buy, from China. Ten cents
each, I'll get a dollar.
PAUL
At least.
Off Zozo terrified.
EXT. KIGALI AIRPORT TARMAC. DAY
A Sabena airliner lands. Passengers disembark via a roll-up staircase.
Paul's van pulls up by the luggage belt.
A large polystyrene box comes down the conveyor belt. It has Brussels -
Kigali destination stickers all over it.
As Zozo picks it up, water sloshes from the lid.
PAUL
The ice has melted!
Zozo goes to open it.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Don't. Let's go.
Paul slips money to two customs officials.
EXT. KIGALI STREETS. DAY
The van speeds through traffic. More traffic jams, Zozo edges up on the
sidewalk. Then at an intersection they see.
THE INTERAHAMWE PARADE - a mass of young men and women, most in the
same colorful uniform. Line after line, waves all performing the
INTERAHAMWE war dance, in wild hypnotic sync, many wave sticks, spears,
wooden imitation guns. A large banner reads, "Hutu Power."
A flatbed truck, speakers blare drumbeat music. On it GEORGE RUTAGUNDA
dances the DANCE and waves a machete to the crowd.
Zozo sinks down behind the wheel.
PAUL
Sit up, smile, Zozo, don't attract
attention to yourself.
ZOZO
Boss, some of those men are my neighbors,
they know I'm Tutsi.
The parade passes. As they wait Paul takes out the wad of notes George
gave him, peels off a few dollars.
PAUL
Here, Zozo, for your trouble.
Zozo takes it.
EXT. HOTEL ENTRANCE. DAY
The van turns off the street into The Milles Collines Hotel driveway
and HONKS twice as it pulls down a short drive lined with tall shrubs.
An ARMED GUARD rushes from his booth and lifts the gate. Perfectly
timed. The van doesn't even have to slow as it passes. A sign on the
guard house reads "WELCOME TO THE HOTEL MILLE COLLINES".
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY
Lush tropical gardens, peacocks wander the well-manicured lawns,an
exotic African paradise. The van heads to a magnificent colonial
building.
PAUL (V.O.)
Pull up at the front door.
A valet opens the front door of the hotel and looks shocked. It's
unheard of for a service van to stop out front.
PAUL (CONT'D)
(urgent, to the valet)
Help Zozo.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
Paul leads Zozo and the valet into a magnificent lobby, a tasteful
blend of Africa and Europe. Guests stare as water sloshes and spills
from the crate.
GREGOIRE, early thirties the receptionist behind the desk throws a look
of disapproval. Paul, imperial, snaps his finger toward him.
PAUL
(re: spilled water)
Gregoire. Take care of this.
Gregoire engages a guest in chit-chat, ignores Paul.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Gregoire! See to this right away.
The elevator door opens and reveals BIK the Belgian hotel manager, mid-
40's, reading some reports. He looks up, sees Paul and Zozo carrying
the box as they step in. Bik looks puzzled.
PAUL (CONT'D)
It's an emergency, sir.
Now Bik sees the wet floor.
BIK
Paul!
PAUL
Gregoire will deal with it, excuse me.
The elevator doors shut. Bik's left standing in disbelief.
INT. HOTEL KITCHEN. DAY
The crate is hefted onto a counter. The top pried off. A crowd of
cooks gathers around Paul and Zozo as they peer in.
ZOZO
Any of them make it?
HEAD CHEF
Into the sink!
They hoist up one end of the crate and LOBSTERS spill out. Many make
it into the sink, but some miss and slide across the counter and fall
onto the floor.
The cooks sort the living from the dead.
ZOZO
Twelve are dead.
PAUL
How dead?
The cooks smells a dead lobster, shakes his head no.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Dump the bad meat, save the shells, fill
them will ah, a stuffing, something
local.
COOK
Cassava, and Tipali.
PAUL
Yes. Call it 'fresh Scottish Lobster in a
cassava and Tipali crush'.
Paul fixes his tie, very pleased, another crisis solved.
INT. BANQUET ROOM/HOTEL MILLE COLLINES. DAY
Paul inspects the tables' fresh flowers, sparkling crystal glasses. He
looks to the bar - Grolsch on ice.
The sound of African drums fills the air.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
Paul emerges, as a troupe of African male dancers in ceremonial costume
- Leopard skin dress, ostrich feather head dress, spears and shields
perform a greeting dance for a the American Ambassador and a crowd of
European dignitaries.
The male dancers are joined by a troupe of young female dancers in
similar ceremonial dress. The ceremony comes to a foot stomping finale.
The guests break into LOUD APPLAUSE. Paul flings open double doors to a
reception room and the crowd moves in.
PAUL
Mr. Ambassador, please come in.
US AMBASSADOR
Thank you, Paul.
A UN Colonel, OLIVER, middle aged, Canadian,follows the US Ambassador.
The Colonel wear the blue berets and armbands of UN Peacekeepers. (all
UN troops will be distinguished by their bright blue berets, white
helmets and arm bands)
PAUL
Colonel Oliver, you are very welcome.
The Ambassador shakes the Colonel's hand.
US AMBASSADOR
Colonel. I'd like you to meet Mr. Colson,
of our Regional Aid Division.
MR. COLSON, crew cut, military build, is obviously CIA.
US AMBASSADOR (CONT'D)
Colonel Oliver is the liason officer for
the U.N. peace keeping forces.
Paul backs away unnoticed...
INT. KITCHEN/HOTEL MILLE COLLINES. DAY
...then marches into the busy kitchen, claps his hands toward a
gathering of waiters.
PAUL
Please, serve the hors d'ouvres now.
A waiter whispers to him.
WAITER
General Bizimungu wants to see you.
Paul heads out of the kitchen.
INT. HOTEL BAR. DAY
A luxurious lounge/club called the Kigali Club - an African
Casablanca, complete with animal heads, a statue of a mountain gorilla,
grand piano in the corner. Rwandan Hutu army officers, (distinguished
by their crisp khaki uniforms, in the style of the French army), arms
dealers, government dignitaries, businessmen and reporters mingle
freely. The few tourists stand out.
Paul heads to a table. The center of attention and conversation is
General BIZIMUNGU, 40's, dressed in a crisp, heavily decorated
uniform, a strong figure, relaxed, in control.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
Paul, this scotch is exceptional.
PAUL
It's a single malt, Glenmorangie. I
thought you'd like it. Anything you need,
gentlemen, let me know.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
Oh, Paul, talk to the coat check, please.
Paul heads for the lobby. He's intercepted by an zealous young Tutsi
reporter BENEDICT who covers the political scene for the local
independent newspaper.
BENEDICT
Paul, Paul, a moment please.
PAUL
Yes, Benedict, what can I do?
BENEDICT
Can you get me into the Ambassador's
reception?
PAUL
I'm sorry, it's a private function.
Benedict takes out his reporters notebook.
BENEDICT
At least tell me who is attending. The
newspaper will be grateful.
Paul laughs.
PAUL
I will be grateful if you keep my name
out of your newspaper. Wait here and you
will see who has attended as they leave.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
Paul fixes a floral arrangement as he passes then arrives at the clock
room hatch.
PAUL
(to the coat check)
Did General Bizimungu bring a briefcase?
COAT CHECK
Yes, sir.
PAUL
Take it to the bar storeroom. Put three
bottles of Glenmorangie...
(he writes it down on a pad)
...GLEN-MOR-AN-GIE, into it.
Paul moves off as the coat check scurries away.
CONNIE DENVER (O.S.)
Oh, Paul, Paul.
An American woman, CONNIE DENVER, rich, blonde, surgically enhanced,
stands by the door of the tourism office.
INT. HOTEL TOURISM OFFICE. DAY
Paul walks into the tourism office. It is decorated with posters and
photos of Rwanda's single most important economic asset - the rare
silver back mountain Gorillas. There's a picture of the real-life Diane
Fossey next to the movie poster for "Gorillas in the Mist". Numerous
books and video cassettes. CONNIE DENVER's older husband, BOB, and four
American friends wait.
CONNIE DENVER
Paul, Paul. Our trip has been cancelled.
PAUL
Yes, I'm sorry Madame Denver, it is
because of the rebels.
CONNIE DENVER
Rebels? What rebels?
BOB
Don't be stupid for Christ sake. The
Watusis are invading the country. I told
you not to come here.
PAUL
The Tutsi rebels are far away on the
border. And soon there will be peace.
BOB
Tutsis, Watutsis they'll still shoot you.
CONNIE DENVER
But I came here to see the gorillas?
PAUL
I will try to arrange something.
INT. HOTEL BANQUET ROOM. DAY
The luncheon is in full swing. Paul glides in the background.
Close on: The Ambassador in deep conversation with Oliver.
US AMBASSADOR
Things will calm down when the president
signs the peace agreement with the
rebels.
COLONEL OLIVER
Our intelligence, Mr. Ambassador, is that
the Hutu government has been stockpiling
weapons and are preparing a massacre.
US AMBASSADOR
That's not what I hear. Excuse me. Paul.
(Paul comes over)
Colonel, you know the house manager, Paul
Rusesabagina.
PAUL
How was your meal, sir?
US AMBASSADOR
Magnificent.
(reads)
Scottish lobster, in Rwanda. You see
General what a genius this man is. You
want anything, this man can get it?
COLONEL OLIVER
How about a battalion of U.S. Marines.
US AMBASSADOR
Now, General, don't ask for the
impossible.
Paul smiles.
PAUL
I have heard, Mr. Ambassador, that they
have discovered oil here, under Lake
Kivu.
Oliver bursts out laughing.
COLONEL OLIVER
You're right, Mr. Ambassador, Paul knows
how to get anything, even U.S. troops.
The ambassador takes Paul's hand, shakes it warmly.
US AMBASSADOR
Thank you for a wonderful meal, Paul.
Paul moves away graciously, and in one smooth move checks out, then
pockets, the hundred dollar bill the ambassador palmed him.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
General Bizimungu gazes through glass into the reception room, SEES
Paul shake hands and joke with the Ambassador. (He’s impressed.)
Paul notices the General.
The General raises his briefcase and waves.
Paul waves back. Another favor rendered.
EXT. HOTEL GROUNDS. NIGHT
It is night now. Floodlights bathe the hotel in a warm glow. Tiki oil
lamps illuminate the walkways and spread scented citronella smoke among
the trees. Wild birds CALL OUT.
EXT. HOTEL REAR CAR PARK. NIGHT
Paul walks to the employee car park at the rear.
He sees Gregoire and another male reception clerk tossing Zozo's
pillbox porter's hat between them with Zozo trapped in the middle
trying to jump and catch it. Gregoire thinks this tease is great fun.
GREGOIRE
Come on, Zozo, cockroaches can jump, some
of them can fly.
The clerk sees Paul just as he's about to throw, miscalculates, the hat
sails over Gregoire's head and lands at Paul's feet. Zozo scampers to
pick it up.
PAUL
No.
(points to Gregoire)
You pick it up.
Gregoire doesn't move.
PAUL (CONT'D)
How are your dish-washing skills,
Gregoire?
Gregoire bends, picks up the hat, hands it to Zozo, who walks away
quickly. Gregoire and his friend turn to head back into the hotel.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Gregoire, there are no cockroaches in
this hotel, do you understand?
BIK (O.S.)
Cockroaches?
Bik has walked out of the rear door and overheard.
BIK (CONT'D)
Don't tell me we have cockroaches, Paul?
A sly smile breaks on Gregoire's face as he uses Bik's arrival to
disappear inside.
PAUL
No, Bik, it's a code word for Tutsis.
BIK
That's what I came to talk to you about.
PAUL
Excuse me?
BIK
The Hutu-Tutsi thing. The BBC faxed to
say they would be here on the sixth for
the peace accords. And the U.N. wants the
banquet room for that day, a reception to
broadcast the signing ceremony. Can you
organize monitors and check the satellite
dish?
PAUL
Leave it to me.
Bik leans slightly closer.
BIK
Also, could you remember to use the
service entrance at all times?
PAUL
Of course.
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. NIGHT
Paul hops in his car and tosses a box of Belgium chocolates on the seat
next to him.
EXT. KIGALI STREETS. NIGHT
Paul speeds through the streets of Kigali HUMMING along to music on the
radio and eating chocolates from the box. He passes bicycles laden
with produce. The song on the radio ends and local news comes on.
RADIO ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
Good Hutus of Rwanda, beware. The
dictatorship of the Tutsi cockroach is
near. Watch your neighbor. Identify these
cockroaches. Then rise up and stamp out
this murderous infestation...
Paul turns the station. Finds another with music.
EXT. KIGALI NEIGHBORHOOD. NIGHT
Lights burn in windows. Kids play soccer in dusty lots. Paul's van
turns onto a residential street and slows. He HONKS twice. The metal
gate to a walled compound swings open. A GUARD(old, peaked hat, bare
feet, pathetic) stands just inside. Paul waves to him and pulls into
the courtyard, two cars are already parked there.
EXT. PAUL'S HOUSE. NIGHT
A neat bungalow and gardens behind the high wall. Paul parks and gets
out. A DOG runs and greets him, BARKING.
PAUL
Down, Pealiss.
His wife, TATIANA, a woman of great natural beauty, emerges from the
house, beside her an even taller, very elegant woman, she has a
doctor's bag and a stethoscope in her hand. This is ODETTE, their
family doctor and close friend.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Good evening, Odette, who is sick this
time?
TATIANA
I asked Odette to take a look at little
Anais. She has a rash.
PAUL
Your brother's here?
TATIANA
Yes, with Fedens and the children.
He wants some advice.
ODETTE
Good to see you, Paul.
Paul embraces Odette warmly, kisses Tatiana.
ODETTE (CONT'D)
I must go, Paul.
TATIANA
You will not stay for dinner.
ODETTE
No thank you, Tatiana.
PAUL
My best to Jean Baptiste.
EXT: PAUL'S HOUSE. NIGHT
The old guard opens the gate, Odette drives off.
EXT. PAUL’S GARDEN. NIGHT
PAUL
(a sigh)
Thomas wants advice?
TATIANA
He wants your wisdom.
PAUL
Let's have dinner first.
TATIANA
Of course.
His brother-in-law THOMAS and sister-in-law FEDENS come out to greet
Paul the Patriarch. They hug. Kids run everywhere. Paul spots his twin
nieces Anais (in blue) and Carine (in yellow), four years old. He
scoops them up, one in each arm.
PAUL
Hello, Anais.
She laughs.
CARINE
I am Carine.
PAUL
You are not Anais?
ANAIS
I am Anais.
PAUL
Oh, Carine, that is a shame. I have a
present for Anais.
Anais reaches out her hand. Paul sets them on the ground, takes a
chocolate from his chocolate box, deliberately hands it to Carine.
Anais jumps up and down.
ANAIS
It is for me.
PAUL
Goodness, I cannot tell. I guess I must
find another present.
He takes a chocolate gives it to Carine, then hands out the chocolates
to his children who are gathered around.
INT. PAUL’S KITCHEN. DAY
A crowded family table. Tatiana, Paul's four children, Thomas and
Fedens, and the twins Anais and Carine.
PAUL
Roger, your turn.
Paul's eldest, ROGER, 12, bows his head.
ROGER
For food and clothes, and all that grows,
etc, etc. Dear Lord, thank you.
PAUL
Thank you, Roger.
Food is passed around. Roger gobbles his down.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Why the hurry, Roger?
ROGER
Simon has a new pet. Can I go see it?
PAUL
No, I don't want you going on the street.
ROGER
Please, papa, I have a secret path.
PAUL
Who is this Simon?
TATIANA
Simon, next door, the Charingas' boy.
PAUL
Homework?
ROGER
It's done.
TATIANA
And he did extra chores.
PAUL
Wash your things, and be back soon.
Roger takes off at a run.
EXT. PAUL'S GARDEN. NIGHT
Roger runs to a wooden fence, gets down, moves two boards and squeezes
through into a path, almost a tunnel in dense reeds.
EXT. NEIGHBOR'S (SIMON'S) YARD. NIGHT
Roger crawls along his path. There's a gap a little way down, and Roger
shoots through it into the wide open of the neighbors yard. He runs to
a back window of the house and taps on it. Soon SIMON, 12, appears. He
slides it open.
ROGER
Let's feed it.
Simon lets Roger in.
INT. NEIGHBOR'S (SIMON'S) HOUSE. NIGHT
Roger holds a WILDLY COLORED SNAKE in a jar. Simon has a bag of bugs.
Waves the bag in front of the snake. It's forked tongue goes wild.
ROGER
Let me.
Simon hands him the bugs. Roger lifts the lid, drops one bug in, and
the snake strikes. The boys jump back, laugh.
INT. PAUL’S KITCHEN. NIGHT
After dinner coffee for the adults. Tatiana, Thomas and Fedens at the
table. Paul, in his usual position, at the head, listening, like
Solomon.
THOMAS
I've heard bad things, Paul. My assistant
says we should get out of Rwanda.
FEDENS
Why should we leave? I have a new job,
things have never been better for us.
THOMAS
What good is it if we are murdered in our
bed?
TATIANA
Your assistant, he is Hutu?
THOMAS
Yes, and he is in the Hutu Power Militia.
CARINE
He wants your job.
THOMAS
No, he is a friend, but he tells me to
listen to the radio. All day they talk
about the great slaughter.
TATIANA
That station is filth.
Paul has listened, now he decides to speak.
PAUL
Today I talked to my friend the American
Ambassador and Colonel Oliver of the
United Nations. They are preparing a
banquet for the peace signing. The BBC
are flying in their best reporters. The
world is watching. There will be peace.
Don't listen to this man.
Solomon has spoken. Fedens smiles, Tatiana rubs Paul's arm.
EXT. NEIGHBOR'S (SIMON'S) YARD. NIGHT
Roger crawls along his grass tunnel. Then he hears something. He looks
through the reeds toward the street.
HE SEES: Military boots, a cluster of Hutu soldiers in their crisp
Khaki uniforms.
He hears whispering.
SOLDIER'S VOICE (O.S.)
That house.
EXT. PAUL'S HOUSE. NIGHT
Paul, Tatiana, are by Thomas's car. They say good night to their
guests. Anais and Carine sleep in the car.
Paul nods to the old guard to go open the gate. Just then Roger emerges
from the thicket, wide-eyed, afraid.
ROGER
There are soldiers.
PAUL
Where?
ROGER
On the street.
Paul nods to Tatiana to take Roger inside. Thomas and Fedens grab the
sleeping twins from their car.
Paul goes to his big metal gates and peers through the two inch gap
between the gate hinge and the gate post.
EXT. VICTOR'S HOUSE. NIGHT.
HE SEES: (two houses down) the group of Hutu soldiers, clustered around
jeeps, they whisper and point. It's a raid.
Now they move rushing out of view.
The sounds of SPLINTERING WOOD, GLASS BREAKING, CHILDREN'S CRIES, WOMEN
SCREAMING.
Suddenly there's a face, beside Paul's. It's Tatiana.
TATIANA
What is it?
She looks, sees the soldiers, as they drag a middle-aged man onto the
street.
He is crying, pleading, like a whipped dog.
TATIANA (CONT'D)
Oh, my God, it's Victor. Why do they want
Victor?
They watch as Victor is beaten to the jeep. At this point Victor looses
it completely, stops pleading, grabs on to a soldier, clinging,
screaming like a terrified child - like a man who knows he is going to
die. It's a horror.
TATIANA (CONT'D)
Do something.
PAUL
What?
TATIANA
Call your friends in the army. Call
someone. Victor is harmless. This is a
mistake.
PAUL
Please, be quiet.
Tatiana, moves toward the gate handle.
TATIANA
I'm going to talk to them.
Paul grabs her.
PAUL
No.
TATIANA
We must do something.
Paul takes her by the arm, leads her to the house.
PAUL
What would you have us do? Argue with
these madmen? We cannot interfere.
INT. PAUL'S LIVING ROOM. NIGHT
Thomas and Fedens wait, anxious, as Paul appears.
PAUL
You better stay the night, it is too
dangerous to be on the streets.
Tatiana hides her anger.
TATIANA
I'll fix a bed.
INT. PAUL'S BEDROOM. NIGHT
Paul lies in bed unable to sleep. The clock reads 3:00 am.
TATIANA
Why didn't you call your contacts in the
army?
PAUL
I couldn't help.
TATIANA
You could have asked for a favor.
PAUL
No, I could not. What do you know about
favors Tatiana, about barter and deals?
All day long I work to please this
officer, that diplomat, this tourist. To
store up favors so that if there is a
time when my family need help I have
powerful people I can call upon. Now you
would have me waste a precious favor on a
stranger.
TATIANA
Victor was not a stranger, he was our
neighbor.
PAUL
He was not family. Family is all that
matters. Do you think if you or I were
being dragged from here, any one of them
would lift a finger to help us?
TATIANA
They do not have your connections.
PAUL
Connections? I have no connections, only
favors. If I call to help Victor, a
General will think "Paul Rusesabagina is
a fool. He thinks my favors are so
numerous and so insignificant as to waste
them on everybody." Then my hard work is
doubly squandered. I insult the General
and I do not get to use my favor at all.
Please leave these things to my good
judgment.
His turn away indicates the discussion is over.
EXT. HOTEL FRONT GATE. MORNING
Paul's car rolls up to the hotel's guard house.
SUPER THE TITLE: APRIL 6th, 1994.
An army jeep is parked just inside. General Bizimungu is in the
passenger seat, talking into a walkie-talkie.
The General gives an I'll see you soon wave.
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY
The hotel entrance is a mini-jam of airport buses, white UN jeeps,
foreign news crew Land Rovers, and a TV repair van unloading monitors.
Paul marches in, past Zozo the bell hop, who helps the TV men unload.
PAUL
Welcome, gentlemen.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
The lobby buzzes with activity. At the reception, Gregoire is
surrounded by a BBC news crew: GLORIA, young, chic female
reporter/producer, and JOCK, tough, experienced Scottish cameraman, and
his local sound guy Peter. Gloria is upset.
GLORIA
We reserved five rooms not two
GREGOIRE
I'm sorry, ma'am, but I see only two here
in the computer.
Jock sees Paul.
JOCK
Paul, how the hell are ya'?
PAUL
I am delighted to see you, Mr. Daglish.
JOCK
They moved you from the Diplomat?
PAUL
Promoted. House Manager.
JOCK
Good for you.
(moves closer)
We're having a little trouble, Paul. We
booked five rooms, but...
Paul moves behind the desk.
PAUL
Let me check.
He punches into the computer.
PAUL
Ah, I see the mistake. You were reading
CBC - the Canadian broadcasting people
instead of BBC Gregoire.
Close on the computer: It clearly states BBC - two rooms. Gregoire
looks to Paul with a mix of puzzlement and anger.
Of course, the BBC, five rooms.
(lies)
They are being prepared as we speak. I
have ordered fresh flowers and
complimentary champagne.
Gloria picks up her bag.
GLORIA
Great, I really need a shower.
PAUL
Just give me a moment to get your keys.
Paul better come up with three rooms fast. Then he spots the reporter
Benedict hovering at the door.
PAUL (CONT'D)
(to Gloria)
Excuse me for one second.
Paul hurries over to Benedict.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Benedict, you should meet the BBC people.
They could use your expertise.
Benedict is delighted. They head back across the lobby.
PAUL (CONT'D)
(whisper)
Benedict, General Bizimungu will be here
any moment. The BBC should talk to him.
They join the BBC team.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Madame, this is Benedict Nangori, one of
our best journalists. He covers all the
big stories. I thought you should meet.
Gloria, a consummate news producer, turns on the charm.
GLORIA
Benedict, beautiful name. I'm Gloria
Fleming. BBC.
Paul moves off to the desk, Gregoire can barely disguise his pleasure.
GREGOIRE
There are no more rooms.
PAUL
Give me the phone.
Gregoire hands it over. Paul dials.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Madame Denver. I have very good news. I
have a present for you, in return for the
cancellation of your gorilla expedition I
have arranged a safari at Lake Kivu
lodge. A wonderful experience. No, no
extra charge. A luxury coach will leave
in one hour. I'll send maids up to help
you all pack. You're welcome.
Paul hangs up, turns to Gregoire.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Call Kivu Lodge, ask for George, tell him
I need three rooms. And send a team of
maids up to the Americans. I want those
rooms turned around in twenty minutes.
Paul heads for the glass doors and sees:
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY
General Bizimungu, briefcase in hand, gives the tv interview, He’s
confident, controlled Benedict stands close by as Gloria interviews.
GLORIA
There are rumors, General, that your
army, the Hutu army, consider these peace
accords a sellout to the Tutsi rebels.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
(laughs)
Nonsense. At this moment we are making
plans to rehabilitate the dissidents into
our armed forces.
GLORIA
Then the army fully supports the
president as he signs the peace
agreement.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
Of course, the president is a clever man,
he knows what he is doing. Thank you for
coming to Rwanda. (on the move). You will
see what a beautiful country this is.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
Paul turns, walks past porters ferrying the BBC luggage. He puts his
hand out. Gregoire hands him keys.
Paul does his rounds. He double checks the banquet room where
technicians install several TV monitors and test the signal.
He looks in the kitchen, frenzied activity.
He wanders behind the bar. Everything is 'under control'.
He returns to the lobby, greets Connie, her flustered husband and their
friends, followed by a team of porters and luggage.
PAUL
Forgive the hurry but I do not want you
to miss the lunch buffet on the paddle
steamer across the lake. It is the most
spectacular sight in all Africa.
BOB
Lunch? All we do is eat. I thought there
was famine in Africa.
PAUL
Exactly, we can't have our guests
starving. What would they think of the
Mille Collines back in the United States?
Gen. Bizimungu, takes Paul's arm, pulls him aside, hands him his empty
briefcase.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
Keep that cockroach Benedict away from
me.
As the General disappears into the bar, Paul waves over the coat check,
hands her the briefcase.
PAUL
Same as last time.
She nods, hurries off just as the BBC crew appears. Paul hands out
keys, greets each.
PAUL (CONT'D)
The fifth room is your broadcast room.
GLORIA
Good. I'd like to book a massage.
PAUL
Of course.
Jock, the Scottish cameraman, hangs behind as the others leave, takes
his key.
JOCK
Did you bring any of those wee girls who
used to sit at the bar in the Diplomat
with you? You know?
PAUL
I'm sorry, Mr. Daglish, this is the Mille
Collines. No working girls here.
JOCK
Can we phone them in, Paul?
PAUL
I'm afraid I can't do that, Mr. Daglish.
Ah, Zozo.
Paul calls Zozo over.
PAUL (CONT'D)
You remember Zozo, from the Diplomat?
Jock gets the code instantly, as Zozo smiles.
JOCK
Zozo! The very man!
The Scot and Zozo greet, then hurry off.
INT. HOTEL BANQUET ROOM. DAY
Paul supervises waiters hanging a banner. It reads "Peace, Love, and
Brotherhood! UNAMIR 1994".
INT. HOTEL CONFERENCE ROOM. DAY
Reporters watch rows of TVs. All broadcast the signing of the Arusha
Accords. (Reporters have political chatter.)
CLOSE ON: the TVs as President Habyarimana signs.
COMMENTATOR
As president Habyarimana signs a peace
accord between the Tutsi rebels and his
Hutu army there remains strong doubts
that the extremist Hutu Power will abide
by the accords. But for now hope has
returned to Rwanda for the first time in
many years.
All the African reporters in the room CHEER.
Fireworks go off outside the hotel.
Colonel Oliver raises a glass of champagne and leads the room in a
toast.
COLONEL OLIVER
To Peace.
The room as one raise their glasses.
CLOSE ON: Paul as he nods to a member of the tribal band on the small
stage. Then, African drummers hammer out a fast uplifting beat as the
full troupe of ceremonial dancers skip into the room in celebration.
INT. HOTEL BAR. DAY
Paul checks out the banques. They appear empty, then a voice.
General BIZIMUNGU
Paul, join us.
It's General Bizimungu, he is sitting with George Rutagunda now in a
shiny blue suit. A bottle of whiskey on the table is almost gone.
Bizimungu and Rutagunda watch the peace celebration across the lobby.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
Have a drink.
He pours. George points his glass toward the Europeans.
GEORGE
Look at them, they want to see the tribes
dance to their tune. Here is our dance.
Rutagunda staggers to his feet, launches into a drunken version of the
Hutu Militia War Dance.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
Come on, Paul. Show them our dance.
Paul takes George's arm, does two steps of the dance, then appears to
stumble and shoulder bumps the big man.
George falls into his chair.
PAUL
Forgive me, George, my step was off.
Rutagunda bursts out laughing, toasts:
GEORGE
To our president. May he find peace.
As Paul is forced to join in the toast, Rutagunda laughs, Bizimungu
smiles at some insider joke.
INT. HOTEL CONFERENCE ROOM. EVENING
Reporters and crews pack up their equipment. Paul shakes hands, orders
porters to pick up cases. Then a porter whispers a message to Paul.
PAUL
Excuse me, gentlemen.
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. NIGHT
Paul emerges, discovers Fedens and Thomas - they look embarrassed to be
in such exulted surroundings.
THOMAS
Forgive us, Paul. We must talk.
PAUL
What's wrong?
THOMAS
We are leaving Rwanda, Paul.
PAUL
Go to the terrace, I will join you.
CUT TO
EXT. HOTEL POOL TERRACE. NIGHT
Drinks are served at a table as Paul listens to Thomas.
THOMAS
My assistant, the Hutu Power man, says we
should get out now, that soon it will be
very bad.
Paul stifles his anger.
PAUL
Give me this man's name.
THOMAS
His name is Naramaranga, but please,
Paul, even though he is Hutu Power, he is
a friend, he likes me. He told me there
is a signal. It is "Cut the tall trees."
When they hear the signal, the militia
are to go to war.
FEDENS
Please, let us take Tatiana with us. You
are Hutu, you will be safe.
PAUL
Thomas, Fedens, I am a man who looks
after his family. If there were danger I
would be the first to leave?
BANG - a distant explosion, a flash of light on the far side of the
city. Fedens jumps.
FEDENS
What was that?
PAUL
Calm yourself, it is fireworks to
celebrate the peace.
THOMAS
Please, Paul, tomorrow I will bring you
my car. You will sell it for me and get a
fair price. We will go to Tanzania until
there is real peace.
ZOZO
Excuse me, Paul, you have a call.
Zozo hands Paul a cordless phone.
PAUL
Hello. Tatsi. Yes, they are here. Yes. I
know but I want them to calm down.
Thomas and Fedens listen.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Already the press are packing their bags.
The BBC man told me there's no story
here. We are boring now. I'll be home
soon.
He hangs up.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Let us all go home and sleep.
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. EVENING
Paul escorts Fedens and Thomas to their car.
PAUL
Call when you get home. And don't worry,
Thomas. Good night.
INT. PAUL’S CAR. NIGHT
Paul's at the wheel, driving. A thick mist. Barely a car on the road.
Shadows dart past faint house lights. The windscreen clouds. Paul
switches on his wipers. A Toyota truck, loaded with Militia, appears
from the mist, speeds past. Paul switches the preset buttons on the
radio as he drives. He can only find fevered drum-based MUSIC.
EXT. PAUL’S STREET. NIGHT
Paul turns onto his street. The houses are dark: windows shuttered;
gates closed; not a soul about. Paul stops before his gate. HONKS
twice. The gate doesn't open. He hops out and opens it with a key.
Gives it a push and pauses as he heads back to the car. He hears the
far off sound of gunfire. Distant explosions light the night sky.
EXT. PAUL'S HOUSE. NIGHT
Paul drives in. His compound is curiously dark. His headlights sweep
across his pitch-black house.
CUT TO:
The gates swing shut. We PULL BACK as Paul turns and faces his house.
Paul whistles for the dog, nothing. He goes back to the car, gets a
flashlight, heads for the front door.
INT. PAUL'S LIVING ROOM. NIGHT
The door slowly opens. Paul steps in quietly, tries the light switch,
nothing. He listens. The only sounds are distant explosions and
gunfire. The beam of his flashlight cuts the blackness, illuminating:
magazines arranged on a coffee table; an empty chair; children's toys
in a basket.
INT. PAUL'S KITCHEN. NIGHT
Paul continues his search. Scans the counter. There's food on the
stove. The table is set. He hears a GROWL, quickly cut short, from one
of the bedrooms.
INT. PAUL'S HALL. NIGHT
Paul shines the light into a room. Looks for a second, then closes the
door, and walks to the next. He stops and listens with his ear to the
door. Nothing. He pushes it in.
INT. PAUL'S BEDROOM. NIGHT
Paul's light sweeps across the room and illuminates:
Eyes - terrified eyes, a room full of faces, staring back.
THEIR POV: A dark figure behind a blinding light.
The dog breaks free, runs to Paul.
PAUL
Pealiss!
From among the faces, Tatiana's voice heavy with relief.
TATIANA
Paul!
Paul's eyes adjust, he recognizes many of his neighbors, all crowded
into this small room. Then he sees their friends Odette and her husband
Jean Baptiste.
PAUL
Jean Baptiste!
JEAN BAPTISTE
Our house has been burned.
PAUL
What is going on?
TATIANA
The president has been murdered.
PAUL
Murdered! By whom?
ODETTE
The radio says Tutsi rebels.
PAUL
Nonsense. Why would the rebels kill the
president when he agreed to peace?
Tatiana pulls Paul aside.
TATIANA
Where are Thomas and Fedens?
PAUL
I sent them home. Go and call them.
TATIANA
I tried already. The phones do not work.
Jean Baptiste turns on his tiny radio.
RADIO ANNOUNCER
Our great president is murdered, by the
Tutsi cockroaches. They tricked him, then
they killed him. We must cleanse this
country, Good Hutus of Rwanda. We must
clear the brush. Clear the brush of all
cockroaches. Clear the brush!!!
The words are cut short as a grenade blast rattles the window. Everyone
jumps, children whimper. Paul is shocked but tries to pull things
together.
PAUL
Come on, everyone out of this room, find
a seat in the living room.
He holds the door open, they file out, frightened. Tatiana is last, he
stops her, steps back in, closes the door.
PAUL (CONT'D)
(in hushed anger)
Is every Tutsi in the neighborhood here?
TATIANA
They came through the bushes, over the
wall. What could I do?
PAUL
Send them home. We are not the police.
What do we have to protect them?
TATIANA
Please. Let them stay 'til morning. The
militia will not come here, they know you
are a Hutu with influence.
PAUL
They know you are Tutsi!
The door knocks. Paul gets up, angry.
TATIANA
Please, Paul, 'til first light.
PAUL
Dawn. Then they go.
Paul opens the door, it's Odette, holding the hand of Paul's eldest
daughter.
ODETTE
Forgive me, Paul. Danielle says that
Roger has gone.
Tatiana comes over instantly, worried.
TATIANA
Gone where? Tell me, Danielle.
Their daughter Danielle answers.
DANIELLE
Next door, mama. He was afraid for his
friend Simon. He went to fetch him.
EXT. UNDERGROWTH. NIGHT
Roger crawls between the shrubs. He hears ANGRY VOICES.
He peers through the long grass.
Sees: Hutu soldiers boots, feet in sneakers, bare women's feet. And
among them the glint of machetes, hoes, a club spiked with nails, a
length of chain CLANGING on the ground.
EXT. PAUL'S GARDEN. NIGHT
Tatiana rushes out the front door, Paul after her.
Paul catches her and puts his hand over her mouth.
PAUL
Shhhhh.
SHOUTS next door. Paul pulls Tatiana behind the car. A beat. More
SHOUTS. Paul takes his hand from her mouth. She's sobbing.
EXT. NEIGHBOR'S YARD. NIGHT
Roger crawls to the gap in the shrubs. Feet, a crowd, leaving, through
a gate. Engines rev.
Roger crawls from the bushes.
Crawls across, the driveway, crawls through a puddle.
Then stops, SEES SOMETHING, AN (UNSEEN) HORROR!
EXT. PAUL'S GARDEN. NIGHT
Paul and Tatiana exit the back of the house with flashlight in hand
headed towards the rear gate.
Paul searches along the chain link fence, finds a section loose, he
pulls it back, clambers underneath it.
Tatiana clasps her mouth, afraid to utter a cry.
EXT. UNDERGROWTH. NIGHT
Paul crawls through this scrub tunnel.
Then he hears BRANCHES SNAPPING.
He moves toward the sound.
Discovers Roger, terrified, thrashing in a tangle of bushes.
He grabs Rogers shirt, pulls him as the little boy startles.
PAUL
Ssshh!
Paul drags his son through the chainlink fence, whisks him up in his
arms and rushes him to the house.
INT. PAUL'S KITCHEN. NIGHT
Paul bursts through the back door and sets Roger down. Tatiana is
beside them.
TATIANA
Roger!
Paul turns the flashlight on Roger. Tatiana pulls back in horror:
Roger is covered in blood. Her SCREAMS, stifled by fear.
TATIANA (CONT'D)
Oh, my God!
PAUL
Where are you hurt, son?
Roger stares blankly. Odette is beside them now.
ODETTE
Get his clothes off.
Hands pull and tear his clothes off. Towels wipe him down. Odette
looks all over his body with the flashlight. Despite the blood Roger
has no injuries.
PAUL
What happened, son? Where did you get
this blood?
But Roger, trembling, just stares, totally traumatized. Children cry.
ODETTE
He's not injured.
His paralysis freaks the women in the room. Paul turns angrily to them.
PAUL
Leave us, give us some space.
He ushers the neighbors out of the room, closes the door.
PAUL (CONT'D)
(to Tatiana)
The neighbors must go at dawn.
Tatiana hugs her son.
EXT. KIGALI. DAWN
The faintest grey of dawn over the city. Then a flock of birds rises as
one in the distance. A millisecond later, the cause of their flight, a
grenade explosion, echoes.
The birds dart, in another direction as the STACCATO of a machine gun
rips the air.
INT. PAUL'S BEDROOM. DAWN
Paul sits on the edge of the bed, staring out the window.
Behind him Tatiana has Roger cradled in her arms, he still trembles
wide eyed as she tries to get him to talk.
TATIANA
Will you take a little milk?
Nothing.
PAUL
Let him sleep.
The door knocks. The old guard calls in frightened.
OLD GUARD (O.S.)
Mr. Paul.
PAUL
(to Tatiana)
It is time for the neighbors to leave.
He heads for the door.
INT. PAUL’S LIVING ROOM. DAWN
Paul steps out, closes the door behind him. A small delegation of the
men wait nervously.
JEAN BAPTISTE
It is true.
He holds up the tiny radio, tuned to the BBC World service, a crackly
Brit voice. (It's Gloria the reporter.)
GLORIA THE REPORTER (O.S.)
The Hutu president's plane was struck by
a ground-to-air missile as he returned
from signing the peace accord with the
Tutsi rebels. There were no survivors.
The Hutu government has already blamed
the Tutsi rebels. The rebels have denied
the accusation. Already there are reports
of reprisal killings on the streets.
As they listen, a young woman lets out a SQUEAL, and flees the window
where she's been sitting.
WOMEN (O.S.)
They are here.
Hysteria in the room, women and children push toward the bedroom. Paul
manages to make it to the window, nervously steals a glance and sees:
A HUTU ARMY SOLDIER sits on the high wall by the gate. He pulls another
up beside him.
Panic in the room now. Paul turns.
PAUL
Shut up!
PAUL'S POV: The soldiers drop into his garden. They draw pistols.
TATIANA (O.S.)
What is it, Paul.
PAUL
Stay with the children.
PAUL'S POV: The soldiers go to the gate, slide the bolt, swing it open.
Two jeeps, jammed with heavily armed SOLDIERS, sit in the drive like
many-limbed beasts of war. Paul watches as the jeeps rumble into his
garden. The soldiers jump out.
INSIDE THE ROOM:
Nothing can stop the women and children from fleeing into the bedrooms.
Paul is frozen at the CRASH of rifles on the door.
The door gives, SOLDIERS flood in.
They are startled by the crowd in the living room, rifles raised,
SHOUTS.
SOLDIERS
Out, get out now!
Paul pulls himself together, marches over to the soldier.
PAUL
Who is in charge?
A Captain is at the door.
CAPTAIN
Who are you?
PAUL
I am Paul Rusesabagina, a good friend of
General Bizimungu.
CAPTAIN
We are looking for you.
He takes Paul by the arm, leads him outside.
EXT. PAUL'S HOUSE. DAWN
The Captain stops by his jeep, studies his clipboard.
Tatiana with Roger in her arms, her kids and all the neighbors herded
together.
PAUL
What is this about?
CAPTAIN
Let me see your identity card.
Paul pulls it from his pocket, hands it to the Captain.
CLOSE ON: Paul's ID - it reads Ethnicity: HUTU.
The Captain studies him, waves for the soldiers to back off.
CAPTAIN (CONT'D)
You heard the Tutsi cockroaches murdered
our president.
PAUL
Yes, it is a calamity for us all.
CAPTAIN
You work at the Hotel Diplomat?
PAUL
No. I work at the Mille Collines.
The Captain looks confused. Paul quickly:
PAUL (CONT'D)
I used to work at the Diplomat.
CAPTAIN
Do you know how to open the safe there?
(Paul nods)
Our government needs to use the hotel and
the room keys are in the safe. You must
open it.
PAUL
Of course.
Paul sees out into the street behind the jeeps: a group of Militia in
their colored shirts armed with machetes, have gathered, trying to see
what is going on.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Captain, I must take my family.
It is not safe here.
CAPTAIN
Where is your family?
Tatiana is beside him now.
TATIANA
(interrupts)
This is them.
Tatiana points to the huddled neighbors. Paul is stunned.
CAPTAIN
All of them! I cannot take them.
TATIANA
No, no, good Captain, you do not have to.
We have the car and our van.
She points to the Mille Collines van.
The Captain looks doubtful, then his two-way radio barks - an urgent
message. He listens.
Tatiana drags the kids and ushers everyone toward the van. In a second,
they are all clambering in.
CAPTAIN
Let's go.
Paul jumps behind the wheel of the van. Neighbors are jammed in like
sardines, 15, more, inside. Tatiana and their kids are squashed
together on the front bench.
The convoy (jeep - van, car - jeep) starts up and turns out into the
street.
The Militia men wave sticks, machetes.
INT. VAN TRAVELING - DAY
Paul looks back as they speed off down the street.
Sees: The Militia looters pour into his gateway.
As they pass the Caringa home, Militia looters carry off a TV and push
a stove on a child's skateboard.
Tatiana has Roger on her lap, she cradles his head.
EXT. KIGALI STREET. DAY
The convoy speeds through the deserted streets. Slowing only to
maneuver through makeshift roadblocks where Militia wave machetes,
nailed clubs and spears as they dance.
FURTHER ALONG THE ROAD: a group of Militia swarm over a car, smashing
the windshield, the windows. Inside a family huddles together in
terror, waiting for the windows to give way.
In the gutter by the side of the road, three dead bodies.
PAUL
(to Tatiana)
Don't look.
EXT. HOTEL DIPLOMAT. DAY
The convoy pulls up at this older, shabbier hotel. There are other
jeeps, and several staff in a panic. The janitor, ROBERT, sees Paul,
bursts into waves of joy.
ROBERT
Mr. Paul, sir. Oh, Mr. Paul. We must open
every door right now for the government.
Paul jumps out of the van, hurries to the lead jeep.
PAUL
(to the Captain)
The safe is in the manager's office.
The Captain nods to two soldiers.
CAPTAIN
Go with him, get the keys.
INT. HOTEL DIPLOMAT LOBBY. DAY
Paul runs through the lobby. The staff look petrified.
INT. HOTEL DIPLOMAT MANAGER'S OFFICE. DAY
Paul bursts into the room. The two soldiers follow.
He goes to the hotel's big old combination safe, spins the combination
a few times, tries the handle, clunk! It doesn't open. He's forgotten
the number.
The soldiers look at him impatiently. Paul improvises.
PAUL
Gentlemen, you'll find some chocolate,
and maybe a few beers in the fridge.
Don't let them go to waste.
The soldiers fall over each other to get to the fridge.
Paul tries the safe numbers again, clunk! It opens.
He sees: a big bunch of keys, a wad of dollars, Rwandan francs, a check
book, and several bottles of the best cognac, whiskey, some Cristal.
He looks round nervously but the two soldiers are busy fighting over
the beer and chocolates in the fridge.
As they do, Paul, hands trembling, stuffs the wads of notes, into his
belt, pulls his shirt over and shuts the safe door.
PAUL (CONT'D)
I've got them.
He is about to leave.
SOLDIER 1
Wait!
Paul looks back at the soldier.
SOLDIER 1 (CONT'D)
Sit down.
Paul sits, as the two soldiers guzzle beers and stuff chocolate into
their pockets.
INT. HOTEL DIPLOMAT LOBBY. DAY
Paul hurries through the lobby toward the entrance.
EXT. HOTEL DIPLOMAT ENTRANCE. DAY
Paul emerges to see:
All of the occupants of the van, Tatiana, his kids, Odette on their
knees, with their hands on their heads.
The Captain hovers over them, pistol in hand, turns, sees Paul. He
marches toward him and SLAPS HIM HARD on the face.
CAPTAIN
Traitor!
Paul reels from the blow, but manages to stay on his feet.
The Captain snatches a bunch of ID cards from a soldier, hurls the
cards in Paul's face.
CAPTAIN (CONT'D)
They are all Tutsi cockroaches.
PAUL
Let me explain.
He grabs Paul by the scruff of the neck, pushes him toward the kneeling
captives. The Captain snatches a pistol from one of his soldiers,
shoves it into Paul's hand.
CAPTAIN
SHOOT THEM!
Paul looks at him.
PAUL
Please, I don't use guns.
CAPTAIN
There is nothing to it.
The Captain raises his own pistol and FIRES it. Everyone jumps with
fright.
CAPTAIN (CONT'D)
Shoot them now or you die first.
The Captain aims his pistol at Paul's head. Cocks the hammer.
PAUL
Captain, what could I pay you not to do
this?
The Captain laughs.
CAPTAIN
You want to pay me?
PAUL
Why not? These are not rebels, look at
them. Soon they will be worthless to you.
Why not take some money, for your work?
CAPTAIN
How much?
PAUL
Name a price.
CAPTAIN
Ten thousand francs for each one.
PAUL
I don't have that much.
The Captain laughs, snatches the gun from Paul, marches toward them.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Wait! Wait!
Paul reaches into his pocket, pulls out the bunch of dollars.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Here, here, a thousand US dollars - fifty
thousand francs for my family. To let us
drive off to the Mille Collines.
CAPTAIN
How many in your family?
PAUL
Six.
The Captain looks at his soldiers, at the wad of notes.
CAPTAIN
Pull your family out.
Paul runs over, grabs Tatiana, Roger, the three girls. Odette kneels
beside Tatiana. Paul whispers.
PAUL
Have you any money?
ODETTE
Nothing.
Paul pushes his family toward the van, looks back, sees the Captain
pocket the dollars, move toward the line.
TATIANA
Paul, don't let them die.
PAUL
(urgent)
Get in.
Paul pushes them into the van, shuts the door, digs into his soul for
all the courage he can muster, then turns back.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Captain, let these people give you some
money, whatever they have.
The Captain hesitates. Paul sees this, runs over to the line of
neighbors.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Give me everything, everything you have.
A pathetic rain of Rwandan francs, useless coins, watches, jewelry
falls onto the ground. Paul scoops it all up.
The Captain looks at it, takes it, then:
CAPTAIN
There is only enough for one cockroach.
The Captain raises his pistol.
CAPTAIN (CONT'D)
Pick one to take with you.
Now each terrified neighbor looks to Paul, begging.
PAUL
Wait, wait.
Paul counts the kneeling figures: ten adults, four kids.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Ten.
CAPTAIN
And four children?
PAUL
I'll give you a hundred thousand francs
for all of them.
The Captain points the gun.
CAPTAIN
Give me it.
PAUL
I don't have it here. At the Mille
Collines. I can get it for you.
CAPTAIN
You will run into the hotel and hide
behind the U.N.
PAUL
I swear, Captain, one hundred thousand
francs, enough for a house. I will get
the money, you keep them outside.
The Captain smiles.
CAPTAIN
I will keep your family outside. Let's
go.
EXT. HOTEL FRONT GATE. DAY
The convoy pulls up at the outer gates of the Mille Collines. It's
manned by ARMED UN PEACEKEEPERS.
The Captain walks to Paul in the van.
CAPTAIN
Go with my soldiers. And hurry back if
you want to keep these cockroaches.
The Captain nods to Paul's children.
Paul jumps into the Rwandan army jeep.
PAUL
(to UN Peacekeepers)
I am the manager. Open the gate.
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY
Chaos - UN jeeps, hotel vans, dismayed tourists, frightened Tutsi
refugees.
CLOSE ON: Bik, the Dutch manager, bag packed, anxious, sees Paul.
YELLS.
BIK
Paul, I have to talk to you ...
But Paul ignores Bik, barrels his way through the din and crush of the
parking lot.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
Paul rushes in: The lobby is filled with Tutsi refugees, and scared
white tourists.
A solitary receptionist, besieged by anxious guests, is relieved to see
Paul.
RECEPTIONIST
Oh, sir, please can you...
Paul rushes to the accounting room behind the reception desk, closes
the door.
INT. HOTEL OFFICE. DAY
Paul pulls bundles of dollars from the hotel safe.
EXT. HOTEL. DAY
Paul pushes through the mob at the door. Bik comes up.
BIK
Paul...
(grabs Paul)
...I have to talk to you.
PAUL
I'll be back.
Paul breaks free and hurries over to the Army jeep.
PAUL (CONT'D)
(hops in)
Let's go.
EXT. HOTEL FRONT GATE. DAY
Paul jumps from the jeep. Waves to Tatiana in the van, then gives the
money to the Captain.
PAUL
Now let them go.
No response. Money in hand, the Captain eyes Paul with malice.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Don't be foolish. There's more money to
be made here.
CAPTAIN
You want to buy anymore cockroaches ask
for Captain Naramunju.
The Captain smiles, then jumps in his jeep and speeds off. Paul runs to
the van and jumps in.
INSIDE THE VAN
Jubilation, in the rear of the van. Odette is in tears.
ODETTE
Thank you, thank you, Paul.
Paul doesn't reply. Tatiana hugs him. He gives her a look - a mix of
relief and anger - the crowd in the back almost cost him his family.
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY
Paul's van arrives. Bik hangs from a minibus.
BIK
(shouts)
Paul, I have to go. The staff have fled
Kivu Lodge. I have to close it.
He flings office keys to Paul.
BIK (CONT'D)
While I'm away, you're in charge.
Bik's van takes off. A group of tourists hears Bik's words.
TOURISTS
Hey, hey, we need our passports, we want
to get a flight.
Paul looks at them.
TOURIST
They're in your safety boxes. We need
them right away.
PAUL
Come inside.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
At the desk, the same receptionist is overwhelmed.
TOURIST (O.C.)
He's in charge, that's him.
Paul goes behind the desk. Rumors fly among the crowd of tourists.
TOURISTS
(staccato) to the airport...my embassy
...tried to call... the airport is closed
... refund... this is outrageous ...
Behind the tourists, Tatiana and the neighbors look lost.
Paul addresses the frightened Western tourists.
PAUL
Please, I am the house manager. Return in
thirty minutes and we will deal with all
your requests, thank you.
Paul turns to the room key boxes, nearly all are empty.
PAUL (CONT'D)
What happened to all the rooms?
Finally he finds a key, pushes through to Tatiana, hands a key to
Odette and Jean Baptiste.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Take this room. Tatiana, bring the
children.
Paul starts to lead his family away.
TATIANA
(re: neighbors) What about them?
Paul looses it.
PAUL
Them. They almost got us all killed. I
have done enough for them! We cannot look
after them anymore.
TATIANA
What are you going to do? You cannot
drive them out onto the road. They can
stay with me.
PAUL
What!
TATIANA
I will not have them on my conscience.
They will stay in my room.
PAUL
(to Zozo)
Zozo, get a key for two staff bedrooms.
Put these people in them.
ZOZO
Yes, sir.
INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR. DAY
Paul hurries his family along the corridor. Rwandan refugees wander
aimlessly pulling their meagre possessions.
REFUGEE
(calls out)
Moses, Moses Seradungu.
PAUL
Can I help you?
REFUGEE
I'm looking for Moses Seradungu's room.
PAUL
What is his room number?
REFUGEE
I don't know.
PAUL
Go downstairs, I will help you.
Paul finds his room and opens the door.
INT. HOTEL ROOM. DAY
Paul leads his family into a one-bedroom suite. The kids drop to the
beds exhausted. Tatiana picks up the phone and dials.
PAUL
What are you doing?
TATIANA
Trying Thomas and Fedens. We've got to
get them here.
Paul paces the room. The maids clearly haven't cleaned it since it's
last occupants: the beds are unmade; towels are on the floor; and a
newspaper is scattered across the desk.
PAUL
(re: room) This won't do.
TATIANA
It will do just fine.
So Paul tidies the place. As he does,
PAUL
Any luck?
TATIANA
No answer. Please send someone to get
them, please.
PAUL
I'll try.
Paul leaves.
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY
Paul waits, then a car pulls up, an Indian businessman, Mr. Garindi,
gets out, shakes hands, he's shaken.
MR. GARINDI
Terrible times, Paul. There are bodies
everywhere. I cannot stay here.
PAUL
I need a great favor.
He hands Mr. Garindi an address.
PAUL (CONT'D)
I need you to go to this address and
bring my brother-in-law and his family.
MR. GARINDI
No, no. This is a very dangerous part of
town. I cannot do this.
PAUL
This would be an enormous favor to me. I
am a man of means, Mr. Garandi. When this
nonsense is over I will be most grateful.
MR. GARINDI
I will see what I can do.
Mr. Garindi climbs back into his car.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
Paul stops just shy of the lobby. Around the corner is a mob of angry
guests. Paul takes a moment to gather himself: straightens his tie;
button his jacket; flick a piece of lint from his shoulder. Then he
takes a breath and steps around the corner.
PAUL
Thank you for your patience, ladies and
gentlemen. Now, how can I help you.
The mob rushes him.
CUT TO:
Paul works the front desk as angry guests surge all around him. Zozo
emerges from the office with two tourists.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Where are the receptionists? Where's
Gregoire?
ZOZO
He has taken the presidential suite.
PAUL
What!
Paul storms off.
INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR - DAY
CLOSE ON: A door with a placard reading "Presidential Suite". Paul
knocks. The door opens. Gregoire answers, half-naked.
GREGOIRE
(surprised)
Mr. Manager.
PAUL
Gregoire, what are you doing here?
A WOMAN'S VOICE INSIDE (O.S.)
Who is it?
GREGOIRE
What do you want?
PAUL
Get out of this room and get back to
work.
GREGOIRE
I don't have to listen to you anymore.
PAUL
I am in charge now. Get back to work or
I'll fire you.
GREGOIRE
Let me ask you Mr. Manager, do you notice
a smell of cockroaches? If I were to
leave this room, I'm sure I could find
this smell. I know people who could
cleanse it.(stares) But maybe it doesn't
bother you? Why is that? Are used to this
smell? Not me, I need a clean room to
escape it.
Gregoire closes the door. Paul's eyes burn with anger, but this battle
will have to wait.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
Paul comes into the lobby and discovers Colonel Oliver, he is escorting
a tall, well-dressed man, the Tutsi Minister of Finance XAVIER and his
family.
COLONEL OLIVER
Paul, you know who this is?
PAUL
Yes, Colonel Monsieur Xavier, the
Minister of Finance.
COLONEL OLIVER
Get him a room, but tell no one he is
here.
(to Xavier)
Paul will look after you.
XAVIER
I will need a suite.
PAUL
Of course.
He moves over to Zozo.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Get the key to suite twelve, take these
people there right away.
There's a commotion by the door. Paul goes over.
A valet stops a group of Tutsi refugees from entering.
PAUL (CONT'D)
What's going on?
VALET
Sir, they have no reservations.
Paul studies the group, - a ragged bunch, no way are they Mille
Collines guest material.
REFUGEE #2
Please, sir, we have nowhere else to go.
They're hunting us.
PAUL
Wait over there.
REFUGEE #3
We need a room.
PAUL
I said everyone go over there.
Paul sees: UN Colonel Oliver giving an interview to the BBC in front of
the hotel.
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY
Paul approaches the BBC reporter Gloria and Colonel Oliver as their
interview concludes.
GLORIA
Do we know who fired the missile that
killed the president?
COLONEL OLIVER
No. But I fear it's intention may have
been to kill the peace accords and spark
a civil war between the Hutu Militia and
the Tutsi rebels.
GLORIA
We've heard reports of reprisal killings.
Will the UN intervene to stop the
bloodshed.?
COLONEL OLIVER
Unfortunately we're here as peace-keepers
not peace makers, we can't take an
aggressive role.
GLORIA
If the UN changes your mandate could you
stop the bloodshed?
COLONEL OLIVER
Yes. With some re-inforcements I'm
confident we could impose order.
GLORIA
Have you requested re-enforcements?
COLONEL OLIVER
Yes we have.
GLORIA
What was the response?
COLONEL OLIVER
We're awaiting a decision, excuse me.
Colonel Oliver shakes Gloria's hand then moves off toward Paul.
COLONEL OLIVER (CONT'D)
Paul, I've sent my soldiers to rescue the
Lady Prime Minister, she'll need a room.
PAUL
Yes sir, but these people (points) they
cannot stay here. I've heard you have a
refugee center at the airport Stadium?
COLONEL OLIVER
I'm sorry, I can't possibly take them
Paul. I'm overrun with refugees. As soon
as we can stabilize the situation we'll
take them.
Paul moves to the door, where Jock and Gloria argue beside a saloon car
with the word ‘press’ spelt out in tape on the wind sreen
JOCK
For fuck's sake, Gloria There's a big
news story out there! We need to get out
and cover it.
GLORIA
We’re not going outside the hotel grounds
unless we have an armored car. That's the
ground rules.
JOCK
Ground rules! Where the fuck do you think
you are, Wimbledon?
GLORIA
We cover the story from here until we
can get proper protection.
She walks off.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
Paul works his way through the crowds in the lobby, sees a trolley of
dishes by an elevator, looks around, can't see any staff. Disgusted, he
pushes the trolley himself.
INT. HOTEL KITCHEN. DAY
Paul pushes the trolley into the deserted kitchen. At the back door,
several cooks listen to the radio.
RADIO ANNOUNCER
'Good Hutus, we must destroy an
infestation of cockroaches at the
technical college.'
PAUL
Turn that off. We have a hotel to run.
The cooks halfheartedly slouch back to the sinks.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. NIGHT
The lobby is overflowing with refugees. Paul stands with phone to ear.
Zozo walks up.
PAUL
(to Zozo)
Where's housekeeping? They won't pick up.
ZOZO
Sir, no one wants to work. They say the
boss has left.
Paul heads for the back office.
INT. HOTEL MANAGER’S OFFICE. NIGHT
A neat corporate office.
Paul picks up the phone.
INT. SABENA PRESIDENT'S OFFICE. BRUSSELS. NIGHT
Several executive officers sit across from Sabena President GODEFROID
around a speaker phone.
SABENA PRESIDENT
Can I have your name again?
PAUL (O.S.)
Paul Rusesabagina, Mr. Godefroid. The
house manager. I met you on your last
visit.
SABENA PRESIDENT
Yes, Paul, I remember. The Mille Collines
is a very important property for Sabena.
Our directors believe we should close
down, shutter the place until this unrest
is over?
This is really bad news. Paul can't allow them to close.
PAUL
Sir, that would be very bad for our
reputation. We are an oasis of calm for
all our loyal customers. What would they
think if Sabena deserted them now? (lies)
I assure you the United Nations has
everything under control.
ON THE SABENA PRESIDENT
He looks at the others.
SABENA PRESIDENT
Very well. But if this thing gets worse,
we must close. If there's anything you
need, call anytime.
PAUL
There is one thing I need right away.
INT. HOTEL MANAGER’S OFFICE. NIGHT
Paul waits by the fax, then it spits out a single page.
INT. HOTEL BANQUET ROOM. NIGHT
Every member of the hotel staff is gathered together. Paul addresses
them as Zozo hands out copies of a fax.
PAUL
This is my letter of appointment, signed
by Mr. Godefroid, the president of
Sabena. The Mille Collines is a five star
establishment, we will run it that way.
If you don't want to work for me, then
leave now.
No one moves.
PAUL (CONT'D)
I want the hallways cleaned now, a menu
prepared for the dining room. Where's the
pianist?
A hand goes up.
PAUL (CONT'D)
I want you on the piano in the Kigali
Room tonight. Back to work.
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. MORNING
Paul emerges to find more refugees, some settled on the lawn, others
gathered in clumps by the doorway.
Paul calls over to the valet.
PAUL
Take these people to the rear car park,
they can't stay here.
Suddenly women and children on the lawn scream and run in fear. Behind
them bushes shake, then suddenly a bloody figure wearing only boxer
shorts bursts out from among the trees and flees to the middle of the
driveway. It's the journalist, BENEDICT, covered in blood. His ear has
been chopped off.
PANDEMONIUM. As Paul runs to him, calls to Zozo.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Get Odette!
Paul grabs Benedict, tries to calm him.
PAUL (CONT'D)
What happened?
BENEDICT
They're killing everyone. The Lady
Minister! The UN soldiers. They're at the
gate.
He points down the driveway. This sparks many of the women refugees,
and white guests, to flee inside the hotel.
Odette arrives with her bag, leads Benedict inside.
Jock has been filming all of this.
EXT. HOTEL DRIVEWAY. DAY
Now Jock runs, camera still on his shoulder, toward the gate.
Paul takes off after him.
More Tutsi refugees running up the driveway in fear.
EXT. HOTEL FRONT GATE. DAY
As Jock films, Paul arrives by the gate house. UN soldiers watch the
outside road. Engines roar, then.
A convoy of Toyota trucks circle on the road outside the gate. Drunken
Militia men on the back wave spears, machetes, one, in a woman's disco
wig, waves a cordless power drill. The drill bit is red with blood.
In the next truck, TWO Militia MEN triumphantly taunt the UN soldiers
as they hold blue UN helmets high on sticks. The helmets are shot
through with holes.
MILITIAMAN #1
We kill UN. We kill you next.
ENRAGED UN SOLDIERS cock their weapons, aim.
A UN armored car races past the Militia and turns into the driveway.
The back door opens, UN Colonel Oliver jumps out.
COLONEL OLIVER
Hold the line here. Do not shoot!
The Colonel stabilizes the situation, his men watch the militia drive
by. Paul approaches Oliver
PAUL
What's happening?
COLONEL OLIVER
They murdered my soldiers. Ten Belgians
who I sent to get the lady minister.
PAUL
Where is she?
Oliver shakes his head. He helps Paul clamber into the armored car.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
Paul follows Oliver as he marches through the lobby. Several reporters
surround them.
REPORTERS
Is it true about the Belgian soldiers...
Are all ten dead?
Paul watches the UN command disappear into an elevator.
EXT. HOTEL CORRIDOR. DAY
Paul is in the corridor, talking to Tatiana.
PAUL
Has Roger spoken yet?
TATIANA
No, Odette says he's in shock.
PAUL
How can we help him.
TATIANA
He needs to be in a safe place.
(a beat)
Have you heard from Mr. Garindi?
PAUL
Give him time.
There's a clank of metal. Paul looks and sees:
A waiter struggling with a trolley of food by a door.
He hurries to help the waiter as Jock opens, indicates quiet, waves
Paul and the waiter in.
INT. HOTEL BBC ROOM. DAY
The room is set up as a make-shift broadcast center.
Gloria is on a phone to the BBC in London, she hangs up.
GLORIA
Okay, we’re feeding through live now.
She fixes her outfit, sits straight up in the chair. Behind her two
monitors show footage of a plane crash and bodies along roads.
GLORIA
Okay London .... and five four three two
one ...That’s correct Tom. Today's
gruesome ambush of a ten man Belgian
patrol has left the UN peacekeeping force
in a state of disarray. Its commander has
called for re-enforcements. However, the
General Council is deeply divided. The
United States, still smarting from the
UN's disastrous Somalia mission, has
indicated that it will veto any moves to
reinforce. Meanwhile, the slaughter goes
on. Gloria Brooks in Kigali, Rwanda.
Gloria on the phone, listens.
GLORIA
And, cut ...good, give me a call guys,
let me know you’ve got it.
Jock turns to Paul.
JOCK
Perfect timing.
PAUL
This goes out live?
Jock points skyward.
JOCK
Satellite feed.
GLORIA (ON PHONE)
Great. (listens) No kidding, When will
they be here? Excellent. Yes, call then.
She hangs up.
GLORIA (CONT'D)
The news room has heard that the French
and the Belgians are putting together an
intervention force.
PAUL
When will they be here?
GLORIA
Very soon.
PAUL
Thank God.
Jock's is at the window scanning with his camera, getting b roll, then
he sees something.
JOCK
Hey Peter, hook me back into the
monitors.
Jock’s filming as Peter makes the connection.
JOCK (CONT'D)
Holy shit! Holy shit.
GLORIA
What is it?
Jock focuses
On the monitor: blurry focus of a shanty town on a hill.
NOW FOCUS: Of a crowd hovering close to a group of Rwandan Tutsis
seated on the ground. Two Militia emerge from the crowd, waving
machetes. They SLASH their way along the line, savage, powerful blows,
butchering people like cattle. (Author note: we will use real
news footage of this)
JOCK (CONT'D)
You fucking see that!
GLORIA
(shock)
Oh my God!
On Screen: The crowd run off, waving machetes.
Gloria snaps out of her shock, snatches the phone, dials.
GLORIA (CONT'D)
It's Gloria. Listen we've footage,
unbelievable footage! A massacre!
Machetes, murderers, dead bodies. You
have to lead with this. We’ll send it
through right now. Wait 'til you see
this.
She puts the phone down, turns to the others, triumphant.
An embarrassed silence in the room. Jock is disgusted by her glee. He
picks up a plate from the trolley.
JOCK
(to Gloria) Here, have a sandwich.
GLORIA
Fuck you.
She storms out. Paul fills the embarrassed silence.
PAUL
I'm glad you filmed this. Now the West
will have to stop it. Excuse me,
gentlemen.
EXT. HOTEL CORRIDOR. EVENING
The businessman Mr. Garindi knocks on room 211. Paul opens the door,
sees him, then turns back to Tatiana.
PAUL
Tatsi, come.
Tatsi appears at the door with several of the kids.
PAUL (CONT'D)
(to the kids) Go back inside.
The kids do as they're told. Paul and Tatsi shut the door and join the
businessman in the hall.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Did you find the twins?
Tatiana clings to Paul, fearful of the news.
MR. GARINDI
I made it to the house but it was empty.
It had been robbed.
TATIANA
Oh God.
PAUL
Was there blood?
MR. GARINDI
No blood. As I left a neighbor, an old
woman, waved to me. I went to her house.
She has the little girls. They are safe.
TATIANA
My brother, his wife. Did this woman know
of them? Did they leave the children with
her?
The businessman shakes his head no. Tears run down Tatiana's face. She
holds Paul's arm to stop from falling to the floor.
PAUL
This is not bad news, Tatsi. Perhaps they
fled or could not make it home. There is
hope.
TATIANA
(to the businessman)
Please go back, bring the children to us.
MR. GARINDI
(frightened)No ma'am, I cannot do that.
The roadblocks are everywhere. They are
looking for children. They shout, "Kill
the babies to clear the infestation."
Leave them be, they are safe. I have to
go now.
Paul takes a small wad of notes from his pocket, presses it into the
businessman's hand.
PAUL
Thank you for your help.
He leaves. Tatiana pulls Paul to her.
TATIANA
My sister is dead, Paul. They would not
leave the children.
PAUL
No. They are not dead. Stop this.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
Paul and Tatiana push through the French tourists and AID workers
running across the lobby.
FRENCH TOURISTS
Mon Dieu, Merci.
Cheers break out. Paul and Tatsi peer from the crowd and through the
lobby window see:
EXT. HOTEL DRIVEWAY. DAY
French and Italian special forces pull into the parking lot, standing
tall in their jeeps, macho western super troops, triumphant. Salvation!
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY
Wild cheering, flowers draped around necks, kisses. Westerners,
Rwandans, dance and sing in celebration.
Paul SEES: Colonel Oliver off to the side, with the commanders of the
French special forces.
CLOSE ON: OLIVER
COLONEL OLIVER
You have a battalion, you could stop this
now. The Hutu army is no match for you.
FRENCH COMMANDER
Those are not our orders.
Oliver pulls off his blue beret, throws it on the ground, points his
finger at the French and Italian officers.
COLONEL OLIVER
You will remember this day for the rest
of your lives.
He walks off, returns, picks up his beret.
Paul watches as he storms into the lobby.
Paul follows.
INT. HOTEL BAR. DAY
Paul follows the Colonel into the Kigali Club. The place is empty, the
bartender missing, gone to celebrate.
PAUL
Colonel, what can I get you?
Paul gets behind the bar.
COLONEL OLIVER
Anything. Strong.
PAUL
Canadian Club?
Oliver cracks a weary smile. Paul pours two drinks, slides one across.
He raises his glass.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Congratulations, Colonel. You have saved
us all.
COLONEL OLIVER
(raw cynicism)
Congratulations. You should spit in my
face.
PAUL
Excuse me, Colonel.
COLONEL OLIVER
We think you are dirt, less than dirt,
worthless.
PAUL
I don't understand.
COLONEL OLIVER
Don't bullshit me, Paul. You're the
smartest man here. You have them all
eating out of your hand. You'd own this
fucking hotel, except for one thing.
Paul doesn't answer.
COLONEL OLIVER (CONT'D)
You're fucking black! You're not even a
nigger, you're African!
(downs his drink)
They're not staying to stop this thing.
They're gonna fly right out of here with
their people.
PAUL
(shocked)
Their people?
COLONEL OLIVER
They're only taking the whites.
INT. HOTEL PAUL’S ROOM. DAY
Paul opens the door. Tatiana and the kids pack bags, prepare to leave.
PAUL
Children, go into the hallway.
Tatiana and the children stop what they're doing, puzzled.
PAUL (CONT'D)
(to the kids) Please, go.
The kids leave.
TATIANA
What's wrong?
Paul takes her hands in his.
PAUL
All the whites are leaving.
Tatiana's grip tightens.
PAUL (CONT'D)
They are being evacuated.
TATIANA
What about us?
PAUL
We have been abandoned.
Tatiana clings to hope.
TATIANA
The soldiers will stop the killers.
Paul looses it.
PAUL
Listen to me woman. I said all the whites
are leaving. The French, the Italians,
even the Belgian UN soldiers.
TATIANA
But who is left?
PAUL
I don't know. Colonel Oliver says the UN
has three hundred soldiers for the whole
country. Black soldiers, Pakistanis.
He looks up at her.
PAUL (CONT'D)
The most the Colonel can spare for the
hotel are four men, and they're not
allowed to shoot.
He takes her hand, makes her sit down.
PAUL (CONT'D)
If anything should happen, if the Militia
arrive, you must take the children and go
to the roof.
Tatiana's eyes are wide with fear.
TATIANA
What for?
Paul takes his anger out on Tatiana.
PAUL
Do what I say, woman. You hear me? I will
meet you there.
He storms out.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
REVEAL: A chaos of luggage, white tourists, AID agency people, Italian
and French soldiers, elite, slick.
On the edges, clumps of Rwandans, watching, silent, fearful.
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY
A torrential African rain storm soaks everything. Porters with big
umbrellas run the white evacuees to the buses.
French and Italian commanders check off names on clipboards.
Jock films the evacuees boarding buses.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
At the front desk, Paul, dripping wet from working the convoy, listens
to a French tourist who refuses to pay his bill.
FRENCH TOURIST
Why should I pay to stay in a, in a
holocaust? Tell me.
Paul, stone-faced, polite, destroys this asshole.
PAUL
You are not staying sir, you are leaving.
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY
Paul watches in the rain as the final agency people are being loaded
onto buses.
Several white aid workers weep uncontrollably as they are dragged away
from frightened Rwandan coworkers.
Paul in the rain.
Across the parking lot Colonel Oliver watches from his jeep.
Jock and his sound man embrace two beautiful young HOOKERS.
One girl begs Jock to take her with him.
HOOKER
Please, please, they will put me on the
street. They will chop me.
JOCK
Darlin', believe me, if I could...
He digs in his pockets, pulls out money, cigarettes. Everything he has
he gives to her.
Then he pulls her toward Paul, digs out his wallet.
JOCK (CONT'D)
Here. Here.
He pushes two Visa cards into Paul's hands.
JOCK (CONT'D)
Give her what she wants, room, food,
anything. Charge it all. Don't you put
her out, Paul.
PAUL
I would never do that.
JOCK
I know that, Paul. I'm sorry.
Here take this.
Jock pulls a Rolex off his wrist.
PAUL
This is a Rolex, I can't take it.
JOCK
Take it for Christ sake. I wish it was a
fucking aeroplane.
Jock embraces Paul, tears in his eyes.
Gloria watches from the doorway. Embarrassed by Jock, She becomes
officious.
GLORIA
Let’s go, Jock.
JOCK
(turns on her)
Go! What the fuck sort of journalists are
we, running from a war? I'm ashamed. Are
you? Well, are ya'?
GLORIA
You’re drunk.
Gloria marches onto the bus.
GLORIA
(to a French soldier)
What are we waiting for?
FRENCH SOLDIER
We have to evacuate some nuns from a
convent. They are on their way.
Jock kisses the hooker, heaves his camera onto the bus.
Then there is a disturbance on the driveway.
A group of French nuns, along with maybe a hundred Tutsi women and
children come running up the driveway. They are all terrified. One nun
leads them with a French flag.
French soldiers run forward. A commander orders them to form a line,
blocking the refugees.
French soldiers begin pulling nuns from the terrified crowd.
Several nuns begin hysterically weeping, pulling Rwandan children with
them. Panic breaks out among the crowd.
INT/EXT. BUS. DAY
Jock grabs his camera, pushes off the bus.
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY
Nuns cling to young children. French soldiers wrench the nuns away,
lift them off their feet, carry them to the bus.
JOCK films, as A FRENCH OFFICER screams at him.
The last nun is dragged onto a bus.
Jock looks to Paul, then gets on the bus.
The convoy - French jeeps, buses, Italian jeeps, UN jeeps takes off,
through the refugees, turns a corner, gone.
Paul, drenched, is left alone to fend for his new guests:
Weeping women, frightened children.
EXT. HOTEL FRONT GATE. DAY
The convoy passes the gate house.
Across the road, two jeeps of Rwandan Army soldiers watch the convoy
leave. They get on the radio.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
Where five minutes before the lobby was a frenzy of wealthy Europeans
and aid workers, the groups of clustered black faces are silent except
for the crying of babies and sobbing mothers. Paul picks his way among
them. Zozo catches up.
ZOZO
What do we do with all these people?
PAUL
Open up the ballroom, we'll put them
there. And Zozo tell the kitchen to make
rice and beans - a lot of it.
INT. HOTEL PAUL'S ROOM. DAY.
Paul enters, drops to the bed. Tatiana curls up next to him.
TATIANA
You could leave, Paul.
PAUL
What are you saying, Tatsi?
TATIANA
Your card says Hutu. Take our children,
go and get the twins, pay money at the
roadblocks. Get them out. Please.
PAUL
Enough of this. We stay together. Let me
rest, I will feel better then.
Paul puts on his walkman earphones, presses play, the rich cowboy drawl
of Don Williams singing.
Close on: Paul as his eyes droop and to the music.
A kalidiscope of colors filter through drooping eyelids as
Close on Paul’s face, as the music plays.
His eyes open wide, disturbed, music playing
Paul’s POV, an Army lieutenant stands over him, other soldiers around.
The lieutenant reaches down, pulls the earphones from Paul’s ears.
LIEUTENANT
You are the manager?
PAUL
Yes, sir. What is wrong?
LIEUTENANT
Everyone must leave the hotel now.
PAUL
Why sir?
LIEUTENANT
It's an order. Get everyone out now.
PAUL
I...ah...need some time. Please give us
twenty, thirty minutes. People are
sleeping.
The lieutenant is not impressed.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Please, have some cold drinks. I will be
as quick as I can.
'Cold drinks' softens the soldiers' attitudes.
LIEUTENANT
We will be outside, ten minutes.
The soldiers march off. Paul goes back inside. The kids, sensing the
menace, sit still and wide-eyed on the floor. Suddenly Tatiana notices
Roger is missing.
TATIANA
Where's Roger?
Danielle points to under the bed.
CLOSE ON:
Roger trembling under the bed, as Paul's face appears.
PAUL
Come on son, everything is all right.
He slides him out, clutches him in his arms, then turns him over to
Tatiana as he phones the front desk.
PAUL (CONT'D)
(on phone)
Who is this? Zozo. I know. Get them beer.
He turns to Tatiana.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Go to the roof now.
TATIANA
(terrified)
What for Paul.
PAUL
(forceful)
Do as I say. I will be there soon.
He hurries out.
INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR. DAY
Paul's door opens, his head appears round the corner.
The corridor is empty of soldiers. Now, frightened Tutsis peer out from
their rooms. A group of men, among them the politician Xavier, are
gathered in the hallway. Paul spots one man holding a pistol. He runs
up.
PAUL
(to the man with the pistol)
Are you mad? They will gun us all down.
PISTOL MAN
Better to die by the bullet than the
machete.
Paul pulls the gun off him.
PAUL
Wait here, please.
Paul hands the gun to Xavier, hurries off.
INT. HOTEL MANAGER'S OFFICE. DAY
Paul bursts in, sits by the phone and dials.
PAUL (ON PHONE)
Good day, General Bizimungu please. Do
you know where he is? Please ask him to
call Paul Rusesabagina. It is urgent.
Phone again.
A SERIES OF FLASH CUTS: increasingly frantic calls.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Colonel Bagsora. Where? Can you find him?
ANOTHER CALL:
PAUL (CONT'D)
Who would order such a thing?
ANOTHER CALL:
PAUL (CONT'D)
Did you find the General?
Paul hangs up the phone defeated. He looks at his watch. His head flops
onto the desk, onto the Sabena logo. He sees it.
INT. SABENA PRESIDENT'S OFFICE. DAY
The Sabena president and two VPs sit on couches.
PRESIDENT
If British Airways abandons the route we
should bid for it.
His intercom buzzes, he's annoyed then.
SECRETARY (ON PHONE)
I'm sorry, sir. I have a call from Paul
in Kigali. He says it's urgent.
The president goes to the phone, hits the speaker button.
PRESIDENT
Paul. Are you alright?
PAUL (O.S.)
We have a big problem. The Hutu army have
come and ordered us all of us out of the
hotel.
The president is baffled.
PRESIDENT
Out? Where are you going?
PAUL
I do not know, sir. I think they will
kill us all.
The president can barely form words to reply.
PRESIDENT
All. What do you mean all?
PAUL
The staff, the guests.
PRESIDENT
The staff and guests! How many?
PAUL
Now we have eight hundred guests and one
hundred staff. I have ten minutes left.
I wish I could have done more, sir.
Please, thank all my friends at Sabena.
You have been good to me and my family.
PRESIDENT
(panicked) Paul, wait, wait, I'm going to
put you on hold for one minute, stay on
the phone.
He hits the hold button. Looks to the other executives. They are
stunned to silence by Paul's profound farewell.
INT. HOTEL MANAGER'S OFFICE. DAY
Paul listens to music on the phone.
INT. SABENA EXTERIOR OFFICES. DAY
Pandemonium - the president has everyone working the phones.
PRESIDENT
Get the prime minister's office. Call
General Chareaux. Louis get the UN. Tell
them this is Belgian property.
INT. HOTEL MANAGER'S OFFICE. DAY
The music is suddenly interrupted.
PRESIDENT (O.S.)
Paul, are you there?
PAUL
Yes, thank you Mr. President.
PRESIDENT (O.S.)
Paul, if you have one call in all the
world to stop this, who would you call?
Paul thinks.
PAUL
The French. They supply the Rwandan army.
PRESIDENT (O.S.)
Paul, do everything you can to buy time.
I will call you back.
Paul hurries from the room.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
Zozo at the computer, printing something. Paul walks up, sees: The
Hotel's Registry printing. Paul grabs it, studies.
PAUL
What are you doing?
ZOZO
The lieutenant wants the register.
He pushes Zozo toward the elevator.
PAUL
Go and get more beer.
Now Paul is on the computer, typing.
ON SCREEN: The register shows that day's date: April 13.
Paul hits a few keys.
ON SCREEN: The date above the register is April 4.
Paul hits the print button. The printer clicks to life.
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY
Paul with the printed registry and Zozo with beer walk to the jeeps.
The soldiers don't wait for the Captain's order, they mob Zozo, grab
beers. The lieutenant marches up to Paul.
LIEUTENANT
Where's the guest list?
Paul hands him the printout. He studies it, reads.
LIEUTENANT (CONT'D)
Anderson, Arthurs, Boulier. What is this?
PAUL
The guest list. It hasn't been updated
since the murder of the president.
The lieutenant grabs Paul by the shirt.
LIEUTENANT
Are you trying to make a fool of me?
There are no Europeans left in that
hotel. Get me the names of all the
cockroaches in there.
PAUL
That will take time.
LIEUTENANT
You don't have time. If I do not have the
names, so that I can pick out the
traitors, then I will kill everyone here
in this car park. Get in there now.
Paul turns to walk back in. The lieutenant hurries to his men, pulls
beers from their hands, smashes them on the ground. One soldier comes
running to him with a radio. Paul watches. The lieutenant listens, then
calls to Paul.
LIEUTENANT (CONT'D)
Hey you, come here.
Paul returns.
LIEUTENANT (CONT'D)
Who did you call?
PAUL
Call, sir?
LIEUTENANT
Don't lie to me. What's your name?
PAUL
Rusesabagina. Paul Rusesabagina.
LIEUTENANT
I will remember that name. (turns to his
soldiers) Let's go.
The soldiers roar off down the driveway.
Zozo looks to Paul, a thank you Jesus look.
EXT. HOTEL ROOF. DAY
Paul emerges onto the roof, sees Tatiana, his children, and many of the
neighbors sitting huddled together. (They do not know the soldiers have
left.)
Tatiana is frozen to the spot.
PAUL
They have gone.
Tatiana grabs him. Tears of joy. Paul's neighbors swarm him, touch him,
thank him like a messiah. This effects him. He seems genuinely moved as
he shakes hands and hugs them.
ZOZO
Sir. The president of Sabena is on the
phone for you.
INT. HOTEL MANAGER'S OFFICE. DAY
Paul arrives behind the front desk.
Paul hits the button.
PAUL
They are gone. Thank you, sir. What did
you do?
INT. SABENA PRESIDENT'S OFFICE. BRUSSELS. DAY
Gotfroid is at his desk.
SABENA PRESIDENT
I managed to get the President of France
on the phone.
PAUL (O.S.)
Thank you, sir, you saved our lives.
SABENA PRESIDENT
Paul, I pleaded with the president to go
in and get you all. He told me it will
not happen.
PAUL
Why?
SABENA PRESIDENT
I can give you many political answers
Paul but the truth is that Africa is not
worth a single vote to all of them:
French, British, Americans.
Silence.
SABENA PRESIDENT (CONT'D)
You have to get out of there, Paul. I
will do whatever I can.
SMASH CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL MANAGER’S OFFICE. DAY
The elite of the Tutsi refugees, those with contacts or friends abroad,
are gathered in the office.
PAUL
There will be no rescue, no intervention
force. We can only save ourselves. Call
any foreigner you know, tell them what
will happen to us. Say goodbye but when
you say goodbye, say it as though you're
reaching through and shaking their hand.
Let them know if they let go of that
hand, you will die. (silence) We must
shame them into sending help.
The others look stunned.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Get on the phones while we still can. At
least we can say they heard our cries.
Zozo come with me.
Paul leaves.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
Paul looks around the lobby. It resembles a refugee center more than a
five star hotel.
He turns to a computer, calls up the register, then hits DELETE and
erases the register.
He picks up the phone, calls.
PAUL
Send two of the housekeeping carpenters
to the lobby.
Paul strides across the lobby, calls to Zozo.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Everyone gather together now. Zozo get
them all together.
They herd together quickly.
PAUL (CONT'D)
No one can remain in this lobby any
longer. I have rooms available. Who can
pay? The rental is six hundred francs per
day.
About fifty percent of the hands go up.
TUTSI WOMAN
I cannot pay?
PAUL
Go with Zozo to the ballroom. We will
find you bedding. This is a hotel. No one
will be allowed to stay in the lobby.
The carpenters arrive beside Paul.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Good. I want you to go around and take
all the numbers off the doors.
CARPENTER
What shall we put in their place.
PAUL
Nothing. I want no numbers on the doors.
INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR. DAY
Paul going door to door, knocking. The rooms are all packed with Tutsi
refugees. A door opens.
PAUL
Good day. Here is your bill for the last
week. If you cannot pay, or think you
will not be able to pay, go to the
ballroom. Zozo will take care of you.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR. DAY.
Paul knocks on a door. The Tutsi politician Xavier opens the door, sees
that it is Paul.
XAVIER
Come in Paul.
INT. HOTEL LUXURY SUITE. DAY
A beautiful two-bedroom suite. Xavier lives in comfort compared to the
other refugees.
PAUL
I'm afraid you will have to move room.
XAVIER
Move? Where to?
PAUL
I'm going to put you on the third floor.
XAVIER
The third floor are low class rooms.
PAUL
Yes they are. However if the army return
they will expect important people such as
yourself to be in these grand rooms.
XAVIER
(to his wife)
Pack the bags, we have to move.
PAUL
Also, this is your bill for the last
week.
Paul leaves, Xavier looks shocked.
FADE TO:
MONTAGE
Paul and influential refugees, Odette, Benedict (with a bandage over
his missing ear), Xavier and others call, plead, write and send faxes
all around the world. We see this NIGHT and DAY; DAY and NIGHT --
Then Odette on the phone.
ODETTE
Yes, that's right. I helped set up the
treatment center in Nairobi. I'm in the
Mille Collines Hotel right now with my
husband, Peter, and my two boys. If you
do not help us we will be murdered.
Zozo arrives.
ZOZO
Sir, General Bizimungu is here.
EXT. HOTEL POOL TERRACE. DAY
The pool patio is deserted except for General Bizimungu and three
soldiers who lounge at a table. Gregoire and his girlfriend sun on
reclining deck chairs like movie stars. Paul and a waiter with a tray
of drinks join the General.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
I am glad you are well.
Paul hands the scotch to Bizimungu.
PAUL
I'm sorry it is not Glenmorangie.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
As long as it is scotch.
(drinks)
Your white friends have abandoned you,
Paul.
PAUL
The United Nations are still here.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
(laughs) The United Nations. Madmen are
on the streets, Paul. But I will take
care of you. (chugs his drink) Your
cellar is well-stocked, right?
PAUL
Yes, General. I am glad you came by. I
overheard something that I think you
should know about.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
What did you overhear?
PAUL
A discussion between an American Embassy
official and a UN Colonel.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
What did they say?
PAUL
The American assured the colonel that
they would watch everything.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
Watch everything? How? They are gone.
Paul points surreptitiously to the sky. The General looks up.
PAUL
Satellites.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
Satellites?
PAUL
Yes, they can photograph the epaulets on
your shoulder.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
And what will they do with these
satellites?
PAUL
The American said intervention is too
costly, better to get photographic
evidence and snatch up the high command.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
The high command? Our high command?
PAUL
'Snatch them up and put on a war crimes
trial. Lock them all away forever. No
political risk, and big publicity.'
That's what he said. (a beat) I thought
I'd better tell you.
The General looks again to the sky then.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
The Americans! Who are they to put us on
trial. Let us imagine Paul when their
president Kennedy was shot, they said it
was a black man. Then their politicians,
their radio stations gave orders ‘we must
wipe out these black people before they
wipe out us.’ What do you think would
have happened? No different.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Indeed, general. Excuse me momentarily.
INT. HOTEL CELLAR. DAY
Paul fills Bizimungu's briefcase with scotch, hands two six-packs of
beer to Zozo. Paul notes his once packed storeroom, now considerably
dwindled in stock.
PAUL
Where has all our beer gone?
ZOZO
Sir, Gregoire has been taking beers.
PAUL
How much beer?
ZOZO
Many beers.
EXT. HOTEL POOL TERRACE. AFTERNOON
Paul arrives back at the pool, hands Bizimungu his briefcase. Zozo
gives the beer to the soldiers.
PAUL
I am worried about thieves and criminals
coming into the hotel. Perhaps you could
arrange for some police to guard us.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
The police are very busy.
PAUL
I understand General, but when I last
talked to the president of Sabena he
promised me that anyone who helped
protect Belgian property would be
rewarded.
Bizimungu understands this is a financial proposition.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
He did.
PAUL
“Well rewarded” Those were his words.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
If I were to spare a few policemen, where
would I station them?
PAUL
The front gate would be best, General.
They could check all guests.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
I will see what I can do.
PAUL
I admire you, General. How do you keep
command of your men amidst such madness?
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
I am strong, Paul, like a lion.
PAUL
I wish I were like you. Look at my staff,
they won't work, they listen to no one.
Paul nods over toward Gregoire.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
He is staff?
The General gets up.
Gregoire, who is lying face down on the deck chair, doesn't see him
approach. The General pulls the deck chair from underneath Gregoire and
throws it into the pool. As Gregoire tries to scramble to his feet, the
General propels him forward with a massive kick up the ass.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU (CONT'D)
Get to work, you slug.
Gregoire races from the pool, followed by his girlfriend.
The General clicks his fingers and his soldiers follow.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU (CONT'D)
Make sure, Paul, your guests are
generous.
INT. LOBBY. DAY
Benedict greets Paul in the lobby.
BENEDICT
Paul, we would like to speak to you in
your office.
PAUL
We, who is we?
BENEDICT
A delegation.
INT. HOTEL MANAGER'S OFFICE. DAY
Paul walks in and discovers the office packed with the elite Tutsi
refugees including Xavier, Odette and Jean Baptiste. Paul's puzzled,
there's an air of tension in the room.
PAUL
Yes.
A brief silence, then a Tutsi bank manager speaks.
BANKER
You have no right to charge us rent.
PAUL
Why not?
BANKER
This is no longer a hotel, it is a prison
and you are profiteering from our misery.
ODETTE
That is not true.
Another accuser speaks up.
TUTSI ACCUSER
Yes it is. He charges for food, for
everything. Where is all this money
going? We hear he has a deal with
Bizimungu.
TUTSI ACCUSER #2
It is said that you work for the murderer
George Rutagunda.
Murmurs of agreement. Paul has heard enough.
PAUL
I confess. ( a beat) It's true I have a
deal with General Bizimungu. He was just
here. I worked out another money making
scheme for him. New arrivals will be
taxed at the gate.
Silence.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Do you know what my deal is with
Bizimungu. I pay him and he keeps you
alive. Anyone want to take their money
back?
Paul pulls money from his pocket, hands it around, offers it.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Here, here take it. And you don't have to
pay your bill. I will move you into the
ballroom or out into the gardens.
He walks among them.
PAUL (CONT'D)
And, yes, I work with George Rutagunda.
I buy rice and beans, beer and soap. I
will have to visit his warehouse soon
because we are running out of food. Who
wants to come with me?
Paul holds the door open.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Anyone who wants to come with me stay
behind. If not, please leave.
They hurry out, duly chastised. But Odette and her husband Jean
Baptiste remain.
PAUL (CONT'D)
(laughs)
You are most certainly not coming with
me. You will get me killed.
JEAN BAPTISTE
You can't go to that place, they know
what you are doing here.
PAUL
George will not hurt me, I am too
profitable to him.
ODETTE
What if he is not there?
Paul hasn't got an answer for that one. He leads them out.
INT. HOTEL PAUL'S ROOM. NIGHT
Roger is asleep, on a couch in the living room, several kids sleep on
the floor.
TO THE BED: Where Tatiana suppresses bursts of laughter as Paul relates
the Gregoire story in whispers.
PAUL
As soon as the General left he came
running back. (mimics Gregoire) Help me,
sir, I have been possessed by a witch.
(Paul's own voice now) A witch you say?
(mimics) Yes, yes, I did not know I was
in that room. The president's room, why
would I be in the president's room? (own
voice) Indeed, the General asked me the
same. (mimics) Asked you what? (own
voice) Does Gregoire think he is
president now?
Paul mimics Gregoire's whimpers of fear.
TATIANA
(laughing)
Stop, stop, we will waken the children.
Paul lifts the bottle of fine bordeaux, pours more.
PAUL
Lynch Bages, 84. Perfect with lamb, or
fine rare beef.
TATIANA
So where is the lamb?
PAUL
Maybe Gregoire and the witch ate it.
They both chuckle, then Paul remembers, a cloud of anxiety comes over
him.
TATIANA
What's the matter?
PAUL
We're running out of beer and other
supplies.
She kisses him.
TATIANA
The foreigners abandon us and you do
inventory. You are so conscientious.
She kisses him again, tries to cheer him.
PAUL
I have to go out to get food.
TATIANA
Go out! Where?
PAUL
To Rutagunda's place. It is close by.
TATIANA
No, no.
PAUL
I have to, Tatiana, we are only as
valuable as the service we provide.
TATIANA
You cannot go alone.
PAUL
I'm not going alone. I'll take Gregoire
with me. He's a good Hutu, and he wants
to impress me now.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
The lobby is deserted except for Gregoire now neatly dressed.
PAUL
Gregoire it is good to see you back to
work.
GREGOIRE
Please, except my humblest apologies...
PAUL
Don't worry. I have a job this morning. I
must go to visit my good friend George
Rutagunda. You know George?
Gregoire nods, impressed.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Fetch the van.
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAWN
A thick mist blankets the grounds as Paul and Gregoire emerge.
GREGOIRE
(fearful) Where are we going, sir?
PAUL
For supplies, you drive.
GREGOIRE
The fog is too heavy, sir.
PAUL
Just drive, Gregoire.
INT. VAN. DAWN
They pass the gate, the policemen are asleep in the box.
The van passes along the deserted main road, past a wrecked car, over
broken glass, the fog swirls around them.
Then Gregoire hits the brakes.
In front of them, a makeshift barricade, long poles stretched across
two oil drums.
They wait for someone to appear from the fog: No one.
GREGOIRE
We should go back, sir.
Paul wants to agree, but can't. He opens his door.
EXT. ROAD. DAY
Paul gets out, tentative.
PAUL
Hello?
Nothing. He moves to the barrier, lifts the pole, places it on the
ground, hurries back to the van.
INT. VAN. DAWN
PAUL
Let's go.
They drive past the barricade.
The van weaves through the fog-enshrouded streets.
They slow to check road signs in the fog - on one a woman's dress,
shredded and soaked in blood, is draped like a banner.
EXT. RUTAGANDA'S WAREHOUSE. DAWN
The fog still hangs like a cloud. As they pull up, a group of young
Militia emerge from Toyota trucks.
MILITIAMAN #1
What do you want?
PAUL
We are to meet Mr. Rutagunda.
MILITIAMAN #1
The commander is not here.
PAUL
He will be here.
MILITIAMAN #1
Show me your ID
Paul and Gregoire hand over their ID cards. The Militia man studies
them, then pockets the cards.
PAUL
Excuse me.
MILITIAMAN #1
What?
PAUL
Our cards, please.
MILITIAMAN #1
What cards?
PAUL
You have our cards.
MILITIAMAN #1
No. But I make cards. Would you like me
to make you two cards?
PAUL
How much?
MILITIAMAN #1
One thousand francs.
Then from out of the fog, three Toyota trucks roar up. George
Rutagunda, heavily armed, in cut-off shorts and an open shirt, his
barrel chest laden with bandoliers, jumps out.
The Militia man pulls out the ID cards, hands them back.
MILITIAMAN #1 (CONT'D)
(apologetic)
A joke.
Rutagunda strides over.
GEORGE
Paul. My old friend.
Paul climbs out, greets George, as a Militia man swings open the doors
of the warehouse. They walk in.
INT. RUTAGANDA'S WAREHOUSE. DAY
The warehouse is filled with looted televisions, artwork, cars. George
points to the stacks of beer.
GEORGE
Everything is double the price now, you
do understand that?
PAUL
I need rice, beans, beer, and your best
whiskey.
GEORGE
Beer yes, but no whiskey.
PAUL
You have no whiskey?
GEORGE
No whiskey, no spirits. Your rich
cockroaches at the hotel, they will have
to do without their scotch. Anyway, I
have bled that cow enough Paul.
Paul counts out the Rwandan francs.
PAUL
What do you mean George?
GEORGE
Their money is no good to them. Soon all
the Ineysi will be dead.
PAUL
(incredulous) )
You cannot kill them all.
GEORGE
Why not? We are half way there already.
Paul's stomach heaves. He hides it, turns over the money, gets in the
van with Gregoire. George comes to the passenger window.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
Let me give you a tip my friend, our
generals in the army say 'do not go near
the Mille Collines or they will send the
Belgian soldiers back here'. But the
generals are about to leave, and we will
be in charge. It is time to butcher your
cow for the meat. (a beat)
You can help us Paul. You have some very
important traitors at your hotel. The
politician Xavier. The liar Benedict. If
we were to get them, then maybe we could
let one or two cockroaches get away. You
understand, Paul.
Paul says nothing, but Gregoire has been listening very carefully.
PAUL
Let's go.
GEORGE
Take the river road back. It is clear.
The van takes off.
INT. VAN. DAWN
The fog has gotten thicker. They can barely see a yard ahead.
PAUL
Are you sure this is the river road?
GREGOIRE
I saw the sign.
The van begins to bump erratically. Bump, bump, bump.
PAUL
Stop. You've driven off the road.
You'll put us in the river.
The van jerks to a halt.
EXT. RIVER ROAD. DAWN
Paul clambers out, stumbles, falls.
And discovers he's looking at the face of a dead child, a young Tutsi
girl, her hands clasped on her ears as though to block the sound of her
own death - an African Munz's Scream.
Paul clambers to his feet, sees that the van is on a road littered with
dead bodies, men, women, children.
The bumps were dead bodies, the van has driven over them.
A breeze from the lake blows the fog clear for thirty feet.
REVEALING: a carpet of bodies, hundreds of them sprawled all along the
road as far as Paul can see. Paul wanders stunned among misshapen
corpses, made more ghostly by wisps of fog.
Finally, Paul clambers shell-shocked back into the van.
PAUL
Go back! Go back!
Gregoire throws the van into reverse.
They bump back over the carpet of bodies, each shake and crunch another
horror.
EXT. HOTEL REAR DELIVERY AREA. DAY
The van pulls up at the rear suppliers entrance. Paul hops out, turns
to Gregoire.
PAUL
Tell no one what you saw, do you
understand?
Gregoire, Zozo and the porters begin unloading the van.
EXT. HOTEL GARDENS. DAY
Paul wanders to a bench set back in a manicured grove of bushes. Beyond
him a crowd of Rwandan refugee children play in the swimming pool,
laughing, jumping, splashing like they were at a municipal pool in
Central Park.
Paul watches. Tears stream from his eyes, the stream grows into a
flood, he buries his face in his hands.
Then a voice.
LITTLE BOY (O.S.)
Mr. Manager.
Paul wipes his eyes, turns.
A little boy stands behind him, holding out his arm.
LITTLE BOY (CONT'D)
Mr. Manager, sir.
Then Paul sees what is wrong. The boy Has a big thorn imbedded in the
muscle of his arm. Paul studies it.
PAUL
That's a big one. (pinches the thorn)
Here we go.
Paul pulls on the thorn, the kid doesn't flinch.
Paul picks him up, carries him to the pool, throws him in.
INT. HOTEL PAUL'S ROOM. NIGHT
Tatiana feeds the children - rice and beans. Paul arrives.
CHILDREN
Good evening, Papa.
PAUL
Roger, you have no greeting for me.
Roger tries to speak, struggles to mouth the words but nothing comes
out, as though he has forgotten. Tears form in his eyes.
PAUL (CONT'D)
There, do not worry, no tears.
He hugs him, puts him back at his food, then takes Tatiana's hand,
leads her to the door.
TATIANA
(whispers) Where are we going?
They slip out.
INT. HOTEL ROOF DOOR. NIGHT
Tatiana stops.
TATIANA
Please, Paul, why do we have to go to the
roof?
PAUL
It's alright. This is the only place I
can find some peace.
EXT. HOTEL ROOF. NIGHT
Paul slips out onto the roof. Tatiana follows. Artillery and mortar
fire rumble in the distance. Flashes silhouette along the far hills
above Kigali.
He leads her to a blanket, a candle, two glasses and the bottle of
wine. They sit. He opens the wine.
TATIANA
(laughs) I hear we must pay for
everything. How much for this?
PAUL
A kiss.
They kiss.
TATIANA
You are a very good man, Paul
Rusesabagina.
She kisses him again.
PAUL
I have a confession. When we met...
TATIANA
In Ruhengeri?
PAUL
Yes, when you worked as the nurse.
TATIANA
Yes.
PAUL
I had you transferred to Kigali.
TATIANA
What?
PAUL
I bribed the Minister of Health to have
you transferred to Kigali.
TATIANA
Why?
PAUL
To be closer. So that I could marry you.
TATIANA
What was the bribe?
(silence)
What am I worth to you?
PAUL
It was substantial.
TATIANA
Tell me what it was.
PAUL
A car.
TATIANA
What sort of car?
PAUL
What does it matter.
TATIANA
I want to know.
PAUL
A Volkswagen.
TATIANA
A Volkswagen!
She slaps him playfully.
TATIANA (CONT'D)
I hope it was a new Volkswagen.
She kisses him, they lie back on the roof, kiss passionately.
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY
Paul instructs the porters to clean around the entrance.
The UN armored car comes up the driveway. Colonel Oliver gets out,
strides across the tarmac, he shakes Paul's hand.
COLONEL OLIVER
Great news, Paul, we're going to get you
out of here.
The sweetest words Paul has ever heard.
INT. HOTEL BANQUET ROOM. DAY
Oliver is on the stage, all the refugee guests are crowded into the
room he has a list in his hand.
COLONEL OLIVER
The UN has been notified that the
following families have received travel
visas from the following countries.
He reads.
COLONEL OLIVER (CONT'D)
Abukesu - Tanzania, Arumangu -Zambia,
Bawroanga - Kenya,
CLOSE ON: Elation among the chosen families.
COLONEL OLIVER (CONT'D)
Gituaranga - Zambi, Horangora - Belguim
CLOSE ON - Fear on the faces of families who realize they have missed
this alphabetical list, anxiety among the others.
COLONEL OLIVER (CONT'D)
Paramisambi - Zambia, Rusesabagina -
Belgium.
Tatiana kisses Paul.
COLONEL OLIVER (CONT'D)
Zamacanga - Ghana. A plane will land at
the airport tomorrow and the named
families will be flown to Kenya. Two UN
trucks will be here at 7 a.m. The named
families must be ready to leave then.
A voice calls out.
TUTSI WOMAN
Colonel, sir. Why not take us all to the
airport? We can wait there to obtain
visas.
COLONEL OLIVER
I can't do that. Our camp at the airport
is overwhelmed already. We could not
defend you there. You are better to stay
here and work to get an exit visa.
Oliver jumps from the stage, pushes through the crowd.
Paul's POV: Odette and Jean Baptiste are silently devastated. He pushes
through to the Colonel now surrounded by those who didn't make the
list.
PAUL
Colonel, Odette Camundu ... she must be
on the list.
Oliver shakes his head no.
COLONEL OLIVER
Paul, only those I called can get on the
trucks. I do not want to have to pull
people off, you understand?
Paul nods yes. Tatiana arrives beside him, pulls him aside.
TATIANA
I will not leave without the twins.
PAUL
We have to get out of here Tatiana.
TATIANA
Please, please try one more time.
PAUL
I'll try but we have to leave, with or
without them. I want you to promise.
She reluctantly nods yes.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
Mr. Garindi waits nervously in the lobby.
Paul arrives.
MR. GARINDI
It is dangerous to be here. The radio
says this is a nest of cockroaches.
PAUL
I need one last favor. Go back and get
the twins.
MR. GARINDI
(emphatic) No, it is impossible. That
side of town has been destroyed in the
fighting. The children are dead.
PAUL
How do you know?
MR. GARINDI
Everyone is dead there. The dogs eat the
bodies in the street. I have to go.
PAUL
I will give you my house.
The businessman turns back.
PAUL (CONT'D)
It's a fine house. Here is a paper.
Paul spots an elegant woman carrying laundry toward the elevator. He
runs to her.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Madame Kawunda, please.
Paul leads her over.
PAUL (CONT'D)
I need you to witness this signature.
(to the businessman)
Madame Kawunda is the Minister for
Agriculture. She is a very reliable
witness.
Paul signs, then hands the pen to the puzzled woman.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Please witness this deed.
She signs. Paul pushes the deed into the man's hand.
PAUL (CONT'D)
There, now go and find them. They have no
papers. No one knows they are Tutsi. They
will be alive.
The businessman heads for the door.
PAUL (CONT'D)
You must be back by 7:00a.m. tomorrow.
Paul watches him go.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Seven, remember.
The Mr. Garindi leaves.
EXT. HOTEL GARDENS. NIGHT
Paul skirts the little groups of poor families bivouacked on the lawn.
The smoke of cooking fires has replaced the Tiki lanterns. The grounds
are a mini refugee camp.
Paul joins Tatiana, Odette and Jean Baptiste who sit at a table by the
pool.
ODETTE
Don't worry, Paul, we will make the next
list.
Zozo arrives, with beers, serves them, is about to leave. Tatiana grabs
him by the arm.
TATIANA
Sit with us Zozo.
ZOZO
No ma,am, I am too busy.
PAUL
Zozo you are family, join us.
Zozo is shocked by this breach of protocol but sits.
PAUL (CONT'D)
You are my dearest friends. I promise you
before God that I will not sleep until I
have you out of here. All of you.
He embraces Jean Baptiste
JEAN BAPTISTE
It is good that you are going, Paul,
because now we know we have one person
who will save us.
Odette hugs and kisses him.
ODETTE
We owe you our lives.
Paul takes Zozo in his arms.
PAUL
You are my family now, Zozo, my brother.
I will get you out of here.
ZOZO
Thank you, sir.
PAUL
Let us remember this night and tell the
world that even in hell there are good
people.
A unbreakable bond of faith with each other.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
The lucky families are gathered: Tatiana and all her children; Xavier
and his wife; Benedict; and others.
Some of the unlucky ones peer around the door of the ballroom. A UN
officer stands in their way.
UN LIEUTENANT
Back. Everyone back. Only those with
letters of acceptance in the lobby.
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY
The UN convoy waits outside. Tatiana waits nervously as Paul checks
his watch.
TATIANA
A little longer, Paul?
PAUL
We wait until 7:00. If he is not here
with the twins he is not coming. We
leave. That was your promise. Go help the
children.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
Paul is in a horrible mood. The refugees in the ballroom try to push by
the UN officer. Paul joins him.
UN LIEUTENANT
Back, please. Stay back.
PAUL
Zozo, tell those people to get back to
the ballroom. They can not be here.
Zozo scampers off.
PAUL (CONT'D)
What are we waiting for? Come on.
Paul herds the convoy people toward the door.
CLOSE ON: Gregoire watching from behind the front desk.
Through the doors we see the trucks being loaded.
Zozo returns.
ZOZO
Sir, the others want to speak to you.
Reluctant, Paul walks over to the ballroom dwellers.
PAUL
Yes.
TUTSI WOMAN
Good, sir we have letters, please take
them for us.
Paul reaches out for the letters, takes them, reads the addresses:
President Nelson Mandela. Pope John Paul. President Clinton.
TUTSI MAN #1
If you leave, we are certain to die.
ZOZO
I have a letter, sir.
Zozo hands Paul the letter. He studies the address. It reads "To the
great man Muhammad Ali."
Others crowd around.
PAUL
I will get you all visas. I promise. I
will get you out of here.
Paul's at a loss. He has to tear himself away.
Afraid to look back, he heads for the convoy.
EXT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
The last of the evacuees clamber onto the UN trucks. The children are
on board but Tatiana waits.
TATIANA
Ask them to wait a little longer. For the
twins.
PAUL
Get on the truck, Tatiana.
TATIANA
No.
He checks his watch, then takes her in his arms.
PAUL
Look, our children are crying, please get
on the truck.
Paul helps Tatiana on board. He looks toward the door.
POV: The unlucky refugees are now crowded at the windows, lost souls
watching out from their prison at the lucky ones.
Paul whispers to Benedict as he boards.
INT. TRUCK DAY
Paul clambers on beside him. He reaches Tatiana as Benedict sits
beside her.
PAUL
I have to stay.
TATIANA
No! Sit down now.
PAUL
I cannot leave these people. I will wait
for the twins.
Paul backs off. Tatiana tries to follow. Benedict grabs her.
TATIANA
Let go. Let me off this truck.
A commotion as she tries to get up.
TATIANA (CONT'D)
Let me go. Children get off.
PAUL
I will follow on the next plane. Go.
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY.
The truck starts up. Paul runs beside it, shouts to Tatiana.
PAUL
I love you. Keep the children safe.
TATIANA
Paul!
Then another voice.
ROGER
Papa! Papa!
The convoy takes off down the driveway.
Paul, Zozo and other refugees cluster by the door.
Zozo looks round,
Sees: Gregoire put a phone down.
INT. UN JEEP. DAY
UN Colonel Oliver sits next to a UN PAKISTANI DRIVER.
The convoy passes looters and small groups of Militia on the road but
proceeds unheeded.
INT. HOTEL PAUL'S ROOM. DAY
The room is still littered with clothes, kids drawings, the personal
junk accumulated over four weeks.
Paul tries to arrange things, then collapses on the bed, paralysed with
doubt - Why did he do this?
Then the door bangs.
ZOZO
Boss, sir, quick, please, come quick.
INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR. DAY
The door springs open, Paul confronts Zozo.
ZOZO
(breathless)
Sir, the radio, you must hear, it is on
the radio.
INT. HOTEL KITCHEN. DAY
Paul and Zozo burst into the kitchen. The cooks and others are
clustered, listening to the radio.
RADIO ANNOUNCER (O.S.)
...Block the roads to the airport! The
cockroaches from the Mille Collines are
escaping! Xavier. The liar Benedict, the
traitor Rusesabagina's cockroaches. Stop
them now at Rue Don Bosco. Thirty
thousand francs for the head of Xavier!
PAUL
Dear lord, how did they know?
ZOZO
I saw Gregoire make a call, sir?
PAUL
When?
ZOZO
As the trucks go.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
Paul bursts out of the kitchen - enraged.
Gregoire is at the front desk. Sees Paul - understands instantly.
Gregoire takes off, running for his life.
EXT. HOTEL GARDENS. DAY
Paul chases after him, through the door.
Gregoire disappears into the thicket of trees.
Paul after him.
Through the trees.
Gregoire, younger, faster, climbs the high wire fence.
Finally, Paul reaches the fence.
Sees Gregoire escape into the bushes on the other side of the fence.
Paul gives up, turns back toward the hotel.
INT. JEEP TRAVELLING. DAY
As the UN jeep turns a bend, Colonel Oliver SEES crowds of Interahamwe
swarming from beside houses, from gardens. They pull burning tires, old
furniture, junk onto the road.
INT. TRUCK TRAVELLING. DAY
The UN truck suddenly lurches, then slows. The refugees from the Mille
Collines grow alarmed.
TATIANA
What's happening?
INT. HOTEL OFFICE. DAY
Paul is on the fax phone, begging.
PAUL
Please, General, I will give you money,
whiskey.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU (O.S.)
You said you had no whiskey.
PAUL
Please, I have money. They're driving
into an ambush, it's on the radio.
EXT. KIGALI STREET JUNCTION. DAY
Swarms of crazed Militia fill the road. Gun fire breaks out.
Colonel Oliver steps from the jeep, waving his pistol in the air.
Militia men swarm around him, push past to the truck.
INSIDE THE TRUCK:
A MACHETE SLASHES through the canvas.
Children scream, HANDS GRAB at people.
Benedict is hauled off the truck. Beaten.
Tatiana protects her kids in a corner, kicking at the hands that grab
for her.
ON THE STREET: Xavier falls to the ground.
Screams, shouts, MORE SHOTS.
Oliver fights his way through to Xavier.
Oliver points his pistol.
The crowd backs off slightly.
Xavier gets to his feet.
BANG - more gun fire. IMMACULATA falls, wounded in the foot.
More are dragged from the trucks. Machetes flash in the sun.
Then HORNS, GUNFIRE - RWANDAN SOLDIERS drive through the crowd in two
jeeps. The crowd scatters, then re-forms as Rwandan soldiers push
between the Militia and the refugees.
As they do, another Militia gunman steps out, fires wildly at the
refugees, but wounds A RWANDAN SOLDIER in the stomach.
Suddenly fights erupt between the Militia and the soldiers.
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY
Paul paces up and down, he can hear gunfire in the distance.
MACHINE GUNFIRE - THEN SINGLE SHOTS.
Paul jumps in the van, guns the engine, drives.
EXT. HOTEL FRONT GATE. DAY.
Paul's van speeds toward the gate.
THEN - A LOUD METALLIC SCREECHING NOISE
As a UN JEEP, its tires shot out, sparks cascading from wheel rims,
screams up to the guard house.
Paul slams on the brakes.
The jeep is followed by the two trucks, their canvas slashed fluttering
in the wind.
Paul throws the van into reverse and clears the way.
The convoy pulls up in front of the hotel.
Bloody and battered, the terrified refugees fall from the trucks.
Paul and Odette run among the casualties. Then he sees them:
Tatiana, clothes torn, scratches on her face.
The kids screaming in terror.
Paul runs to them, grabs, kisses, weeps louder.
Battered refugees everywhere, other hotel residents looking on -
equally terrified because: They know they are doomed.
Paul sees Roger, trembling, tears soak his face.
ROGER
Papa! Papa!
He grabs Roger up. Tatiana struggles to Paul, embraces.
PAUL
Thank God you are safe.
Tatiana breaks from the embrace.
TATIANA
Did he bring the twins?
Paul shakes his head no.
EXT. HOTEL GARDENS. DAY
Paul sits alone on his secluded bench in the garden.
A cloud of despair shrouds him.
As he watches several women dip cooking pots into the pool.
He hurries toward them.
PAUL
What are you doing?
TUTSI WOMAN
There is no water from the pipes.
Paul heads for the front doors. He's intercepted by the two Rwandan
policemen stationed at the gate by Bizimungu.
GENDARME
Where is our beer? You promised us beer.
PAUL
Did you explain to the good General that
I have temporarily run out of stock?
GENDARME
He said to ask Mitterand and the French
to send you more.
PAUL
You will get it in due time. Now, please,
get back to the gate.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
Paul enters, sees Zozo.
PAUL
What is this about no water?
ZOZO
It's true, sir, the water has been turned
off.
INT. HOTEL MANAGER’S OFFICE. DAY
Paul enters. Odette, Benedict watch CNN on the TV.
Paul shakes his head in disbelief.
PAUL
We can still get CNN here in hell.
A state department woman gives a press conference.
ODETTE
The Americans are talking about us.
ON TV:
STATE DEPT. OFFICER
From the reports we have received from
Rwanda it appears that acts of genocide
have been committed.
REPORTER
Excuse me, how many acts of genocide does
it take to declare this a genocide?
STATE DEPT. OFFICER
I, ahh, there is, ahh we have
terminology, that has been.
BRIT REPORTER
You haven't answered the question. How
many acts of genocide before your
government will declare this a genocide?
STATE DEPT. OFFICER
I'm not prepared to, nor am I able.
Everyone in the room is dumbfounded.
Then Benedict begins laughing, a maniacal laugh, then he bangs on his
chest, and hoots like a chimpanzee.
BENEDICT
I've got it. I have the answer. Watch.
They all stare as he begins beating his chest, and hopping about like
an ape.
BENEDICT (CONT'D)
We must become mountain gorillas. Then
they can put us on the endangered species
list. Come on, try it. They think we're
halfway there already.
Benedict hops up onto a desk.
The door flies open. It's General Bizimungu.
He surveys the room, then points at Paul.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
Come here.
INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR. DAY.
Bizimungu looks terrible, an alcoholic suffering D.T.s.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
Where are my supplies?
PAUL
I'm sorry, General. The cellar is empty.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
You have cockroaches dancing on tables
and you tell me the cellar is empty? Did
they drink my whiskey?
PAUL
No. We have no way of finding other stock
but I have money for you from the guests.
Paul pulls a bundle of notes, hands them to the General.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
Rwandan francs! They are only good now
for wiping your ass. There is nothing
more I can do for you people. No police.
No protection. You're on your own.
The General storms off.
INT. LOBBY. DAY
Paul walks through the lobby. He carries an ash tray to a trash can,
the futile task of a dedicated hotel manager on auto-pilot. He sees a
UN jeep pull up outside.
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY
Paul meets the UN soldiers, (They are the four Ghanians who guard the
gate). They look frightened.
UN OBSERVER
The policemen have gone. What happened?
PAUL
I ran out of whiskey. Please go down and
guard us.
Then ROAR of an engine and the CRASH of splintering wood.
As a battered Toyota pickup appears, it races up the driveway. The
truck drags the wooden gatehouse on a rope behind.
Crazed Militia pack the bed of the pickup.
BANG, BANG, BANG. A Militia man fires a pistol into the air.
The Tutsi refugees camped on the lawn flee in panic as the Militia
truck speeds around the driveway.
The Militia taunt and yell at the Tutsi refugees.
The truck does a screeching turn and heads back down the driveway,
leaving a trail of splintered wood.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Get down there and stop them, please.
Now the Ghanians are really frightened.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Get down and stop them.
UN SOLDIER
You know we cannot shoot.
PAUL
What do you mean you cannot shoot?
UN SOLDIER
We are peacekeepers, it is not in our
mandate to shoot.
PAUL
Then go and pretend you are soldiers.
EXT. HOTEL GARDENS. NIGHT
Paul and Tatiana pass the clusters of families around their cooking
fires. They pass the pool, now just a third full. He sits her on the
bench in the grove.
TATIANA
We are almost out of water.
PAUL
We are almost out of everything.
He takes her hand.
PAUL (CONT'D)
We had a good life, you and I. I want to
make our peace. To thank God for the time
we had.
He kisses her, total love.
PAUL (CONT'D)
We have to have a plan.
TATIANA
What sort of plan?
PAUL
Our children cannot see us die first. If
the Militia comes, you must hurry up to
the roof. I will meet you there.
TATIANA
Please do not talk like this.
PAUL
We have to. If I do not come, you must
take them all by the hands and jump.
She puts her hands to her ears. He pulls them down.
PAUL (CONT'D)
The machete is no way to die. Promise me
you will do it.
She cries harder and squeezes his hand in fear.
Suddenly, A BANG, from behind them and then above their heads a trail
of fire - an RPG rocket - zigzags toward the hotel.
A HUGE EXPLOSION on the wall, one-story beneath the roof.
Paul throws Tatiana to the ground, covers her.
Smoke and concrete dust fall around them.
INT. HOTEL STORE ROOM. NIGHT
Paul, Zozo stand amongst the debris: a gaping hole in a wall. The room
is covered in burned note papers, menus brochures for Sabena's two
hotels, the Mille Collines and the Diplomat.
Odette appears carrying her medical bag.
ODETTE
Was anyone hurt?
PAUL
No. It was only a storeroom.
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. NIGHT
Colonel Oliver arrives in his armored truck. Paul, Odette, Benedict and
others gather around him.
PAUL
They fired a rocket at us.
COLONEL OLIVER
Yes. Where are the Rwandan police?
PAUL
I ran out of bribes. Bizimungu took them
away.
COLONEL OLIVER
That explains it. I'm sorry to tell you
this but we've heard rumors the Militia
are getting ready to storm the hotel.
PAUL
Will you protect us.
COLONEL OLIVER
I can't, I don't have the men.
VARIOUS VOICES
We have no one...We will be killed.
COLONEL OLIVER
There's one option.
PAUL
What is it?
COLONEL OLIVER
The rebels have fought their way into the
city. They have many Hutu prisoners.
They're willing to exchange them for you
all.
ODETTE
Will the Hutu army agree?
COLONEL OLIVER
I think so. They are in disarray now. The
rebels are winning, and the Hutu high
command are anxious to get some of their
men back.
TUTSI WOMAN
How would we escape?
COLONEL OLIVER
By convoy.
XAVIER
This time the Militia will kill us.
PAUL
They will surely kill us here. It's over
here. We have to take the chance.
TUTSI WOMAN
No, we'll be chopped on the street.
PAUL
We'll be chopped here.
The crowd disperses. Colonel Oliver takes Paul aside.
COLONEL OLIVER
A man came to my headquarters, asked that
I give you this.
Colonel Oliver hands a letter.
COLONEL OLIVER (CONT'D)
Paul, I need you to buy me a day or two.
I don't have the fuel for this convoy. I
will have to scrounge it.
PAUL
I can't. I have nothing left to bribe
with. Can your men at the gate hold out
for another day?
COLONEL OLIVER
No, Paul, they're afraid. They've
demanded to be moved back to headquarters
now.
PAUL
Give me their uniforms. I will put people
at the gate, in disguise.
COLONEL OLIVER
I wish I could, Paul. Try to hold out.
One more day.
Colonel Oliver leaves. Their is nothing more Paul can do.
INT. HOTEL PAUL'S ROOM. NIGHT
Tatiana is beside him. He opens the envelope, finds his makeshift house
deed and a note.
PAUL
It's from Garandi.
(reads)
I am sorry. There is no hope for the
twins. The old lady's house has been
destroyed.
INT. HOTEL PAUL'S ROOM. NIGHT
Paul sleeps fitfully. It is almost dawn, then he sits up.
PAUL
The Diplomat!
Tatiana wakens, startled.
TATIANA
What's wrong?
PAUL
I have to go to the Diplomat.
INT. OFFICE. DAWN
Paul is on the one working phone.
PAUL
General, sir. I am glad to find you. I
have found you some supplies.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU (O.S.)
Whiskey?
PAUL
The finest, and cognac, champagne. Come
and I will get them for you.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU (O.S.)
I'll be over.
PAUL
Bring back your policemen...
...But the line is already dead.
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY
Bizimungu's jeeps arrives at the hotel. Paul greets him.
PAUL
We must go to the Diplomat.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
Get in.
PAUL
Your police are at the gate?
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
After the Diplomat!
Paul clambers in the back.
INT. JEEP TRAVELLING. DAY
The jeep turns away from the Mille Collines front gate.
They travel at high speed along the road. Then the driver sounds his
horn, because...
Paul sees: A large crowd of Militia marching along the road toward the
hotel, waving machetes and sticks.
PAUL
Where are they going?
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
They can go where they want. They are in
charge now.
PAUL
What do you mean, General?
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
We have decided to move the government to
Gitarama.
PAUL
When?
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
Today.
EXT./INT. DIPLOMAT HOTEL. DAY
Paul arrives into the lobby of the Diplomat. Looters have stripped the
place bare. The convoy pulls up. General Bizimungu stands with his
pistol out. The looters see him and disperse.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
Maggots!
INT. DIPLOMAT HOTEL OFFICE. DAY
Paul enters the manager's office, followed by the General. It has been
stripped clean, except for the safe, which is pock-marked with bullet
strikes.
CLOSE ON: Paul: he sees a big problem. The dial is damaged.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
Do your work.
Paul goes to the safe and turns the dials, tries the handle - nothing.
It is incredibly hot, and Paul is soaked with nervous perspiration, he
takes off his jacket.
PAUL
It might be damaged, General.
Bizimungu's look says: it better not be for your sake.
Paul starts again, turns the dials more carefully, tries and opens the
safe door. CLICK.
He pulls it open, sees six bottles of Glenfiddich, four bottles of VSOP
brandy.
Bizimungu is joyous as Paul hands him a bottle
Bizimungu sits on a window ledge, takes a swig.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
Here. (offers) To celebrate.
Paul takes a swig.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU (CONT'D)
You know what the Scottish call it?
PAUL
No.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
Ishca Baha - the water of life. I went on
a tour once of the finest single malt
distillery in the world. Have you ever
been to Scotland?
PAUL
No, sir.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
Wonderful country, wonderful golf. I
wonder - will I ever go back? What do you
think?
PAUL
I hope we all get to do many things. Can
we go now?
The soldier arrives with a box. He whispers to Bizimungu.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
(to the soldier) Pack those carefully,
put them in my jeep, and guard them.
PAUL
(looses his cool)
Please, General, call and put your
policemen back at the gate.
The soldier packs the bottles. Bizimungu pours into Paul's cup.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
I am going to do you a great favor.
(studies glass) I am going to take you
with us to Gitarama.
PAUL
I do not want to go to Gitarama, General.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
You cannot go back to the hotel. The
crazy men are going there now. Better to
come with me.
Paul is now terrified.
PAUL
The Militia are at the hotel?! We must go
back now, General, please, for my family.
Bizimungu, now tipsy, drinks more.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
We are better here.
PAUL
(desperate, forceful)
Listen, you need me.
Bizimungu laughs.
PAUL (CONT'D)
You are a marked man.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
How so.
PAUL
The Americans, and the UN they have you
as a war criminal. You are on a list.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
I am on a list! What list?
PAUL
When the Europeans left, their soldiers
gathered lists.
Bizimungu grabs Paul.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
You lie.
PAUL
If you do not help me, you will stay on
that list.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
I committed no war crimes.
PAUL
Who will tell them? You need me to tell
how you helped the hotel. The others who
have gone, they blame you for all their
misfortune. They say you led the
massacres.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
(nervous now) I led no massacres.
PAUL
You think they will believe you?
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
You will tell them the truth.
PAUL
(defiant)
I will do nothing unless you help me now.
Bizimungu reaches for his pistol.
PAUL (CONT'D)
What are you going to do, shoot me? It
will be a blessing. Go ahead shoot. I
will pay you to shoot my family. You can
do nothing to me!
Bizimungu jumps up, grabs Paul, pulls him.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
You will tell them I did nothing.
EXT. DIPLOMAT HOTEL. DAY
Paul and Bizimungu rush out to the jeeps.
INT. JEEP TRAVELLING. DAY
Paul almost overcome with anxiety. Bizimungu worried.
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY
Militia swarm around the front of the hotel.
The jeeps race through, scattering them. They screech to a halt.
Several refugees sit, huddled and battered. Bizimungu jumps out,
snatches an A.K. from a soldier, fires in the air.
GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
Get back! (to his soldiers) Get them out
of here.
Paul does not wait.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY
Paul races into the hotel, past frightened refugees who flee.
Then Paul sees a face he recognizes.
It's Gregoire with the Militia! Paul ducks into the stairway.
IN THE STAIRWELL
He leaps the stairs four at a time.
He makes it to the third floor, pushing past frightened refugees who
race down the stairs.
ON THE THIRD FLOOR
He runs straight into a bunch of young Militia.
MILITIAMEN
Rusesabagina. Show us Rusesabagina.
They shove Paul along the corridor.
MILITIAMAN #1
Show us the manager. He wears a suit.
PAUL
They have him in the lobby, go quickly.
The killers race off. Paul gets to his feet and runs.
INT. PAUL'S ROOM. DAY
Paul bursts in. The place is a mess. And it's empty!
PAUL
Oh God, please Lord.
IN THE CORRIDOR
He careens out of the room.
And sees Gregoire coming with a group of Militia.
GREGOIRE
That's him. That's Rusesabagina!
They charge toward Paul.
Then a roar of gunfire. The ceiling and walls around Gregoire explode.
General Bizimungu's men run up with weapons drawn.
HUTU SOLDIER
Get out, or I'll shoot you.
Paul rushes to the stairs.
More gunfire echoes (soldiers clearing the Militia).
AT THE STAIRS - Paul races upward, falls, pushes past others struggling
to get down.
AT THE ROOF - now, there are clumps of refugees who have fled up there,
including Xavier who huddles in a corner.
PAUL
Tatiana! Oh God. Have you seen Tatiana?
Paul runs to the edge of the roof, looks over.
SEES: bodies - women, and children, still, on the ground beneath, by a
row of hedge.
PAUL (CONT'D)
(screams in agony)
Tatiana!
The bodies move, look up, it's not them. It's refugees hiding. Paul,
delirious with fear, runs along the parapet.
BELOW he sees soldiers herding the Militia.
He runs back to the stairs.
INSIDE THE STAIRCASE: He jumps four stairs at a time.
INSIDE THE CORRIDOR: Soldiers are chasing off the Militia.
TO HIS ROOM: Paul staggers in, crazed with fear. He looks under the
bed.
INTO THE BATHROOM - empty.
He's about to run out again, sees the connecting door to the adjoining
hotel room is slightly open.
INTO THE ADJOINING ROOM: It's empty, then A WHIMPER.
FROM THE BATHROOM, he moves in, cautious.
IN THE BATHROOM: Nothing. He moves over, pulls back the shower curtain.
Reveals: A cluster of women and children, the older ones holding hands
over the mouths of the younger ones. And there at the back: Tatiana and
his kids.
PAUL (CONT'D)
It's alright, they're gone.
Tears, hugs, women tremble.
EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAWN
The grey of dawn, before the sunrise.
Colonel Oliver in his jeep leads a convoy of UN trucks past the guard
house and Bizimungu's police and up the drive.
CUT TO:
THE UN TRUCKS
Parked in front of the hotel. Tutsi refugees file up and are helped on
board by UN soldiers.
Paul helps Tatiana and the children onto a truck.
An ARGUMENT breaks out towards the back of the convoy. Paul rushes
toward Xavier and Benedict who argue.
XAVIER
They should go one truck at a time. When
the first truck gets through to the
airport, then the others will follow.
PAUL
We can't wait. We all go together or not
at all.
Paul takes matters into his own hands. He locks the doors of the hotel.
There is no going back.
PAUL (CONT'D)
It is time to leave. The Mille Collines
is closed.
Paul climbs onto the truck. The others follow, some reluctantly.
Colonel Oliver gives the signal.
The trucks take off down the driveway.
INT. TRUCK TRAVELLING. DAY
Paul now at the front of the truck
WATCHES out through a slice in the canvas.
SEES, the convoy pull out of the Mille Collines.
They travel along the road.
Turn a corner, and the truck slows ...
PAUL SEES: a great mass of Hutus fill the road:
Militia, kids, soldiers discarding uniforms.
No longer a mob, but a crush of Hutu refugees now fleeing toward them,
fleeing the advancing of the rebel army.
A crowd of Militia men wave their arms, shout at the trucks.
COLONEL OLIVER
Don't stop. Push through.
The driver reluctantly speeds up.
A break in the mass of Hutu refugees.
Then GUN FIRE ahead.
Children begin crying, it becomes infectious, spreading to Paul's
children, some of the women.
Then ahead, a gang of Militia men break from the bushes beside the
road.
They're running fast toward the truck, some carry rifles.
There's more gunfire behind.
The Militia are almost upon them now.
Colonel Oliver has his pistol drawn.
COLONEL OLIVER (CONT'D)
Keep going.
The Militia are at the truck.
But they run STRAIGHT PAST!
As a platoon of Tutsi rebel soldiers (in bush camouflage and red and
blue headbands) burst from the brush.
Pursuing, careful, professional.
PAUL
It's the rebels.
The crying stops. Silent disbelief.
PAUL (CONT'D)
We've made it!
Cheering breaks out. Children frightened again by the sudden euphoria
break into cries of joy.
A rebel soldier waves his AK 47 in the air.
EXT. KIGALI SOCCER STADIUM. DAY
The trucks crawl into the chaos of the stadium, a mass of refugees, the
wounded, lost children, abandoned old people, hundreds crammed
together.
Paul, Tatiana, and the others clamber off the trucks. They hug, cry, an
outpouring of relief. Then Tatiana spots someone among the crowds.
She rushes over.
TATIANA
Have you seen my sister Fedens?
Heads shak ‘no’. Tatiana moves on, more frantic, pushing through the
crowds.
TATIANA
Two little girls, twins, an old woman had
them.
More ‘nos’
Now she’s desperate, pushing, tripping through the crowds, and around
her we see others doing the same, then
ROGER (O.C.)
Mama, mama.
He reaches her, pulls at her dress.
ROGER
Mama, wait.
She takes his hand.
ROGER
No, mama, look.
Tatiana turns .... and sees Paul carrying the twins in his arms.
She squeals with joy, runs to him, snatches one from his arms.
TATIANA
Oh, my babies.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Anais, it is so good to see you.
CARINE
I'm Carine!
ANAIS
(in Tatsi's arms)
And I'm Anais!
Their laughter mix with tears of joy among the crushing mass of
survivors.
FREEZE
FADE TO BLACK:
THE GENOCIDE ENDED IN LATE JUNE 1994, WHEN THE TUTSI REBELS DEFEATED
THE HUTU ARMY AND MILITIA.
TWO MILLION HUTUS FLED INTO THE NEIGHBORING CONGO IN THE LARGEST SINGLE
EXODUS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
THEY LEFT BEHIND ALMOST ONE MILLION CORPSES.
------------------------------------------
PHOTO OF: GEORGE RUTAGUNDA
George Rutagunda was convicted of crimes against humanity. He is now
serving a life sentence in a Tanzanian jail.
PHOTO OF: GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
Augustin Bizimungu escaped with the Hutu Militia to the Congo. In
August, 2002 he was captured in Angola. A UN war crimes tribunal has
charged him with crimes against humanity.
PHOTO OF: THOMAS AND FEDENS Thomas' and
Fedens' bodies where never found. Paul adopted their twin daughters.
PHOTO OF: PAUL (the lead actor) PAUL
RUSESABAGINA: saved the lives of all one thousand two hundred Rwandan
refugees who took shelter at the Mille Collines Hotel.
PHOTO TURNS TO PHOTO OF REAL PAUL AND HIS FAMILY. Paul,
Tatiana, the twins, and all their family now live in Belgium, where
Paul owns and operates two taxi cabs.
FREEZE -
END CREDITS