his
is a film that I watched having read the story some months
previously. It tells of how Paul Rusesabagina,
assistant manager of the up-market Hotel Milles Collines in
Kigali, managed to save himself, his wife and children and
1200 refugees in the hotel during the genocide in Rwanda in
1994.
The
hero pulls in favours, gives gifts, argues, pleads and bribes
as necessary to keep his charges safe. This is a story of
courage and perseverance in the face of terrible and unthinking
cruelty.
The
film is rather uncomfortable viewing, not just because it’s
a story of violence and intimidation, but because it also
happens to be true. The bewilderment and fear of the Tutsis
(the tribe under attack) are well portrayed. It’s only too
easy to feel their terror. The UN also comes across as being
rather toothless, their commanders being at the mercy of political,
rather than compassionate, responsible considerations.
aving
been to Rwanda makes it more poignant to see this beautiful
country as the scene of such dreadful savagery. A friend
of mine from Rwanda found his own brother dead at the side
of a road, his father in a river. I know someone else who
was left for dead in a pile of corpses, and spotted by chance
as she moved.
In
short then, a film to commemorate a true hero who emerged
in the most terrible of circumstances. A film well worth watching,
but a film that you might not choose to watch very frequently!
his
is a film that I watched having read the story some months
previously. It tells of how Paul Rusesabagina,
assistant manager of the up-market Hotel Milles Collines in
Kigali, managed to save himself, his wife and children and
1200 refugees in the hotel during the genocide in Rwanda in
1994. 
aving
been to Rwanda makes it more poignant to see this beautiful
country as the scene of such dreadful savagery. A friend
of mine from Rwanda found his own brother dead at the side
of a road, his father in a river. I know someone else who
was left for dead in a pile of corpses, and spotted by chance
as she moved.