Hotel Rwanda

Hotel Rwanda (2004)

Timing: 2:2 (122 min)

7.72/10
3134

7.827/10
30223

8.1/10
391000

All about film

Video 8

Photo 29

Actors and characters

Release date

2004-12-22

Country

Italy, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States

Production

Lionsgate, Lions Gate Films, United Artists, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Endgame Entertainment, The Department of Trade and Industry of South Africa, Artisan Entertainment, Inside Track Films, Mikado Film, Sixth Sense Productions, Miracle Pictures, Seamus, Inside Track, Kiagli Releasing

Genre

Drama, History, War

Budget

$17 500 000

Revenue

$38 000 000

Website

http://www.metrofilms.com/films/hotel-rwanda

Director

Terry George

Actors

Don Cheadle, Sophie Okonedo, Nick Nolte, Fana Mokoena, Desmond Dube, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Tony Kgoroge, Cara Seymour, David O'Hara, Joaquin Phoenix
All actors and roles (10)

Scenario

Keir Pearson, Terry George

Producer

Terry George, A. Kitman Ho, Duncan Reid, Martin Katz, Hal Sadoff, Roberto Cicutto, Francesco Melzi d'Eril, Sam Bhembe

Operator

Robert Fraisse

Composer

Rupert Gregson-Williams

Artist

Audition

Moonyeenn Lee, Richard Pagano, Sarah Trevis

Editing

Naomi Geraghty
All team (80)

• Paul and Tatiana Rusesabagina accompanied the director to Rwanda during filming. At the airport, they were met by a large crowd of people saved by Paul, their friends, and relatives. Paul Rusesabagina met with Don Cheadle, helping him work on the character.
• Screenwriter Keir Pearson worked on the first draft of the script for over a year. While working on the text, he called the Rwandan Embassy in the United States. The woman who answered the phone at the embassy turned out to be a Tutsi who survived by hiding in the Hôtel des Mille Collines.
• The character of Colonel Oliver (Nick Nolte) is based on Roméo Dallaire, a UN Lieutenant General who tried to intervene in the events in Rwanda despite direct orders from his superiors. He was the main hero of the documentary "Shake Hands with the Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire".
• Terry George saw Don Cheadle in the lead role from the very beginning. During preparation, producers wanted to cast Denzel Washington, Wesley Snipes, Mekhi Phifer, and even Will Smith, because a well-known name would guarantee box office success. But, having found independent funding, Terry George remained true to his choice.
• In 2005, Paul Rusesabagina, whose story formed the basis for the script, received the highest US award – the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
• There is a moment in the film where the radio broadcasts that refugees on a bus will be taken to Congo, clearly referring to the modern Democratic Republic of Congo, but at that time (1994) it was still called Zaire.
• Terry George always envisioned Don Cheadle in the lead role. During pre-production, producers wanted to cast Denzel Washington, Wesley Snipes, Mekhi Phifer, and even Will Smith, because a well-known name would guarantee box office success. However, after securing independent funding, Terry George remained true to his choice.
• The character of Colonel Oliver (Nick Nolte) is based on Roméo Dallaire, a UN Lieutenant General who attempted to intervene in the events in Rwanda despite direct orders from his superiors. He was the main subject of the documentary film 'Shake Hands with the Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire'.
• Filming took place from January 3 to March 3, 2004.