Hotel Rwanda

"When the world closed its eyes, he opened his arms."

2004 2h 2m EN

🙌

7.7

BANGER

★7.7TMDB · 3,295

DramaHistoryWar

Synopsis

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Inspired by true events, this film takes place in Rwanda in the 1990s when more than a million Tutsis were killed in a genocide that went mostly unnoticed by the rest of the world. Hotel owner Paul Rusesabagina houses over a thousand refuges in his hotel in attempt to save their lives.

“When the world closed its eyes, he opened his arms.”

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Cast

Don Cheadle
Paul Rusesabagina
Sophie Okonedo
Tatiana Rusesabagina
Nick Nolte
Colonel Oliver
Fana Mokoena
General Bizimungu
Desmond Dube
Dube
Hakeem Kae-Kazim
George Rutaganda
Tony Kgoroge
Gregoire
Cara Seymour
Pat Archer

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Terry George
Writers: Keir Pearson, Terry George
Languages: English, French
Countries: United States of America, United Kingdom, Italy, South Africa

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 22 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, French.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 4 countries: United States of America, United Kingdom, Italy, South Africa.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Terry George, shot by Robert Fraisse. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Martin Russell. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Editor Naomi Geraghty shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Don Cheadle and Sophie Okonedo and Nick Nolte carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "When the world closed its eyes, he opened his arms.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Terry George directs. Robert Fraisse behind the camera. Martin Russell scores. Naomi Geraghty cuts. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United States of America, United Kingdom, Italy, South Africa. Dialogue in English, French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 22 years ago.
2Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, French.
3International production across 4 countries: United States of America, United Kingdom, Italy, South Africa.
4Directed by Terry George, shot by Robert Fraisse. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Martin Russell. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Naomi Geraghty shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Don Cheadle and Sophie Okonedo and Nick Nolte carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "When the world closed its eyes, he opened his arms.".
9IMDB entry: tt0395169 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 25 themes, including "rwanda", "refugee", "refugee camp", "tutsi".

The technical file

Cinematography: Robert Fraisse
Original score: Martin Russell
Editing: Naomi Geraghty
Production design: Tony Burrough
Costume design: Ruy Filipe
Makeup / hair: Suzanne Stokes-Munton
Sound: Tom Johnson
Stunt coordinator: Graham Press
Runtime: 122 min · 2h 2m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $17,500,000
Box office: $38,000,000
Return: 217% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: Hotel Rwanda (2004)

Awards

Producers Guild Stanley Kramer Award
National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
European Film Award for Best Composer

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Terry George

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2023-09-04
★ 7/10
Don Cheadle is super as Paul Rusesabagina, the manager of a Belgian-owned hotel in Kigali in 1994 during the civil strife that saw Hutus relentlessly and ruthlessly persecute the minority Tutsis in Rwanda. Once he is directly touched by one such incident, he decides that he must do something to help and so turns his luxury accommodation into a refuge for hundreds of dispossessed and terrified people. With the help the Red Cross and some foreign press he walks a delicate tightrope trying to keep everyone safe, fed and watered. This is a brave and compelling story of the unimaginable brutality and ultimately compassion that stays with you long after you've finished watching.

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