Study Questions
Hotel Rwanda

How does the film begin? How does this particular technique establish the setting?

What kind of person does Paul initially appear to be to viewers?

What conversation takes place at the hotel bar? Does this strike you as odd or problematic in any way?

What event seems to precipitate the genocide? How is this political, historical context handled by the film?

What does the Hutu soldier order Paul to do? Do you find this scene credible?

Why does the UN Colonel refuse to take action or to take the hotel's refugees?

What are Paul's initial expectations of a Western response to Rwanda's crisis?

Why does the UN withdraw its forces and the non-Rwandan inhabitants?
How does the UN Colonel comment on this decision?

How is Paul able to prevent the Hutu soldier from taking over the hotel?

What does Paul advise the refugees at the hotel to do?

What kind of relationship does Paul have with General Bizimungu? What does this suggest?

Who is George Rutaganda? How does he respond to Paul's question about the Hutus' plans?

On the drive back from his meeting with George, what does Paul encounter? How is this filmed? What scene(s) directly follow this one? Why?

What does the RTLM say about those who help "cockroaches"?

What happens to the convoy of Rwandans who have obtained visas to leave? What internal conflict do we witness here?

How is Paul able to bribe General Bizimungu into helping him?

Comment on the ending of the film, with Paul and Tatiana finding their nieces.

To what degree do we witness the Rwandan genocide in the film?

Using at least three scenes as examples, comment on specific cinematographic techniques that are used to capture the genocide (the violence, fear, horror, despair, etc.).

How in general are Rwandans represented by the film? Rwanda itself? Compare these representations with what we find in Courtemanche.

How much of Rwanda's history does the film explore? To what degree does it address the situation leading up to the genocide?

How does the film represent the conflict between Hutus and Tutsis? 

Based on the end of the film, what might you speculate about Rwanda's future (from the perspective of 1994)?