Hotel Rwanda (An Example of Forced Migration)
Background, Plot Summary and Discussion Questions
Background
Rwanda is a country in Central Africa with a population of 10 million people. Historical records begin
with a Tutsi king who took power in 1860. During this time, the Tutsi were aristocracy and the Hutu
were their servants. After World War I, the League of Nations, (early version of the United Nations)
gave Belgium power to administer Rwanda.
The Belgians used the already existing Tutsi and Hutu differences and made these differences part of
their colonial system. The Hutu were forced into labor for the colonial administration and the Tutsis
supervised them.
In 1959, three years prior to independence from Belgium, the Hutus overthrew the ruling Tutsi king.
Over the next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed. About 150,000 went into exile in
neighboring countries. The children of these Tutsi exiles formed a rebel group known as the Rwandan
Patriotic Front and began a civil war in 1990. This war made ethnic tensions even worse.
Plot Summary (Hotel Rwanda)
The film, Hotel Rwanda, set in 1994, is based on the Rwandan genocide and forced migration (migration
movements that cannot be understood on the basis of choice) of the Tutsi people who were killed by
extremist Hutu militias. In the film, civil war has ensued between the two groups. The Tutsis are
accused of assassinating the Rwandan President Habyarimana, a Hutu. The Hutus then vow to
exterminate the country of all Tutsis. The Tutsis then seek asylum in the Milles Collines Hotel managed
by Paul Rusesabagina, a Hutu. Paul’s wife, Tatiana is a Tutsi. The story begins…
See Attached- Characters in the Film
Discussion Questions
Respond to the following questions after watching the film. Please do so on a separate sheet of paper.
1. If you were Hutu, would you be angry with the Belgians who made the physical differences
important? Explain
2. In the beginning of the film, Hotel Rwanda, what is the feeling between Hutu and Tutsi? Who is
in the majority? Minority? What is the justification for the hatred?
3. In the beginning of the film, Paul makes a statement that “family is all that matters.” Explain
how he evolves from thinking only of his family to saving more than 1200 people. What causes
this change to occur?
4. At the end of the film, Paul locks the doors to the Hotel Michelin. Why do you think he does
this? What do you think it symbolizes?