Hotel Rwanda


                      by Keir Pearson & Terry George




FADE IN:

SCREEN TYPE: THIS IS A TRUE STORY

EXT. KIGALI AIRPORT. DAY

A burning white sun high in a clear blue sky,

                                                           PAN DOWN TO:

A rundown (sixties) airport, peeling in the heat.

A mad traffic jam of cars, vans, motorbikes all stopped at a checkpoint
where a RWANDAN POLICEMAN blows his whistle, waves some and stops
others as bored Rwandan soldiers look on.

CLOSE ON: A white van pulls out of traffic, a balls-out case of line
jumping. HORNS, OBSCENITIES.

A HAND: Extends from the passenger side of the van, Rwandan francs
pressed neatly between thumb and palm.

The van stops next to the policeman.

                        POLICEMAN
            Mr. Rusesabagina, good morning.

In the passenger seat PAUL RUSESABAGINA, late 30's, flashes a smile. He
is dressed in a sharp blue suit (always dressed in a neat suit and tie,
it is a matter of pride).

A quick shake of hands. Money passes from one to the other.

EXT. KIGALI AIRPORT TARMAC. DAY

The van parked by the runway tarmac. African music plays on the radio.

Paul drums his fingers, checks his watch.

ZOZO, porter/driver, early thirties, sits nervously.

An airport baggage handler approaches the van.

                        HANDLER
            Sir, the flight is delayed one more hour.

                        PAUL
            Thank you.
                 (to Zozo)
            We can get the beer.

                        ZOZO
                 (suddenly worried)
            Rutaganda's place?

                        PAUL
            What's wrong?

                        ZOZO
            Beg your pardon sir, you are Hutu. You
            are safe there.

                        PAUL
            You are with me, Zozo, don't worry.

Zozo throws the van into gear and speeds off.

EXT. KIGALI STREETS. DAY

The white van, marked "THE HOTEL MILLE COLLINES," whips its way through
Kigali's packed streets and open-air markets.

EXT. KIGALI STREETS. DAY

Zozo works THE HORN, weaves in and out of traffic.

                        ZOZO
            What is it like to fly on a plane, sir?

                        PAUL
            It depends where you sit Zozo. In coach
            it is like the bus to Giterama.

                        ZOZO
            That is why they call it coach?

                        PAUL
            Maybe. But in business class there are
            fine wines, linens, Belgian chocolates.

                        ZOZO
                 (impressed)
            You have taken business class?

                        PAUL
            Many times.

Suddenly, Zozo slows.

Paul looks up, SEES: a gathering on the side of the road -- a large
crowd of men dressed in exotically, yet identically colored shirts.

They're members of the INTERAHAMWE - the Hutu Militia.

(Interahamwe - the Hutu Militia will de distinguished by these wildly
colored shirts) They chant, drink beer, dance onto the road,
obstructing cars, threatening the occupants. Several of them perform a
rhythmic dance - the INTERAHAMWE war dance to thumping drumbeat music
from a boombox.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Turn off.

Zozo, scared, looks for a side road, studies the traffic behind.

                        ZOZO
            There is nowhere to turn, sir.

As the van approaches,

                        PAUL
            Slow down.

The van pulls up beside the Militia.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Boys, do you know the way to Mr.

Rutagunda's warehouse?

Some Militia approach. They are suddenly friendly, helpful.

                        MILITIA MAN #1
            It is one more mile on this road.

Paul reaches into his pocket, takes out some Rwandan dollars.

                        PAUL
            This is thirsty work, let me treat you to
            some beers.

As the van pulls away Zozo looks to Paul, relieved.

INT. RUTAGANDA'S WAREHOUSE. DAY

At his desk in front of a fan. GEORGE RUTAGUNDA, late 30's, huge, gold
chains, Rolex watch, (like an African Mafia boss) but the same
Interahamwe shirt. He squeezes an orange rind into a cup of espresso.

Behind him, through his office window, the white van is being loaded
with cases of beer.

George holds out his massive shirt.

                        GEORGE
            You will join us at the rally today?

Paul sits opposite, sipping coffee.

                        PAUL
            I will try my best George but these days
            I have no time for rallies or politics.

                        GEORGE
            Politics is power, Paul. And money.

Paul studies his watch.

                        PAUL
            Time is money, George. We need extra beer
            today.

                        GEORGE
            Business is good at the hotel?

                        PAUL
            Very good.

                        GEORGE
            I am always glad to see you Paul.

George leads Paul out into the warehouse.

As a forklift lifts A WOODEN CRATE, George angers.

                        GEORGE (CONT'D)
            Hell man, that is not beer, put it back!
                        DRIVER
            But, sir, the Carlsberg is behind...

                        GEORGE
            Forget the Carlsberg, give him Grolsch.

                 (to Paul)
            I won't charge extra.

                        PAUL
            Thank you.

The driver of the forklift, anxiously, spins the machine to return the
crate but it slides off and CRASHES onto the floor: MACHETES, hundreds
of them, spill out.

An awkward moment then George picks one of the crude blades.

                        GEORGE
            A bargain buy, from China. Ten cents
            each, I'll get a dollar.

                        PAUL
            At least.

Off Zozo terrified.

EXT. KIGALI AIRPORT TARMAC. DAY

A Sabena airliner lands. Passengers disembark via a roll-up staircase.

Paul's van pulls up by the luggage belt.

A large polystyrene box comes down the conveyor belt. It has Brussels -
Kigali destination stickers all over it.

As Zozo picks it up, water sloshes from the lid.

                        PAUL
            The ice has melted!
            Zozo goes to open it.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Don't. Let's go.

Paul slips money to two customs officials.

EXT. KIGALI STREETS. DAY

The van speeds through traffic. More traffic jams, Zozo edges up on the
sidewalk. Then at an intersection they see.

THE INTERAHAMWE PARADE - a mass of young men and women, most in the
same colorful uniform. Line after line, waves all performing the
INTERAHAMWE war dance, in wild hypnotic sync, many wave sticks, spears,
wooden imitation guns. A large banner reads, "Hutu Power."

A flatbed truck, speakers blare drumbeat music. On it GEORGE RUTAGUNDA
dances the DANCE and waves a machete to the crowd.

Zozo sinks down behind the wheel.

                        PAUL
            Sit up, smile, Zozo, don't attract
            attention to yourself.

                        ZOZO
            Boss, some of those men are my neighbors,
            they know I'm Tutsi.

The parade passes. As they wait Paul takes out the wad of notes George
gave him, peels off a few dollars.

                        PAUL
            Here, Zozo, for your trouble.

Zozo takes it.

EXT. HOTEL ENTRANCE. DAY

The van turns off the street into The Milles Collines Hotel driveway
and HONKS twice as it pulls down a short drive lined with tall shrubs.

An ARMED GUARD rushes from his booth and lifts the gate. Perfectly
timed. The van doesn't even have to slow as it passes. A sign on the
guard house reads "WELCOME TO THE HOTEL MILLE COLLINES".

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY

Lush tropical gardens, peacocks wander the well-manicured lawns,an
exotic African paradise. The van heads to a magnificent colonial
building.

                        PAUL (V.O.)
            Pull up at the front door.

A valet opens the front door of the hotel and looks shocked. It's
unheard of for a service van to stop out front.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
                 (urgent, to the valet)
            Help Zozo.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

Paul leads Zozo and the valet into a magnificent lobby, a tasteful
blend of Africa and Europe. Guests stare as water sloshes and spills
from the crate.

GREGOIRE, early thirties the receptionist behind the desk throws a look
of disapproval. Paul, imperial, snaps his finger toward him.

                        PAUL
                 (re: spilled water)
            Gregoire. Take care of this.

Gregoire engages a guest in chit-chat, ignores Paul.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Gregoire! See to this right away.

The elevator door opens and reveals BIK the Belgian hotel manager, mid-
40's, reading some reports. He looks up, sees Paul and Zozo carrying
the box as they step in. Bik looks puzzled.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            It's an emergency, sir.

Now Bik sees the wet floor.

                        BIK
            Paul!

                        PAUL
            Gregoire will deal with it, excuse me.

The elevator doors shut. Bik's left standing in disbelief.

INT. HOTEL KITCHEN. DAY

The crate is hefted onto a counter. The top pried off. A crowd of
cooks gathers around Paul and Zozo as they peer in.

                        ZOZO
            Any of them make it?

                        HEAD CHEF
            Into the sink!
            They hoist up one end of the crate and LOBSTERS spill out. Many make
            it into the sink, but some miss and slide across the counter and fall
            onto the floor.

The cooks sort the living from the dead.

                        ZOZO
            Twelve are dead.

                        PAUL
            How dead?

The cooks smells a dead lobster, shakes his head no.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Dump the bad meat, save the shells, fill
            them will ah, a stuffing, something
            local.

                        COOK
            Cassava, and Tipali.

                        PAUL
            Yes. Call it 'fresh Scottish Lobster in a
            cassava and Tipali crush'.

Paul fixes his tie, very pleased, another crisis solved.

INT. BANQUET ROOM/HOTEL MILLE COLLINES. DAY

Paul inspects the tables' fresh flowers, sparkling crystal glasses. He
looks to the bar - Grolsch on ice.

The sound of African drums fills the air.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

Paul emerges, as a troupe of African male dancers in ceremonial costume
- Leopard skin dress, ostrich feather head dress, spears and shields
perform a greeting dance for a the American Ambassador and a crowd of
European dignitaries.

The male dancers are joined by a troupe of young female dancers in
similar ceremonial dress. The ceremony comes to a foot stomping finale.

The guests break into LOUD APPLAUSE. Paul flings open double doors to a
reception room and the crowd moves in.

                        PAUL
            Mr. Ambassador, please come in.

                        US AMBASSADOR
            Thank you, Paul.

A UN Colonel, OLIVER, middle aged, Canadian,follows the US Ambassador.

The Colonel wear the blue berets and armbands of UN Peacekeepers. (all
UN troops will be distinguished by their bright blue berets, white
helmets and arm bands)

                        PAUL
            Colonel Oliver, you are very welcome.

The Ambassador shakes the Colonel's hand.

                        US AMBASSADOR
            Colonel. I'd like you to meet Mr. Colson,
            of our Regional Aid Division.

MR. COLSON, crew cut, military build, is obviously CIA.

                        US AMBASSADOR (CONT'D)
            Colonel Oliver is the liason officer for
            the U.N. peace keeping forces.

Paul backs away unnoticed...

INT. KITCHEN/HOTEL MILLE COLLINES. DAY

...then marches into the busy kitchen, claps his hands toward a
gathering of waiters.

                        PAUL
            Please, serve the hors d'ouvres now.

A waiter whispers to him.

                        WAITER
            General Bizimungu wants to see you.

Paul heads out of the kitchen.

INT. HOTEL BAR. DAY

A luxurious lounge/club called the Kigali Club - an African
Casablanca, complete with animal heads, a statue of a mountain gorilla,
grand piano in the corner. Rwandan Hutu army officers, (distinguished
by their crisp khaki uniforms, in the style of the French army), arms
dealers, government dignitaries, businessmen and reporters mingle
freely. The few tourists stand out.

Paul heads to a table. The center of attention and conversation is
General BIZIMUNGU, 40's, dressed in a crisp, heavily decorated
uniform, a strong figure, relaxed, in control.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            Paul, this scotch is exceptional.

                        PAUL
            It's a single malt, Glenmorangie. I
            thought you'd like it. Anything you need,
            gentlemen, let me know.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            Oh, Paul, talk to the coat check, please.

Paul heads for the lobby. He's intercepted by an zealous young Tutsi
reporter BENEDICT who covers the political scene for the local
independent newspaper.

                        BENEDICT
            Paul, Paul, a moment please.

                        PAUL
            Yes, Benedict, what can I do?

                        BENEDICT
            Can you get me into the Ambassador's
            reception?

                        PAUL
            I'm sorry, it's a private function.

Benedict takes out his reporters notebook.

                        BENEDICT
            At least tell me who is attending. The
            newspaper will be grateful.

Paul laughs.

                        PAUL
            I will be grateful if you keep my name
            out of your newspaper. Wait here and you
            will see who has attended as they leave.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

Paul fixes a floral arrangement as he passes then arrives at the clock
room hatch.

                        PAUL
                 (to the coat check)
            Did General Bizimungu bring a briefcase?

                        COAT CHECK
            Yes, sir.

                        PAUL
            Take it to the bar storeroom. Put three
            bottles of Glenmorangie...
                 (he writes it down on a pad)
            ...GLEN-MOR-AN-GIE, into it.

Paul moves off as the coat check scurries away.

                        CONNIE DENVER (O.S.)
            Oh, Paul, Paul.

An American woman, CONNIE DENVER, rich, blonde, surgically enhanced,
stands by the door of the tourism office.

INT. HOTEL TOURISM OFFICE. DAY

Paul walks into the tourism office. It is decorated with posters and
photos of Rwanda's single most important economic asset - the rare
silver back mountain Gorillas. There's a picture of the real-life Diane
Fossey next to the movie poster for "Gorillas in the Mist". Numerous
books and video cassettes. CONNIE DENVER's older husband, BOB, and four
American friends wait.

                        CONNIE DENVER
            Paul, Paul. Our trip has been cancelled.

                        PAUL
            Yes, I'm sorry Madame Denver, it is
            because of the rebels.

                        CONNIE DENVER
            Rebels? What rebels?

                        BOB
            Don't be stupid for Christ sake. The
            Watusis are invading the country. I told
            you not to come here.

                        PAUL
            The Tutsi rebels are far away on the
            border. And soon there will be peace.

                        BOB
            Tutsis, Watutsis they'll still shoot you.

                        CONNIE DENVER
            But I came here to see the gorillas?

                        PAUL
            I will try to arrange something.

INT. HOTEL BANQUET ROOM. DAY

The luncheon is in full swing. Paul glides in the background.

Close on: The Ambassador in deep conversation with Oliver.

                        US AMBASSADOR
            Things will calm down when the president
            signs the peace agreement with the
            rebels.

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            Our intelligence, Mr. Ambassador, is that
            the Hutu government has been stockpiling
            weapons and are preparing a massacre.

                        US AMBASSADOR
            That's not what I hear. Excuse me. Paul.
                 (Paul comes over)
            Colonel, you know the house manager, Paul
            Rusesabagina.

                        PAUL
            How was your meal, sir?

                        US AMBASSADOR
            Magnificent.
                 (reads)
            Scottish lobster, in Rwanda. You see
            General what a genius this man is. You
            want anything, this man can get it?

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            How about a battalion of U.S. Marines.

                        US AMBASSADOR
            Now, General, don't ask for the
            impossible.

Paul smiles.

                        PAUL
            I have heard, Mr. Ambassador, that they
            have discovered oil here, under Lake
            Kivu.

Oliver bursts out laughing.

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            You're right, Mr. Ambassador, Paul knows
            how to get anything, even U.S. troops.

The ambassador takes Paul's hand, shakes it warmly.

                        US AMBASSADOR
            Thank you for a wonderful meal, Paul.

Paul moves away graciously, and in one smooth move checks out, then
pockets, the hundred dollar bill the ambassador palmed him.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

General Bizimungu gazes through glass into the reception room, SEES
Paul shake hands and joke with the Ambassador. (He’s impressed.)
Paul notices the General.

The General raises his briefcase and waves.

Paul waves back. Another favor rendered.

EXT. HOTEL GROUNDS. NIGHT

It is night now. Floodlights bathe the hotel in a warm glow. Tiki oil
lamps illuminate the walkways and spread scented citronella smoke among
the trees. Wild birds CALL OUT.

EXT. HOTEL REAR CAR PARK. NIGHT

Paul walks to the employee car park at the rear.

He sees Gregoire and another male reception clerk tossing Zozo's
pillbox porter's hat between them with Zozo trapped in the middle
trying to jump and catch it. Gregoire thinks this tease is great fun.

                        GREGOIRE
            Come on, Zozo, cockroaches can jump, some
            of them can fly.

The clerk sees Paul just as he's about to throw, miscalculates, the hat
sails over Gregoire's head and lands at Paul's feet. Zozo scampers to
pick it up.

                        PAUL
            No.
                 (points to Gregoire)
            You pick it up.

Gregoire doesn't move.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            How are your dish-washing skills,
            Gregoire?

Gregoire bends, picks up the hat, hands it to Zozo, who walks away
quickly. Gregoire and his friend turn to head back into the hotel.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Gregoire, there are no cockroaches in
            this hotel, do you understand?

                        BIK (O.S.)
            Cockroaches?

Bik has walked out of the rear door and overheard.

                        BIK (CONT'D)
            Don't tell me we have cockroaches, Paul?

A sly smile breaks on Gregoire's face as he uses Bik's arrival to
disappear inside.

                        PAUL
            No, Bik, it's a code word for Tutsis.

                        BIK
            That's what I came to talk to you about.

                        PAUL
            Excuse me?

                        BIK
            The Hutu-Tutsi thing. The BBC faxed to
            say they would be here on the sixth for
            the peace accords. And the U.N. wants the
            banquet room for that day, a reception to
            broadcast the signing ceremony. Can you
            organize monitors and check the satellite
            dish?

                        PAUL
            Leave it to me.

Bik leans slightly closer.

                        BIK
            Also, could you remember to use the
            service entrance at all times?

                        PAUL
            Of course.

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. NIGHT

Paul hops in his car and tosses a box of Belgium chocolates on the seat
next to him.

EXT. KIGALI STREETS. NIGHT

Paul speeds through the streets of Kigali HUMMING along to music on the
radio and eating chocolates from the box. He passes bicycles laden
with produce. The song on the radio ends and local news comes on.

                        RADIO ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
            Good Hutus of Rwanda, beware. The
            dictatorship of the Tutsi cockroach is
            near. Watch your neighbor. Identify these
            cockroaches. Then rise up and stamp out
            this murderous infestation...

Paul turns the station. Finds another with music.

EXT. KIGALI NEIGHBORHOOD. NIGHT

Lights burn in windows. Kids play soccer in dusty lots. Paul's van
turns onto a residential street and slows. He HONKS twice. The metal
gate to a walled compound swings open. A GUARD(old, peaked hat, bare
feet, pathetic) stands just inside. Paul waves to him and pulls into
the courtyard, two cars are already parked there.

EXT. PAUL'S HOUSE. NIGHT

A neat bungalow and gardens behind the high wall. Paul parks and gets
out. A DOG runs and greets him, BARKING.

                        PAUL
            Down, Pealiss.

His wife, TATIANA, a woman of great natural beauty, emerges from the
house, beside her an even taller, very elegant woman, she has a
doctor's bag and a stethoscope in her hand. This is ODETTE, their
family doctor and close friend.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Good evening, Odette, who is sick this
            time?

                        TATIANA
            I asked Odette to take a look at little
            Anais. She has a rash.

                        PAUL
            Your brother's here?

                        TATIANA
            Yes, with Fedens and the children.

He wants some advice.

                        ODETTE
            Good to see you, Paul.

Paul embraces Odette warmly, kisses Tatiana.

                        ODETTE (CONT'D)
            I must go, Paul.

                        TATIANA
            You will not stay for dinner.

                        ODETTE
            No thank you, Tatiana.

                        PAUL
            My best to Jean Baptiste.

EXT: PAUL'S HOUSE. NIGHT

The old guard opens the gate, Odette drives off.

EXT. PAUL’S GARDEN. NIGHT

                        PAUL
                 (a sigh)
            Thomas wants advice?

                        TATIANA
            He wants your wisdom.

                        PAUL
            Let's have dinner first.

                        TATIANA
            Of course.

His brother-in-law THOMAS and sister-in-law FEDENS come out to greet
Paul the Patriarch. They hug. Kids run everywhere. Paul spots his twin
nieces Anais (in blue) and Carine (in yellow), four years old. He
scoops them up, one in each arm.

                        PAUL
            Hello, Anais.

She laughs.

                        CARINE
            I am Carine.

                        PAUL
            You are not Anais?

                        ANAIS
            I am Anais.

                        PAUL
            Oh, Carine, that is a shame. I have a
            present for Anais.

Anais reaches out her hand. Paul sets them on the ground, takes a
chocolate from his chocolate box, deliberately hands it to Carine.

Anais jumps up and down.

                        ANAIS
            It is for me.

                        PAUL
            Goodness, I cannot tell. I guess I must
            find another present.

He takes a chocolate gives it to Carine, then hands out the chocolates
to his children who are gathered around.

INT. PAUL’S KITCHEN. DAY

A crowded family table. Tatiana, Paul's four children, Thomas and
Fedens, and the twins Anais and Carine.

                        PAUL
            Roger, your turn.

Paul's eldest, ROGER, 12, bows his head.

                        ROGER
            For food and clothes, and all that grows,
            etc, etc. Dear Lord, thank you.

                        PAUL
            Thank you, Roger.

Food is passed around. Roger gobbles his down.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Why the hurry, Roger?

                        ROGER
            Simon has a new pet. Can I go see it?

                        PAUL
            No, I don't want you going on the street.

                        ROGER
            Please, papa, I have a secret path.

                        PAUL
            Who is this Simon?

                        TATIANA
            Simon, next door, the Charingas' boy.

                        PAUL
            Homework?

                        ROGER
            It's done.

                        TATIANA
            And he did extra chores.

                        PAUL
            Wash your things, and be back soon.

Roger takes off at a run.

EXT. PAUL'S GARDEN. NIGHT

Roger runs to a wooden fence, gets down, moves two boards and squeezes
through into a path, almost a tunnel in dense reeds.

EXT. NEIGHBOR'S (SIMON'S) YARD. NIGHT

Roger crawls along his path. There's a gap a little way down, and Roger
shoots through it into the wide open of the neighbors yard. He runs to
a back window of the house and taps on it. Soon SIMON, 12, appears. He
slides it open.

                        ROGER
            Let's feed it.

Simon lets Roger in.

INT. NEIGHBOR'S (SIMON'S) HOUSE. NIGHT

Roger holds a WILDLY COLORED SNAKE in a jar. Simon has a bag of bugs.

Waves the bag in front of the snake. It's forked tongue goes wild.

                        ROGER
            Let me.

Simon hands him the bugs. Roger lifts the lid, drops one bug in, and
the snake strikes. The boys jump back, laugh.

INT. PAUL’S KITCHEN. NIGHT

After dinner coffee for the adults. Tatiana, Thomas and Fedens at the
table. Paul, in his usual position, at the head, listening, like
Solomon.

                        THOMAS
            I've heard bad things, Paul. My assistant
            says we should get out of Rwanda.

                        FEDENS
            Why should we leave? I have a new job,
            things have never been better for us.

                        THOMAS
            What good is it if we are murdered in our
            bed?

                        TATIANA
            Your assistant, he is Hutu?

                        THOMAS
            Yes, and he is in the Hutu Power Militia.

                        CARINE
            He wants your job.

                        THOMAS
            No, he is a friend, but he tells me to
            listen to the radio. All day they talk
            about the great slaughter.

                        TATIANA
            That station is filth.

Paul has listened, now he decides to speak.

                        PAUL
            Today I talked to my friend the American
            Ambassador and Colonel Oliver of the
            United Nations. They are preparing a
            banquet for the peace signing. The BBC
            are flying in their best reporters. The
            world is watching. There will be peace.

Don't listen to this man.

Solomon has spoken. Fedens smiles, Tatiana rubs Paul's arm.

EXT. NEIGHBOR'S (SIMON'S) YARD. NIGHT

Roger crawls along his grass tunnel. Then he hears something. He looks
through the reeds toward the street.

HE SEES: Military boots, a cluster of Hutu soldiers in their crisp
Khaki uniforms.

He hears whispering.

                        SOLDIER'S VOICE (O.S.)
            That house.

EXT. PAUL'S HOUSE. NIGHT

Paul, Tatiana, are by Thomas's car. They say good night to their
guests. Anais and Carine sleep in the car.

Paul nods to the old guard to go open the gate. Just then Roger emerges
from the thicket, wide-eyed, afraid.

                        ROGER
            There are soldiers.

                        PAUL
            Where?

                        ROGER
            On the street.

Paul nods to Tatiana to take Roger inside. Thomas and Fedens grab the
sleeping twins from their car.

Paul goes to his big metal gates and peers through the two inch gap
between the gate hinge and the gate post.

EXT. VICTOR'S HOUSE. NIGHT.

HE SEES: (two houses down) the group of Hutu soldiers, clustered around
jeeps, they whisper and point. It's a raid.

Now they move rushing out of view.

The sounds of SPLINTERING WOOD, GLASS BREAKING, CHILDREN'S CRIES, WOMEN
SCREAMING.

Suddenly there's a face, beside Paul's. It's Tatiana.

                        TATIANA
            What is it?

She looks, sees the soldiers, as they drag a middle-aged man onto the
street.

He is crying, pleading, like a whipped dog.

                        TATIANA (CONT'D)
            Oh, my God, it's Victor. Why do they want
            Victor?

They watch as Victor is beaten to the jeep. At this point Victor looses
it completely, stops pleading, grabs on to a soldier, clinging,
screaming like a terrified child - like a man who knows he is going to
die. It's a horror.

                        TATIANA (CONT'D)
            Do something.

                        PAUL
            What?

                        TATIANA
            Call your friends in the army. Call
            someone. Victor is harmless. This is a
            mistake.

                        PAUL
            Please, be quiet.

Tatiana, moves toward the gate handle.

                        TATIANA
            I'm going to talk to them.

Paul grabs her.

                        PAUL
            No.

                        TATIANA
            We must do something.

Paul takes her by the arm, leads her to the house.

                        PAUL
            What would you have us do? Argue with
            these madmen? We cannot interfere.

INT. PAUL'S LIVING ROOM. NIGHT

Thomas and Fedens wait, anxious, as Paul appears.

                        PAUL
            You better stay the night, it is too
            dangerous to be on the streets.

Tatiana hides her anger.

                        TATIANA
            I'll fix a bed.

INT. PAUL'S BEDROOM. NIGHT

Paul lies in bed unable to sleep. The clock reads 3:00 am.

                        TATIANA
            Why didn't you call your contacts in the
            army?

                        PAUL
            I couldn't help.

                        TATIANA
            You could have asked for a favor.

                        PAUL
            No, I could not. What do you know about
            favors Tatiana, about barter and deals?

All day long I work to please this
officer, that diplomat, this tourist. To
store up favors so that if there is a
time when my family need help I have
powerful people I can call upon. Now you
would have me waste a precious favor on a
stranger.

                        TATIANA
            Victor was not a stranger, he was our
            neighbor.

                        PAUL
            He was not family. Family is all that
            matters. Do you think if you or I were
            being dragged from here, any one of them
            would lift a finger to help us?

                        TATIANA
            They do not have your connections.

                        PAUL
            Connections? I have no connections, only
            favors. If I call to help Victor, a
            General will think "Paul Rusesabagina is
            a fool. He thinks my favors are so
            numerous and so insignificant as to waste
            them on everybody." Then my hard work is
            doubly squandered. I insult the General
            and I do not get to use my favor at all.
            Please leave these things to my good
            judgment.

His turn away indicates the discussion is over.

EXT. HOTEL FRONT GATE. MORNING

Paul's car rolls up to the hotel's guard house.

SUPER THE TITLE: APRIL 6th, 1994.

An army jeep is parked just inside. General Bizimungu is in the
passenger seat, talking into a walkie-talkie.

The General gives an I'll see you soon wave.

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY

The hotel entrance is a mini-jam of airport buses, white UN jeeps,
foreign news crew Land Rovers, and a TV repair van unloading monitors.

Paul marches in, past Zozo the bell hop, who helps the TV men unload.

                        PAUL
            Welcome, gentlemen.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

The lobby buzzes with activity. At the reception, Gregoire is
surrounded by a BBC news crew: GLORIA, young, chic female
reporter/producer, and JOCK, tough, experienced Scottish cameraman, and
his local sound guy Peter. Gloria is upset.

                        GLORIA
            We reserved five rooms not two

                        GREGOIRE
            I'm sorry, ma'am, but I see only two here
            in the computer.

Jock sees Paul.

                        JOCK
            Paul, how the hell are ya'?

                        PAUL
            I am delighted to see you, Mr. Daglish.

                        JOCK
            They moved you from the Diplomat?

                        PAUL
            Promoted. House Manager.

                        JOCK
            Good for you.
                 (moves closer)
            We're having a little trouble, Paul. We
            booked five rooms, but...

Paul moves behind the desk.

                        PAUL
            Let me check.

He punches into the computer.

                        PAUL
            Ah, I see the mistake. You were reading
            CBC - the Canadian broadcasting people
            instead of BBC Gregoire.

Close on the computer: It clearly states BBC - two rooms. Gregoire
looks to Paul with a mix of puzzlement and anger.

Of course, the BBC, five rooms.
                 (lies)
            They are being prepared as we speak. I
            have ordered fresh flowers and
            complimentary champagne.

Gloria picks up her bag.

                        GLORIA
            Great, I really need a shower.

                        PAUL
            Just give me a moment to get your keys.

Paul better come up with three rooms fast. Then he spots the reporter
Benedict hovering at the door.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
                 (to Gloria)
            Excuse me for one second.

Paul hurries over to Benedict.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Benedict, you should meet the BBC people.
            They could use your expertise.

Benedict is delighted. They head back across the lobby.

                         PAUL (CONT'D)
                 (whisper)
            Benedict, General Bizimungu will be here
            any moment. The BBC should talk to him.

They join the BBC team.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Madame, this is Benedict Nangori, one of
            our best journalists. He covers all the
            big stories. I thought you should meet.

Gloria, a consummate news producer, turns on the charm.

                        GLORIA
            Benedict, beautiful name. I'm Gloria
            Fleming. BBC.

Paul moves off to the desk, Gregoire can barely disguise his pleasure.

                        GREGOIRE
            There are no more rooms.

                        PAUL
            Give me the phone.

Gregoire hands it over. Paul dials.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Madame Denver. I have very good news. I
            have a present for you, in return for the
            cancellation of your gorilla expedition I
            have arranged a safari at Lake Kivu
            lodge. A wonderful experience. No, no
            extra charge. A luxury coach will leave
            in one hour. I'll send maids up to help
            you all pack. You're welcome.

Paul hangs up, turns to Gregoire.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Call Kivu Lodge, ask for George, tell him
            I need three rooms. And send a team of
            maids up to the Americans. I want those
            rooms turned around in twenty minutes.

Paul heads for the glass doors and sees:

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY

General Bizimungu, briefcase in hand, gives the tv interview, He’s
confident, controlled Benedict stands close by as Gloria interviews.

                        GLORIA
            There are rumors, General, that your
            army, the Hutu army, consider these peace
            accords a sellout to the Tutsi rebels.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
                 (laughs)
            Nonsense. At this moment we are making
            plans to rehabilitate the dissidents into
            our armed forces.

                        GLORIA
            Then the army fully supports the
            president as he signs the peace
            agreement.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            Of course, the president is a clever man,
            he knows what he is doing. Thank you for
            coming to Rwanda. (on the move). You will
            see what a beautiful country this is.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

Paul turns, walks past porters ferrying the BBC luggage. He puts his
hand out. Gregoire hands him keys.

Paul does his rounds. He double checks the banquet room where
technicians install several TV monitors and test the signal.

He looks in the kitchen, frenzied activity.

He wanders behind the bar. Everything is 'under control'.

He returns to the lobby, greets Connie, her flustered husband and their
friends, followed by a team of porters and luggage.

                        PAUL
            Forgive the hurry but I do not want you
            to miss the lunch buffet on the paddle
            steamer across the lake. It is the most
            spectacular sight in all Africa.

                        BOB
            Lunch? All we do is eat. I thought there
            was famine in Africa.

                        PAUL
            Exactly, we can't have our guests
            starving. What would they think of the
            Mille Collines back in the United States?

Gen. Bizimungu, takes Paul's arm, pulls him aside, hands him his empty
briefcase.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            Keep that cockroach Benedict away from
            me.

As the General disappears into the bar, Paul waves over the coat check,
hands her the briefcase.

                        PAUL
            Same as last time.

She nods, hurries off just as the BBC crew appears. Paul hands out
keys, greets each.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            The fifth room is your broadcast room.

                        GLORIA
            Good. I'd like to book a massage.

                        PAUL
            Of course.

Jock, the Scottish cameraman, hangs behind as the others leave, takes
his key.

                        JOCK
            Did you bring any of those wee girls who
            used to sit at the bar in the Diplomat
            with you? You know?

                        PAUL
            I'm sorry, Mr. Daglish, this is the Mille
            Collines. No working girls here.

                        JOCK
            Can we phone them in, Paul?

                        PAUL
            I'm afraid I can't do that, Mr. Daglish.

Ah, Zozo.

Paul calls Zozo over.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            You remember Zozo, from the Diplomat?

Jock gets the code instantly, as Zozo smiles.

                        JOCK
            Zozo! The very man!

The Scot and Zozo greet, then hurry off.

INT. HOTEL BANQUET ROOM. DAY

Paul supervises waiters hanging a banner. It reads "Peace, Love, and
Brotherhood! UNAMIR 1994".

INT. HOTEL CONFERENCE ROOM. DAY

Reporters watch rows of TVs. All broadcast the signing of the Arusha
Accords. (Reporters have political chatter.)

CLOSE ON: the TVs as President Habyarimana signs.

                        COMMENTATOR
            As president Habyarimana signs a peace
            accord between the Tutsi rebels and his
            Hutu army there remains strong doubts
            that the extremist Hutu Power will abide
            by the accords. But for now hope has
            returned to Rwanda for the first time in
            many years.

All the African reporters in the room CHEER.

Fireworks go off outside the hotel.

Colonel Oliver raises a glass of champagne and leads the room in a
toast.

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            To Peace.

The room as one raise their glasses.

CLOSE ON: Paul as he nods to a member of the tribal band on the small
stage. Then, African drummers hammer out a fast uplifting beat as the
full troupe of ceremonial dancers skip into the room in celebration.

INT. HOTEL BAR. DAY

Paul checks out the banques. They appear empty, then a voice.

                        General BIZIMUNGU
            Paul, join us.

It's General Bizimungu, he is sitting with George Rutagunda now in a
shiny blue suit. A bottle of whiskey on the table is almost gone.

Bizimungu and Rutagunda watch the peace celebration across the lobby.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            Have a drink.

He pours. George points his glass toward the Europeans.

                        GEORGE
            Look at them, they want to see the tribes
            dance to their tune. Here is our dance.

Rutagunda staggers to his feet, launches into a drunken version of the
Hutu Militia War Dance.

                        GEORGE (CONT'D)
            Come on, Paul. Show them our dance.

Paul takes George's arm, does two steps of the dance, then appears to
stumble and shoulder bumps the big man.

George falls into his chair.

                        PAUL
            Forgive me, George, my step was off.

Rutagunda bursts out laughing, toasts:

                        GEORGE
            To our president. May he find peace.

As Paul is forced to join in the toast, Rutagunda laughs, Bizimungu
smiles at some insider joke.

INT. HOTEL CONFERENCE ROOM. EVENING

Reporters and crews pack up their equipment. Paul shakes hands, orders
porters to pick up cases. Then a porter whispers a message to Paul.

                        PAUL
            Excuse me, gentlemen.

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. NIGHT

Paul emerges, discovers Fedens and Thomas - they look embarrassed to be
in such exulted surroundings.

                        THOMAS
            Forgive us, Paul. We must talk.

                        PAUL
            What's wrong?

                        THOMAS
            We are leaving Rwanda, Paul.

                        PAUL
            Go to the terrace, I will join you.

                                                            CUT TO

EXT. HOTEL POOL TERRACE. NIGHT

Drinks are served at a table as Paul listens to Thomas.

                        THOMAS
            My assistant, the Hutu Power man, says we
            should get out now, that soon it will be
            very bad.

Paul stifles his anger.

                        PAUL
            Give me this man's name.

                        THOMAS
            His name is Naramaranga, but please,
            Paul, even though he is Hutu Power, he is
            a friend, he likes me. He told me there
            is a signal. It is "Cut the tall trees."
            When they hear the signal, the militia
            are to go to war.

                        FEDENS
            Please, let us take Tatiana with us. You
            are Hutu, you will be safe.

                        PAUL
            Thomas, Fedens, I am a man who looks
            after his family. If there were danger I
            would be the first to leave?

BANG - a distant explosion, a flash of light on the far side of the
city. Fedens jumps.

                        FEDENS
            What was that?

                        PAUL
            Calm yourself, it is fireworks to
            celebrate the peace.

                        THOMAS
            Please, Paul, tomorrow I will bring you
            my car. You will sell it for me and get a
            fair price. We will go to Tanzania until
            there is real peace.

                        ZOZO
            Excuse me, Paul, you have a call.

Zozo hands Paul a cordless phone.

                        PAUL
            Hello. Tatsi. Yes, they are here. Yes. I
            know but I want them to calm down.

Thomas and Fedens listen.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Already the press are packing their bags.
            The BBC man told me there's no story
            here. We are boring now. I'll be home
            soon.

He hangs up.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Let us all go home and sleep.

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. EVENING

Paul escorts Fedens and Thomas to their car.

                        PAUL
            Call when you get home. And don't worry,
            Thomas. Good night.

INT. PAUL’S CAR. NIGHT

Paul's at the wheel, driving. A thick mist. Barely a car on the road.

Shadows dart past faint house lights. The windscreen clouds. Paul
switches on his wipers. A Toyota truck, loaded with Militia, appears
from the mist, speeds past. Paul switches the preset buttons on the
radio as he drives. He can only find fevered drum-based MUSIC.

EXT. PAUL’S STREET. NIGHT

Paul turns onto his street. The houses are dark: windows shuttered;
gates closed; not a soul about. Paul stops before his gate. HONKS
twice. The gate doesn't open. He hops out and opens it with a key.

Gives it a push and pauses as he heads back to the car. He hears the
far off sound of gunfire. Distant explosions light the night sky.

EXT. PAUL'S HOUSE. NIGHT

Paul drives in. His compound is curiously dark. His headlights sweep
across his pitch-black house.

                                                              CUT TO:

The gates swing shut. We PULL BACK as Paul turns and faces his house.

Paul whistles for the dog, nothing. He goes back to the car, gets a
flashlight, heads for the front door.

INT. PAUL'S LIVING ROOM. NIGHT

The door slowly opens. Paul steps in quietly, tries the light switch,
nothing. He listens. The only sounds are distant explosions and
gunfire. The beam of his flashlight cuts the blackness, illuminating:

magazines arranged on a coffee table; an empty chair; children's toys
in a basket.

INT. PAUL'S KITCHEN. NIGHT

Paul continues his search. Scans the counter. There's food on the
stove. The table is set. He hears a GROWL, quickly cut short, from one
of the bedrooms.

INT. PAUL'S HALL. NIGHT

Paul shines the light into a room. Looks for a second, then closes the
door, and walks to the next. He stops and listens with his ear to the
door. Nothing. He pushes it in.

INT. PAUL'S BEDROOM. NIGHT

Paul's light sweeps across the room and illuminates:

Eyes - terrified eyes, a room full of faces, staring back.

THEIR POV: A dark figure behind a blinding light.

The dog breaks free, runs to Paul.

                        PAUL
            Pealiss!

From among the faces, Tatiana's voice heavy with relief.

                        TATIANA
            Paul!
            Paul's eyes adjust, he recognizes many of his neighbors, all crowded
            into this small room. Then he sees their friends Odette and her husband
            Jean Baptiste.

                        PAUL
            Jean Baptiste!

                        JEAN BAPTISTE
            Our house has been burned.

                        PAUL
            What is going on?

                        TATIANA
            The president has been murdered.

                        PAUL
            Murdered! By whom?

                        ODETTE
            The radio says Tutsi rebels.

                        PAUL
            Nonsense. Why would the rebels kill the
            president when he agreed to peace?

Tatiana pulls Paul aside.

                        TATIANA
            Where are Thomas and Fedens?

                        PAUL
            I sent them home. Go and call them.

                        TATIANA
            I tried already. The phones do not work.

Jean Baptiste turns on his tiny radio.

                        RADIO ANNOUNCER
            Our great president is murdered, by the
            Tutsi cockroaches. They tricked him, then
            they killed him. We must cleanse this
            country, Good Hutus of Rwanda. We must
            clear the brush. Clear the brush of all
            cockroaches. Clear the brush!!!

The words are cut short as a grenade blast rattles the window. Everyone
jumps, children whimper. Paul is shocked but tries to pull things
together.

                        PAUL
            Come on, everyone out of this room, find
            a seat in the living room.

He holds the door open, they file out, frightened. Tatiana is last, he
stops her, steps back in, closes the door.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
                 (in hushed anger)
            Is every Tutsi in the neighborhood here?

                        TATIANA
            They came through the bushes, over the
            wall. What could I do?

                        PAUL
            Send them home. We are not the police.
What do we have to protect them?

                        TATIANA
            Please. Let them stay 'til morning. The
            militia will not come here, they know you
            are a Hutu with influence.

                        PAUL
            They know you are Tutsi!

The door knocks. Paul gets up, angry.

                        TATIANA
            Please, Paul, 'til first light.

                        PAUL
            Dawn. Then they go.

Paul opens the door, it's Odette, holding the hand of Paul's eldest
daughter.

                        ODETTE
            Forgive me, Paul. Danielle says that
            Roger has gone.

Tatiana comes over instantly, worried.

                        TATIANA
            Gone where? Tell me, Danielle.

Their daughter Danielle answers.

                        DANIELLE
            Next door, mama. He was afraid for his
            friend Simon. He went to fetch him.

EXT. UNDERGROWTH. NIGHT

Roger crawls between the shrubs. He hears ANGRY VOICES.

He peers through the long grass.

Sees: Hutu soldiers boots, feet in sneakers, bare women's feet. And
among them the glint of machetes, hoes, a club spiked with nails, a
length of chain CLANGING on the ground.

EXT. PAUL'S GARDEN. NIGHT

Tatiana rushes out the front door, Paul after her.

Paul catches her and puts his hand over her mouth.

                        PAUL
            Shhhhh.

SHOUTS next door. Paul pulls Tatiana behind the car. A beat. More
SHOUTS. Paul takes his hand from her mouth. She's sobbing.

EXT. NEIGHBOR'S YARD. NIGHT

Roger crawls to the gap in the shrubs. Feet, a crowd, leaving, through
a gate. Engines rev.

Roger crawls from the bushes.

Crawls across, the driveway, crawls through a puddle.

Then stops, SEES SOMETHING, AN (UNSEEN) HORROR!

EXT. PAUL'S GARDEN. NIGHT

Paul and Tatiana exit the back of the house with flashlight in hand
headed towards the rear gate.

Paul searches along the chain link fence, finds a section loose, he
pulls it back, clambers underneath it.

Tatiana clasps her mouth, afraid to utter a cry.

EXT. UNDERGROWTH. NIGHT

Paul crawls through this scrub tunnel.

Then he hears BRANCHES SNAPPING.

He moves toward the sound.

Discovers Roger, terrified, thrashing in a tangle of bushes.

He grabs Rogers shirt, pulls him as the little boy startles.

                        PAUL
            Ssshh!

Paul drags his son through the chainlink fence, whisks him up in his
arms and rushes him to the house.

INT. PAUL'S KITCHEN. NIGHT

Paul bursts through the back door and sets Roger down. Tatiana is
beside them.

                        TATIANA
            Roger!

Paul turns the flashlight on Roger. Tatiana pulls back in horror:

Roger is covered in blood. Her SCREAMS, stifled by fear.

                        TATIANA (CONT'D)
            Oh, my God!

                        PAUL
            Where are you hurt, son?

Roger stares blankly. Odette is beside them now.

                        ODETTE
            Get his clothes off.

Hands pull and tear his clothes off. Towels wipe him down. Odette
looks all over his body with the flashlight. Despite the blood Roger
has no injuries.

                        PAUL
            What happened, son? Where did you get
            this blood?

But Roger, trembling, just stares, totally traumatized. Children cry.

                        ODETTE
            He's not injured.

His paralysis freaks the women in the room. Paul turns angrily to them.

                        PAUL
            Leave us, give us some space.

He ushers the neighbors out of the room, closes the door.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
                 (to Tatiana)
            The neighbors must go at dawn.

Tatiana hugs her son.

EXT. KIGALI. DAWN

The faintest grey of dawn over the city. Then a flock of birds rises as
one in the distance. A millisecond later, the cause of their flight, a
grenade explosion, echoes.

The birds dart, in another direction as the STACCATO of a machine gun
rips the air.

INT. PAUL'S BEDROOM. DAWN

Paul sits on the edge of the bed, staring out the window.

Behind him Tatiana has Roger cradled in her arms, he still trembles
wide eyed as she tries to get him to talk.

                        TATIANA
            Will you take a little milk?

Nothing.

                        PAUL
            Let him sleep.

The door knocks. The old guard calls in frightened.

OLD GUARD (O.S.)
Mr. Paul.

                        PAUL
                 (to Tatiana)
            It is time for the neighbors to leave.

He heads for the door.

INT. PAUL’S LIVING ROOM. DAWN

Paul steps out, closes the door behind him. A small delegation of the
men wait nervously.

                        JEAN BAPTISTE
            It is true.

He holds up the tiny radio, tuned to the BBC World service, a crackly
Brit voice. (It's Gloria the reporter.)

                        GLORIA THE REPORTER (O.S.)
            The Hutu president's plane was struck by
            a ground-to-air missile as he returned
            from signing the peace accord with the
            Tutsi rebels. There were no survivors.
            The Hutu government has already blamed
            the Tutsi rebels. The rebels have denied
            the accusation. Already there are reports
            of reprisal killings on the streets.

As they listen, a young woman lets out a SQUEAL, and flees the window
where she's been sitting.

                        WOMEN (O.S.)
            They are here.

Hysteria in the room, women and children push toward the bedroom. Paul
manages to make it to the window, nervously steals a glance and sees:

A HUTU ARMY SOLDIER sits on the high wall by the gate. He pulls another
up beside him.

Panic in the room now. Paul turns.

                        PAUL
            Shut up!

PAUL'S POV: The soldiers drop into his garden. They draw pistols.

                        TATIANA (O.S.)
            What is it, Paul.

                        PAUL
            Stay with the children.

PAUL'S POV: The soldiers go to the gate, slide the bolt, swing it open.

Two jeeps, jammed with heavily armed SOLDIERS, sit in the drive like
many-limbed beasts of war. Paul watches as the jeeps rumble into his
garden. The soldiers jump out.

INSIDE THE ROOM:

Nothing can stop the women and children from fleeing into the bedrooms.

Paul is frozen at the CRASH of rifles on the door.

The door gives, SOLDIERS flood in.

They are startled by the crowd in the living room, rifles raised,
SHOUTS.

                        SOLDIERS
            Out, get out now!
            Paul pulls himself together, marches over to the soldier.

                        PAUL
            Who is in charge?

A Captain is at the door.

                        CAPTAIN
            Who are you?

                        PAUL
            I am Paul Rusesabagina, a good friend of
            General Bizimungu.

                        CAPTAIN
            We are looking for you.

He takes Paul by the arm, leads him outside.

EXT. PAUL'S HOUSE. DAWN

The Captain stops by his jeep, studies his clipboard.

Tatiana with Roger in her arms, her kids and all the neighbors herded
together.

                        PAUL
            What is this about?

                        CAPTAIN
            Let me see your identity card.

Paul pulls it from his pocket, hands it to the Captain.

CLOSE ON: Paul's ID - it reads Ethnicity: HUTU.

The Captain studies him, waves for the soldiers to back off.

                        CAPTAIN (CONT'D)
            You heard the Tutsi cockroaches murdered
            our president.

                        PAUL
            Yes, it is a calamity for us all.

                        CAPTAIN
            You work at the Hotel Diplomat?

                        PAUL
            No. I work at the Mille Collines.

The Captain looks confused. Paul quickly:

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            I used to work at the Diplomat.

                        CAPTAIN
            Do you know how to open the safe there?
                 (Paul nods)
            Our government needs to use the hotel and
            the room keys are in the safe. You must
            open it.

                        PAUL
            Of course.

Paul sees out into the street behind the jeeps: a group of Militia in
their colored shirts armed with machetes, have gathered, trying to see
what is going on.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Captain, I must take my family.
It is not safe here.

                        CAPTAIN
            Where is your family?

Tatiana is beside him now.

                        TATIANA
                 (interrupts)
            This is them.

Tatiana points to the huddled neighbors. Paul is stunned.

                        CAPTAIN
            All of them! I cannot take them.

                        TATIANA
            No, no, good Captain, you do not have to.
            We have the car and our van.

She points to the Mille Collines van.

The Captain looks doubtful, then his two-way radio barks - an urgent
message. He listens.

Tatiana drags the kids and ushers everyone toward the van. In a second,
they are all clambering in.

                        CAPTAIN
            Let's go.

Paul jumps behind the wheel of the van. Neighbors are jammed in like
sardines, 15, more, inside. Tatiana and their kids are squashed
together on the front bench.

The convoy (jeep - van, car - jeep) starts up and turns out into the
street.

The Militia men wave sticks, machetes.

INT. VAN TRAVELING - DAY

Paul looks back as they speed off down the street.

Sees: The Militia looters pour into his gateway.

As they pass the Caringa home, Militia looters carry off a TV and push
a stove on a child's skateboard.

Tatiana has Roger on her lap, she cradles his head.

EXT. KIGALI STREET. DAY

The convoy speeds through the deserted streets. Slowing only to
maneuver through makeshift roadblocks where Militia wave machetes,
nailed clubs and spears as they dance.

FURTHER ALONG THE ROAD: a group of Militia swarm over a car, smashing
the windshield, the windows. Inside a family huddles together in
terror, waiting for the windows to give way.

In the gutter by the side of the road, three dead bodies.

                        PAUL
                 (to Tatiana)
            Don't look.

EXT. HOTEL DIPLOMAT. DAY

The convoy pulls up at this older, shabbier hotel. There are other
jeeps, and several staff in a panic. The janitor, ROBERT, sees Paul,
bursts into waves of joy.

                        ROBERT
            Mr. Paul, sir. Oh, Mr. Paul. We must open
            every door right now for the government.

Paul jumps out of the van, hurries to the lead jeep.

                        PAUL
                 (to the Captain)
            The safe is in the manager's office.

The Captain nods to two soldiers.

                        CAPTAIN
            Go with him, get the keys.

INT. HOTEL DIPLOMAT LOBBY. DAY

Paul runs through the lobby. The staff look petrified.

INT. HOTEL DIPLOMAT MANAGER'S OFFICE. DAY

Paul bursts into the room. The two soldiers follow.

He goes to the hotel's big old combination safe, spins the combination
a few times, tries the handle, clunk! It doesn't open. He's forgotten
the number.

The soldiers look at him impatiently. Paul improvises.

                        PAUL
            Gentlemen, you'll find some chocolate,
            and maybe a few beers in the fridge.

Don't let them go to waste.

The soldiers fall over each other to get to the fridge.

Paul tries the safe numbers again, clunk! It opens.

He sees: a big bunch of keys, a wad of dollars, Rwandan francs, a check
book, and several bottles of the best cognac, whiskey, some Cristal.

He looks round nervously but the two soldiers are busy fighting over
the beer and chocolates in the fridge.

As they do, Paul, hands trembling, stuffs the wads of notes, into his
belt, pulls his shirt over and shuts the safe door.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            I've got them.

He is about to leave.

                        SOLDIER 1
            Wait!

Paul looks back at the soldier.

                        SOLDIER 1 (CONT'D)
            Sit down.

Paul sits, as the two soldiers guzzle beers and stuff chocolate into
their pockets.

INT. HOTEL DIPLOMAT LOBBY. DAY

Paul hurries through the lobby toward the entrance.

EXT. HOTEL DIPLOMAT ENTRANCE. DAY

Paul emerges to see:

All of the occupants of the van, Tatiana, his kids, Odette on their
knees, with their hands on their heads.

The Captain hovers over them, pistol in hand, turns, sees Paul. He
marches toward him and SLAPS HIM HARD on the face.

                        CAPTAIN
            Traitor!

Paul reels from the blow, but manages to stay on his feet.

The Captain snatches a bunch of ID cards from a soldier, hurls the
cards in Paul's face.

                        CAPTAIN (CONT'D)
            They are all Tutsi cockroaches.

                        PAUL
            Let me explain.

He grabs Paul by the scruff of the neck, pushes him toward the kneeling
captives. The Captain snatches a pistol from one of his soldiers,
shoves it into Paul's hand.

                        CAPTAIN
            SHOOT THEM!

Paul looks at him.

                        PAUL
            Please, I don't use guns.

                        CAPTAIN
            There is nothing to it.

The Captain raises his own pistol and FIRES it. Everyone jumps with
fright.

                        CAPTAIN (CONT'D)
            Shoot them now or you die first.

The Captain aims his pistol at Paul's head. Cocks the hammer.

                        PAUL
            Captain, what could I pay you not to do
            this?

The Captain laughs.

                        CAPTAIN
            You want to pay me?

                        PAUL
            Why not? These are not rebels, look at
            them. Soon they will be worthless to you.
            Why not take some money, for your work?

                        CAPTAIN
            How much?

                        PAUL
            Name a price.

                        CAPTAIN
            Ten thousand francs for each one.

                        PAUL
            I don't have that much.

The Captain laughs, snatches the gun from Paul, marches toward them.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Wait! Wait!

Paul reaches into his pocket, pulls out the bunch of dollars.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Here, here, a thousand US dollars - fifty
            thousand francs for my family. To let us
            drive off to the Mille Collines.

                        CAPTAIN
            How many in your family?

                        PAUL
            Six.

The Captain looks at his soldiers, at the wad of notes.

                        CAPTAIN
            Pull your family out.

Paul runs over, grabs Tatiana, Roger, the three girls. Odette kneels
beside Tatiana. Paul whispers.

                        PAUL
            Have you any money?

                        ODETTE
            Nothing.

Paul pushes his family toward the van, looks back, sees the Captain
pocket the dollars, move toward the line.

                        TATIANA
            Paul, don't let them die.

                        PAUL
                 (urgent)
            Get in.

Paul pushes them into the van, shuts the door, digs into his soul for
all the courage he can muster, then turns back.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Captain, let these people give you some
            money, whatever they have.

The Captain hesitates. Paul sees this, runs over to the line of
neighbors.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Give me everything, everything you have.

A pathetic rain of Rwandan francs, useless coins, watches, jewelry
falls onto the ground. Paul scoops it all up.

The Captain looks at it, takes it, then:

                        CAPTAIN
            There is only enough for one cockroach.

The Captain raises his pistol.

                        CAPTAIN (CONT'D)
            Pick one to take with you.

Now each terrified neighbor looks to Paul, begging.

                        PAUL
            Wait, wait.

Paul counts the kneeling figures: ten adults, four kids.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Ten.

                        CAPTAIN
            And four children?

                        PAUL
            I'll give you a hundred thousand francs
            for all of them.

The Captain points the gun.

                        CAPTAIN
            Give me it.

                        PAUL
            I don't have it here. At the Mille
            Collines. I can get it for you.

                        CAPTAIN
            You will run into the hotel and hide
            behind the U.N.

                        PAUL
            I swear, Captain, one hundred thousand
            francs, enough for a house. I will get
            the money, you keep them outside.

The Captain smiles.

                        CAPTAIN
            I will keep your family outside. Let's
            go.

EXT. HOTEL FRONT GATE. DAY

The convoy pulls up at the outer gates of the Mille Collines. It's
manned by ARMED UN PEACEKEEPERS.

The Captain walks to Paul in the van.

                        CAPTAIN
            Go with my soldiers. And hurry back if
            you want to keep these cockroaches.

The Captain nods to Paul's children.

Paul jumps into the Rwandan army jeep.

                        PAUL
                 (to UN Peacekeepers)
            I am the manager. Open the gate.

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY

Chaos - UN jeeps, hotel vans, dismayed tourists, frightened Tutsi
refugees.

CLOSE ON: Bik, the Dutch manager, bag packed, anxious, sees Paul.

YELLS.

                        BIK
            Paul, I have to talk to you ...

But Paul ignores Bik, barrels his way through the din and crush of the
parking lot.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

Paul rushes in: The lobby is filled with Tutsi refugees, and scared
white tourists.

A solitary receptionist, besieged by anxious guests, is relieved to see
Paul.

                        RECEPTIONIST
            Oh, sir, please can you...

Paul rushes to the accounting room behind the reception desk, closes
the door.

INT. HOTEL OFFICE. DAY

Paul pulls bundles of dollars from the hotel safe.

EXT. HOTEL. DAY

Paul pushes through the mob at the door. Bik comes up.

                        BIK
            Paul...
                 (grabs Paul)
            ...I have to talk to you.

                        PAUL
            I'll be back.

Paul breaks free and hurries over to the Army jeep.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
                 (hops in)
            Let's go.

EXT. HOTEL FRONT GATE. DAY

Paul jumps from the jeep. Waves to Tatiana in the van, then gives the
money to the Captain.

                        PAUL
            Now let them go.

No response. Money in hand, the Captain eyes Paul with malice.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Don't be foolish. There's more money to
            be made here.

                        CAPTAIN
            You want to buy anymore cockroaches ask
            for Captain Naramunju.

The Captain smiles, then jumps in his jeep and speeds off. Paul runs to
the van and jumps in.

INSIDE THE VAN

Jubilation, in the rear of the van. Odette is in tears.

                        ODETTE
            Thank you, thank you, Paul.

Paul doesn't reply. Tatiana hugs him. He gives her a look - a mix of
relief and anger - the crowd in the back almost cost him his family.

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY

Paul's van arrives. Bik hangs from a minibus.

                        BIK
                 (shouts)
            Paul, I have to go. The staff have fled
            Kivu Lodge. I have to close it.

He flings office keys to Paul.

                        BIK (CONT'D)
            While I'm away, you're in charge.

Bik's van takes off. A group of tourists hears Bik's words.

                        TOURISTS
            Hey, hey, we need our passports, we want
            to get a flight.

Paul looks at them.

                        TOURIST
            They're in your safety boxes. We need
            them right away.

                        PAUL
            Come inside.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

At the desk, the same receptionist is overwhelmed.

                        TOURIST (O.C.)
            He's in charge, that's him.

Paul goes behind the desk. Rumors fly among the crowd of tourists.

                        TOURISTS
            (staccato) to the airport...my embassy
            ...tried to call... the airport is closed
            ... refund... this is outrageous ...

Behind the tourists, Tatiana and the neighbors look lost.

Paul addresses the frightened Western tourists.

                        PAUL
            Please, I am the house manager. Return in
            thirty minutes and we will deal with all
            your requests, thank you.

Paul turns to the room key boxes, nearly all are empty.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            What happened to all the rooms?

Finally he finds a key, pushes through to Tatiana, hands a key to
Odette and Jean Baptiste.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Take this room. Tatiana, bring the
            children.

Paul starts to lead his family away.

                        TATIANA
            (re: neighbors) What about them?

Paul looses it.

                        PAUL
            Them. They almost got us all killed. I
            have done enough for them! We cannot look
            after them anymore.

                        TATIANA
            What are you going to do? You cannot
            drive them out onto the road. They can
            stay with me.

                        PAUL
            What!

                        TATIANA
            I will not have them on my conscience.
            They will stay in my room.

                        PAUL
                 (to Zozo)
            Zozo, get a key for two staff bedrooms.
            Put these people in them.

                        ZOZO
            Yes, sir.

INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR. DAY

Paul hurries his family along the corridor. Rwandan refugees wander
aimlessly pulling their meagre possessions.

                        REFUGEE
                 (calls out)
            Moses, Moses Seradungu.

                        PAUL
            Can I help you?

                        REFUGEE
            I'm looking for Moses Seradungu's room.

                        PAUL
            What is his room number?

                        REFUGEE
            I don't know.

                        PAUL
            Go downstairs, I will help you.

Paul finds his room and opens the door.

INT. HOTEL ROOM. DAY
Paul leads his family into a one-bedroom suite. The kids drop to the
beds exhausted. Tatiana picks up the phone and dials.

                        PAUL
            What are you doing?

                        TATIANA
            Trying Thomas and Fedens. We've got to
            get them here.

Paul paces the room. The maids clearly haven't cleaned it since it's
last occupants: the beds are unmade; towels are on the floor; and a
newspaper is scattered across the desk.

                        PAUL
            (re: room) This won't do.

                        TATIANA
            It will do just fine.

So Paul tidies the place. As he does,

                        PAUL
            Any luck?

                        TATIANA
            No answer. Please send someone to get
            them, please.

                        PAUL
            I'll try.

Paul leaves.

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY

Paul waits, then a car pulls up, an Indian businessman, Mr. Garindi,
gets out, shakes hands, he's shaken.

                        MR. GARINDI
            Terrible times, Paul. There are bodies
            everywhere. I cannot stay here.

                        PAUL
            I need a great favor.

He hands Mr. Garindi an address.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            I need you to go to this address and
            bring my brother-in-law and his family.

                        MR. GARINDI
            No, no. This is a very dangerous part of
            town. I cannot do this.

                        PAUL
            This would be an enormous favor to me. I
            am a man of means, Mr. Garandi. When this
            nonsense is over I will be most grateful.

                        MR. GARINDI
            I will see what I can do.

Mr. Garindi climbs back into his car.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

Paul stops just shy of the lobby. Around the corner is a mob of angry
guests. Paul takes a moment to gather himself: straightens his tie;
button his jacket; flick a piece of lint from his shoulder. Then he
takes a breath and steps around the corner.

                        PAUL
            Thank you for your patience, ladies and
            gentlemen. Now, how can I help you.

The mob rushes him.

                                                             CUT TO:

Paul works the front desk as angry guests surge all around him. Zozo
emerges from the office with two tourists.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Where are the receptionists? Where's
            Gregoire?

                        ZOZO
            He has taken the presidential suite.

                        PAUL
            What!
            Paul storms off.

INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR - DAY

CLOSE ON: A door with a placard reading "Presidential Suite". Paul
knocks. The door opens. Gregoire answers, half-naked.

                        GREGOIRE
                 (surprised)
            Mr. Manager.

                        PAUL
            Gregoire, what are you doing here?

                        A WOMAN'S VOICE INSIDE (O.S.)
            Who is it?

                        GREGOIRE
            What do you want?

                        PAUL
            Get out of this room and get back to
            work.

                        GREGOIRE
            I don't have to listen to you anymore.

                        PAUL
            I am in charge now. Get back to work or
            I'll fire you.

                        GREGOIRE
            Let me ask you Mr. Manager, do you notice
            a smell of cockroaches? If I were to
            leave this room, I'm sure I could find
            this smell. I know people who could
            cleanse it.(stares) But maybe it doesn't
            bother you? Why is that? Are used to this
            smell? Not me, I need a clean room to
            escape it.

Gregoire closes the door. Paul's eyes burn with anger, but this battle
will have to wait.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

Paul comes into the lobby and discovers Colonel Oliver, he is escorting
a tall, well-dressed man, the Tutsi Minister of Finance XAVIER and his
family.

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            Paul, you know who this is?

                        PAUL
            Yes, Colonel Monsieur Xavier, the
            Minister of Finance.

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            Get him a room, but tell no one he is
            here.
                 (to Xavier)
            Paul will look after you.

                        XAVIER
            I will need a suite.

                        PAUL
            Of course.

He moves over to Zozo.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Get the key to suite twelve, take these
            people there right away.

There's a commotion by the door. Paul goes over.

A valet stops a group of Tutsi refugees from entering.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            What's going on?

                        VALET
            Sir, they have no reservations.

Paul studies the group, - a ragged bunch, no way are they Mille
Collines guest material.

                        REFUGEE #2
            Please, sir, we have nowhere else to go.
            They're hunting us.

                        PAUL
            Wait over there.

                        REFUGEE #3
            We need a room.

                        PAUL
            I said everyone go over there.

Paul sees: UN Colonel Oliver giving an interview to the BBC in front of
the hotel.

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY

Paul approaches the BBC reporter Gloria and Colonel Oliver as their
interview concludes.

                        GLORIA
            Do we know who fired the missile that
            killed the president?

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            No. But I fear it's intention may have
            been to kill the peace accords and spark
            a civil war between the Hutu Militia and
            the Tutsi rebels.

                        GLORIA
            We've heard reports of reprisal killings.
            Will the UN intervene to stop the
            bloodshed.?

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            Unfortunately we're here as peace-keepers
            not peace makers, we can't take an
            aggressive role.

                        GLORIA
            If the UN changes your mandate could you
            stop the bloodshed?

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            Yes. With some re-inforcements I'm
            confident we could impose order.

                        GLORIA
            Have you requested re-enforcements?

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            Yes we have.

                        GLORIA
            What was the response?

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            We're awaiting a decision, excuse me.

Colonel Oliver shakes Gloria's hand then moves off toward Paul.

                        COLONEL OLIVER (CONT'D)
            Paul, I've sent my soldiers to rescue the
            Lady Prime Minister, she'll need a room.

                        PAUL
            Yes sir, but these people (points) they
            cannot stay here. I've heard you have a
            refugee center at the airport Stadium?

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            I'm sorry, I can't possibly take them
            Paul. I'm overrun with refugees. As soon
            as we can stabilize the situation we'll
             take them.

Paul moves to the door, where Jock and Gloria argue beside a saloon car
with the word ‘press’ spelt out in tape on the wind sreen

                        JOCK
            For fuck's sake, Gloria There's a big
            news story out there! We need to get out
            and cover it.

                        GLORIA
            We’re not going outside the hotel grounds
            unless we have an armored car. That's the
            ground rules.

                        JOCK
            Ground rules! Where the fuck do you think
            you are, Wimbledon?

                        GLORIA
            We cover the story from here until we
            can get proper protection.

She walks off.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

Paul works his way through the crowds in the lobby, sees a trolley of
dishes by an elevator, looks around, can't see any staff. Disgusted, he
pushes the trolley himself.

INT. HOTEL KITCHEN. DAY

Paul pushes the trolley into the deserted kitchen. At the back door,
several cooks listen to the radio.

                        RADIO ANNOUNCER
            'Good Hutus, we must destroy an
            infestation of cockroaches at the
            technical college.'

                        PAUL
            Turn that off. We have a hotel to run.

The cooks halfheartedly slouch back to the sinks.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. NIGHT

The lobby is overflowing with refugees. Paul stands with phone to ear.

Zozo walks up.

                        PAUL
                 (to Zozo)
            Where's housekeeping? They won't pick up.

                        ZOZO
            Sir, no one wants to work. They say the
            boss has left.

Paul heads for the back office.

INT. HOTEL MANAGER’S OFFICE. NIGHT

A neat corporate office.

Paul picks up the phone.

INT. SABENA PRESIDENT'S OFFICE. BRUSSELS. NIGHT

Several executive officers sit across from Sabena President GODEFROID
around a speaker phone.

                        SABENA PRESIDENT
            Can I have your name again?

                        PAUL (O.S.)
            Paul Rusesabagina, Mr. Godefroid. The
            house manager. I met you on your last
            visit.

                        SABENA PRESIDENT
            Yes, Paul, I remember. The Mille Collines
            is a very important property for Sabena.
            Our directors believe we should close
            down, shutter the place until this unrest
            is over?

This is really bad news. Paul can't allow them to close.

                        PAUL
            Sir, that would be very bad for our
            reputation. We are an oasis of calm for
            all our loyal customers. What would they
            think if Sabena deserted them now? (lies)
            I assure you the United Nations has
            everything under control.

ON THE SABENA PRESIDENT

He looks at the others.

                        SABENA PRESIDENT
            Very well. But if this thing gets worse,
            we must close. If there's anything you
            need, call anytime.

                        PAUL
            There is one thing I need right away.

INT. HOTEL MANAGER’S OFFICE. NIGHT

Paul waits by the fax, then it spits out a single page.

INT. HOTEL BANQUET ROOM. NIGHT

Every member of the hotel staff is gathered together. Paul addresses
them as Zozo hands out copies of a fax.

                        PAUL
            This is my letter of appointment, signed
            by Mr. Godefroid, the president of
            Sabena. The Mille Collines is a five star
            establishment, we will run it that way.
            If you don't want to work for me, then
            leave now.

No one moves.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            I want the hallways cleaned now, a menu
            prepared for the dining room. Where's the
            pianist?

A hand goes up.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            I want you on the piano in the Kigali
            Room tonight. Back to work.

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. MORNING

Paul emerges to find more refugees, some settled on the lawn, others
gathered in clumps by the doorway.

Paul calls over to the valet.

                        PAUL
            Take these people to the rear car park,
            they can't stay here.

Suddenly women and children on the lawn scream and run in fear. Behind
them bushes shake, then suddenly a bloody figure wearing only boxer
shorts bursts out from among the trees and flees to the middle of the
driveway. It's the journalist, BENEDICT, covered in blood. His ear has
been chopped off.

PANDEMONIUM. As Paul runs to him, calls to Zozo.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Get Odette!

Paul grabs Benedict, tries to calm him.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            What happened?

                        BENEDICT
            They're killing everyone. The Lady
            Minister! The UN soldiers. They're at the
            gate.

He points down the driveway. This sparks many of the women refugees,
and white guests, to flee inside the hotel.

Odette arrives with her bag, leads Benedict inside.

Jock has been filming all of this.

EXT. HOTEL DRIVEWAY. DAY

Now Jock runs, camera still on his shoulder, toward the gate.

Paul takes off after him.

More Tutsi refugees running up the driveway in fear.

EXT. HOTEL FRONT GATE. DAY

As Jock films, Paul arrives by the gate house. UN soldiers watch the
outside road. Engines roar, then.

A convoy of Toyota trucks circle on the road outside the gate. Drunken
Militia men on the back wave spears, machetes, one, in a woman's disco
wig, waves a cordless power drill. The drill bit is red with blood.

In the next truck, TWO Militia MEN triumphantly taunt the UN soldiers
as they hold blue UN helmets high on sticks. The helmets are shot
through with holes.

                        MILITIAMAN #1
            We kill UN. We kill you next.

ENRAGED UN SOLDIERS cock their weapons, aim.

A UN armored car races past the Militia and turns into the driveway.

The back door opens, UN Colonel Oliver jumps out.

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            Hold the line here. Do not shoot!
            The Colonel stabilizes the situation, his men watch the militia drive
            by. Paul approaches Oliver

                        PAUL
            What's happening?

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            They murdered my soldiers. Ten Belgians
            who I sent to get the lady minister.

                        PAUL
            Where is she?

Oliver shakes his head. He helps Paul clamber into the armored car.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

Paul follows Oliver as he marches through the lobby. Several reporters
surround them.

                        REPORTERS
            Is it true about the Belgian soldiers...
            Are all ten dead?

Paul watches the UN command disappear into an elevator.

EXT. HOTEL CORRIDOR. DAY

Paul is in the corridor, talking to Tatiana.

                        PAUL
            Has Roger spoken yet?

                        TATIANA
            No, Odette says he's in shock.

                        PAUL
            How can we help him.

                        TATIANA
            He needs to be in a safe place.
                 (a beat)
            Have you heard from Mr. Garindi?

                        PAUL
            Give him time.

There's a clank of metal. Paul looks and sees:

A waiter struggling with a trolley of food by a door.

He hurries to help the waiter as Jock opens, indicates quiet, waves
Paul and the waiter in.

INT. HOTEL BBC ROOM. DAY

The room is set up as a make-shift broadcast center.

Gloria is on a phone to the BBC in London, she hangs up.

                        GLORIA
            Okay, we’re feeding through live now.

She fixes her outfit, sits straight up in the chair. Behind her two
monitors show footage of a plane crash and bodies along roads.

                        GLORIA
            Okay London .... and five four three two
            one ...That’s correct Tom. Today's
            gruesome ambush of a ten man Belgian
            patrol has left the UN peacekeeping force
            in a state of disarray. Its commander has
            called for re-enforcements. However, the
            General Council is deeply divided. The
            United States, still smarting from the
            UN's disastrous Somalia mission, has
            indicated that it will veto any moves to
            reinforce. Meanwhile, the slaughter goes
            on. Gloria Brooks in Kigali, Rwanda.

Gloria on the phone, listens.

                        GLORIA
            And, cut ...good, give me a call guys,
            let me know you’ve got it.

Jock turns to Paul.

                        JOCK
            Perfect timing.

                        PAUL
            This goes out live?

Jock points skyward.

                        JOCK
            Satellite feed.

                        GLORIA (ON PHONE)
            Great. (listens) No kidding, When will
            they be here? Excellent. Yes, call then.

She hangs up.

                        GLORIA (CONT'D)
            The news room has heard that the French
            and the Belgians are putting together an
            intervention force.

                        PAUL
            When will they be here?

                        GLORIA
            Very soon.

                        PAUL
            Thank God.

Jock's is at the window scanning with his camera, getting b roll, then
he sees something.

                        JOCK
            Hey Peter, hook me back into the
            monitors.

Jock’s filming as Peter makes the connection.

                        JOCK (CONT'D)
            Holy shit! Holy shit.

                        GLORIA
            What is it?

Jock focuses

On the monitor: blurry focus of a shanty town on a hill.

NOW FOCUS: Of a crowd hovering close to a group of Rwandan Tutsis
seated on the ground. Two Militia emerge from the crowd, waving
machetes. They SLASH their way along the line, savage, powerful blows,
butchering people like cattle. (Author note: we will use real
news footage of this)

                        JOCK (CONT'D)
            You fucking see that!

                        GLORIA
                 (shock)
            Oh my God!

On Screen: The crowd run off, waving machetes.

Gloria snaps out of her shock, snatches the phone, dials.

                        GLORIA (CONT'D)
            It's Gloria. Listen we've footage,
            unbelievable footage! A massacre!
            Machetes, murderers, dead bodies. You
            have to lead with this. We’ll send it
            through right now. Wait 'til you see
            this.

She puts the phone down, turns to the others, triumphant.

An embarrassed silence in the room. Jock is disgusted by her glee. He
picks up a plate from the trolley.

                        JOCK
            (to Gloria) Here, have a sandwich.

                        GLORIA
            Fuck you.

She storms out. Paul fills the embarrassed silence.

                        PAUL
            I'm glad you filmed this. Now the West
            will have to stop it. Excuse me,
            gentlemen.

EXT. HOTEL CORRIDOR. EVENING

The businessman Mr. Garindi knocks on room 211. Paul opens the door,
sees him, then turns back to Tatiana.

                        PAUL
            Tatsi, come.

Tatsi appears at the door with several of the kids.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            (to the kids) Go back inside.

The kids do as they're told. Paul and Tatsi shut the door and join the
businessman in the hall.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Did you find the twins?

Tatiana clings to Paul, fearful of the news.

                        MR. GARINDI
            I made it to the house but it was empty.
            It had been robbed.

                        TATIANA
            Oh God.

                        PAUL
            Was there blood?

                        MR. GARINDI
            No blood. As I left a neighbor, an old
            woman, waved to me. I went to her house.
            She has the little girls. They are safe.

                        TATIANA
            My brother, his wife. Did this woman know
            of them? Did they leave the children with
            her?

The businessman shakes his head no. Tears run down Tatiana's face. She
holds Paul's arm to stop from falling to the floor.

                        PAUL
            This is not bad news, Tatsi. Perhaps they
            fled or could not make it home. There is
            hope.

                        TATIANA
                 (to the businessman)
            Please go back, bring the children to us.

                        MR. GARINDI
            (frightened)No ma'am, I cannot do that.
            The roadblocks are everywhere. They are
            looking for children. They shout, "Kill
            the babies to clear the infestation."
            Leave them be, they are safe. I have to
            go now.

Paul takes a small wad of notes from his pocket, presses it into the
businessman's hand.

                        PAUL
            Thank you for your help.

He leaves. Tatiana pulls Paul to her.

                        TATIANA
            My sister is dead, Paul. They would not
            leave the children.

                        PAUL
            No. They are not dead. Stop this.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

Paul and Tatiana push through the French tourists and AID workers
running across the lobby.

                        FRENCH TOURISTS
            Mon Dieu, Merci.

Cheers break out. Paul and Tatsi peer from the crowd and through the
lobby window see:

EXT. HOTEL DRIVEWAY. DAY

French and Italian special forces pull into the parking lot, standing
tall in their jeeps, macho western super troops, triumphant. Salvation!

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY

Wild cheering, flowers draped around necks, kisses. Westerners,
Rwandans, dance and sing in celebration.

Paul SEES: Colonel Oliver off to the side, with the commanders of the
French special forces.

CLOSE ON: OLIVER

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            You have a battalion, you could stop this
            now. The Hutu army is no match for you.

                        FRENCH COMMANDER
            Those are not our orders.

Oliver pulls off his blue beret, throws it on the ground, points his
finger at the French and Italian officers.

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            You will remember this day for the rest
            of your lives.

He walks off, returns, picks up his beret.

Paul watches as he storms into the lobby.

Paul follows.

INT. HOTEL BAR. DAY

Paul follows the Colonel into the Kigali Club. The place is empty, the
bartender missing, gone to celebrate.

                        PAUL
            Colonel, what can I get you?

Paul gets behind the bar.

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            Anything. Strong.

                        PAUL
            Canadian Club?

Oliver cracks a weary smile. Paul pours two drinks, slides one across.

He raises his glass.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Congratulations, Colonel. You have saved
            us all.

                        COLONEL OLIVER
                 (raw cynicism)
            Congratulations. You should spit in my
            face.

                        PAUL
            Excuse me, Colonel.

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            We think you are dirt, less than dirt,
            worthless.

                        PAUL
            I don't understand.

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            Don't bullshit me, Paul. You're the
            smartest man here. You have them all
            eating out of your hand. You'd own this
            fucking hotel, except for one thing.

Paul doesn't answer.

                        COLONEL OLIVER (CONT'D)
            You're fucking black! You're not even a
            nigger, you're African!
                 (downs his drink)
            They're not staying to stop this thing.
            They're gonna fly right out of here with
            their people.

                        PAUL
                 (shocked)
            Their people?

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            They're only taking the whites.

INT. HOTEL PAUL’S ROOM. DAY

Paul opens the door. Tatiana and the kids pack bags, prepare to leave.

                        PAUL
            Children, go into the hallway.

Tatiana and the children stop what they're doing, puzzled.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
             (to the kids) Please, go.

The kids leave.

                        TATIANA
            What's wrong?

Paul takes her hands in his.

                        PAUL
            All the whites are leaving.

Tatiana's grip tightens.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            They are being evacuated.

                        TATIANA
            What about us?

                        PAUL
            We have been abandoned.

Tatiana clings to hope.

                        TATIANA
            The soldiers will stop the killers.

Paul looses it.

                        PAUL
            Listen to me woman. I said all the whites
            are leaving. The French, the Italians,
            even the Belgian UN soldiers.

                        TATIANA
            But who is left?

                        PAUL
            I don't know. Colonel Oliver says the UN
            has three hundred soldiers for the whole
            country. Black soldiers, Pakistanis.

He looks up at her.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            The most the Colonel can spare for the
            hotel are four men, and they're not
            allowed to shoot.

He takes her hand, makes her sit down.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            If anything should happen, if the Militia
            arrive, you must take the children and go
            to the roof.

Tatiana's eyes are wide with fear.

                        TATIANA
            What for?

Paul takes his anger out on Tatiana.

                        PAUL
            Do what I say, woman. You hear me? I will
            meet you there.

He storms out.

                                                               CUT TO:

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

REVEAL: A chaos of luggage, white tourists, AID agency people, Italian
and French soldiers, elite, slick.

On the edges, clumps of Rwandans, watching, silent, fearful.

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY

A torrential African rain storm soaks everything. Porters with big
umbrellas run the white evacuees to the buses.

French and Italian commanders check off names on clipboards.

Jock films the evacuees boarding buses.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

At the front desk, Paul, dripping wet from working the convoy, listens
to a French tourist who refuses to pay his bill.

                        FRENCH TOURIST
            Why should I pay to stay in a, in a
            holocaust? Tell me.

Paul, stone-faced, polite, destroys this asshole.

                        PAUL
            You are not staying sir, you are leaving.

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY

Paul watches in the rain as the final agency people are being loaded
onto buses.

Several white aid workers weep uncontrollably as they are dragged away
from frightened Rwandan coworkers.

Paul in the rain.

Across the parking lot Colonel Oliver watches from his jeep.

Jock and his sound man embrace two beautiful young HOOKERS.

One girl begs Jock to take her with him.

                        HOOKER
            Please, please, they will put me on the
            street. They will chop me.

                        JOCK
            Darlin', believe me, if I could...

He digs in his pockets, pulls out money, cigarettes. Everything he has
he gives to her.

Then he pulls her toward Paul, digs out his wallet.

                        JOCK (CONT'D)
            Here. Here.

He pushes two Visa cards into Paul's hands.

                        JOCK (CONT'D)
            Give her what she wants, room, food,
            anything. Charge it all. Don't you put
            her out, Paul.

                        PAUL
            I would never do that.

                        JOCK
            I know that, Paul. I'm sorry.

Here take this.

Jock pulls a Rolex off his wrist.

                        PAUL
            This is a Rolex, I can't take it.

                        JOCK
            Take it for Christ sake. I wish it was a
            fucking aeroplane.

Jock embraces Paul, tears in his eyes.

Gloria watches from the doorway. Embarrassed by Jock, She becomes
officious.

                        GLORIA
            Let’s go, Jock.

                        JOCK
                 (turns on her)
            Go! What the fuck sort of journalists are
            we, running from a war? I'm ashamed. Are
            you? Well, are ya'?

                        GLORIA
            You’re drunk.

Gloria marches onto the bus.

                        GLORIA
                 (to a French soldier)
            What are we waiting for?

                        FRENCH SOLDIER
            We have to evacuate some nuns from a
            convent. They are on their way.

Jock kisses the hooker, heaves his camera onto the bus.

Then there is a disturbance on the driveway.

A group of French nuns, along with maybe a hundred Tutsi women and
children come running up the driveway. They are all terrified. One nun
leads them with a French flag.

French soldiers run forward. A commander orders them to form a line,
blocking the refugees.

French soldiers begin pulling nuns from the terrified crowd.

Several nuns begin hysterically weeping, pulling Rwandan children with
them. Panic breaks out among the crowd.

INT/EXT. BUS. DAY

Jock grabs his camera, pushes off the bus.

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY

Nuns cling to young children. French soldiers wrench the nuns away,
lift them off their feet, carry them to the bus.

JOCK films, as A FRENCH OFFICER screams at him.

The last nun is dragged onto a bus.

Jock looks to Paul, then gets on the bus.

The convoy - French jeeps, buses, Italian jeeps, UN jeeps takes off,
through the refugees, turns a corner, gone.

Paul, drenched, is left alone to fend for his new guests:

Weeping women, frightened children.

EXT. HOTEL FRONT GATE. DAY

The convoy passes the gate house.

Across the road, two jeeps of Rwandan Army soldiers watch the convoy
leave. They get on the radio.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

Where five minutes before the lobby was a frenzy of wealthy Europeans
and aid workers, the groups of clustered black faces are silent except
for the crying of babies and sobbing mothers. Paul picks his way among
them. Zozo catches up.

                        ZOZO
            What do we do with all these people?

                        PAUL
            Open up the ballroom, we'll put them
            there. And Zozo tell the kitchen to make
            rice and beans - a lot of it.

INT. HOTEL PAUL'S ROOM. DAY.

Paul enters, drops to the bed. Tatiana curls up next to him.

                        TATIANA
            You could leave, Paul.

                        PAUL
            What are you saying, Tatsi?

                        TATIANA
            Your card says Hutu. Take our children,
            go and get the twins, pay money at the
            roadblocks. Get them out. Please.

                        PAUL
            Enough of this. We stay together. Let me
            rest, I will feel better then.

Paul puts on his walkman earphones, presses play, the rich cowboy drawl
of Don Williams singing.

Close on: Paul as his eyes droop and to the music.

A kalidiscope of colors filter through drooping eyelids as

Close on Paul’s face, as the music plays.

His eyes open wide, disturbed, music playing

Paul’s POV, an Army lieutenant stands over him, other soldiers around.

The lieutenant reaches down, pulls the earphones from Paul’s ears.

                        LIEUTENANT
            You are the manager?

                        PAUL
            Yes, sir. What is wrong?

                        LIEUTENANT
            Everyone must leave the hotel now.

                        PAUL
            Why sir?

                        LIEUTENANT
            It's an order. Get everyone out now.

                        PAUL
            I...ah...need some time. Please give us
            twenty, thirty minutes. People are
            sleeping.

The lieutenant is not impressed.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Please, have some cold drinks. I will be
            as quick as I can.

'Cold drinks' softens the soldiers' attitudes.

                        LIEUTENANT
            We will be outside, ten minutes.

The soldiers march off. Paul goes back inside. The kids, sensing the
menace, sit still and wide-eyed on the floor. Suddenly Tatiana notices
Roger is missing.

                        TATIANA
            Where's Roger?

Danielle points to under the bed.

CLOSE ON:

Roger trembling under the bed, as Paul's face appears.

                        PAUL
            Come on son, everything is all right.

He slides him out, clutches him in his arms, then turns him over to
Tatiana as he phones the front desk.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
                 (on phone)
            Who is this? Zozo. I know. Get them beer.

He turns to Tatiana.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Go to the roof now.

                        TATIANA
                 (terrified)
            What for Paul.

                        PAUL
                 (forceful)
            Do as I say. I will be there soon.

He hurries out.

INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR. DAY

Paul's door opens, his head appears round the corner.

The corridor is empty of soldiers. Now, frightened Tutsis peer out from
their rooms. A group of men, among them the politician Xavier, are
gathered in the hallway. Paul spots one man holding a pistol. He runs
up.

                        PAUL
                 (to the man with the pistol)
            Are you mad? They will gun us all down.

                        PISTOL MAN
            Better to die by the bullet than the
            machete.

Paul pulls the gun off him.

                        PAUL
            Wait here, please.

Paul hands the gun to Xavier, hurries off.

INT. HOTEL MANAGER'S OFFICE. DAY

Paul bursts in, sits by the phone and dials.

                        PAUL (ON PHONE)
            Good day, General Bizimungu please. Do
            you know where he is? Please ask him to
            call Paul Rusesabagina. It is urgent.

Phone again.

A SERIES OF FLASH CUTS: increasingly frantic calls.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Colonel Bagsora. Where? Can you find him?

ANOTHER CALL:

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Who would order such a thing?

ANOTHER CALL:

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Did you find the General?

Paul hangs up the phone defeated. He looks at his watch. His head flops
onto the desk, onto the Sabena logo. He sees it.

INT. SABENA PRESIDENT'S OFFICE. DAY

The Sabena president and two VPs sit on couches.

                        PRESIDENT
            If British Airways abandons the route we
            should bid for it.

His intercom buzzes, he's annoyed then.

                        SECRETARY (ON PHONE)
            I'm sorry, sir. I have a call from Paul
            in Kigali. He says it's urgent.

The president goes to the phone, hits the speaker button.

                        PRESIDENT
            Paul. Are you alright?

                        PAUL (O.S.)
            We have a big problem. The Hutu army have
            come and ordered us all of us out of the
            hotel.

The president is baffled.

                        PRESIDENT
            Out? Where are you going?

                        PAUL
            I do not know, sir. I think they will
            kill us all.

The president can barely form words to reply.

                        PRESIDENT
            All. What do you mean all?

                        PAUL
            The staff, the guests.

                        PRESIDENT
            The staff and guests! How many?

                        PAUL
            Now we have eight hundred guests and one
            hundred staff. I have ten minutes left.

I wish I could have done more, sir.

Please, thank all my friends at Sabena.

You have been good to me and my family.

                        PRESIDENT
            (panicked) Paul, wait, wait, I'm going to
            put you on hold for one minute, stay on
            the phone.

He hits the hold button. Looks to the other executives. They are
stunned to silence by Paul's profound farewell.

INT. HOTEL MANAGER'S OFFICE. DAY

Paul listens to music on the phone.

INT. SABENA EXTERIOR OFFICES. DAY

Pandemonium - the president has everyone working the phones.

                        PRESIDENT
            Get the prime minister's office. Call
            General Chareaux. Louis get the UN. Tell
            them this is Belgian property.

INT. HOTEL MANAGER'S OFFICE. DAY

The music is suddenly interrupted.

                        PRESIDENT (O.S.)
            Paul, are you there?

                        PAUL
            Yes, thank you Mr. President.

                        PRESIDENT (O.S.)
            Paul, if you have one call in all the
            world to stop this, who would you call?

Paul thinks.

                        PAUL
            The French. They supply the Rwandan army.

                        PRESIDENT (O.S.)
            Paul, do everything you can to buy time.
            I will call you back.

Paul hurries from the room.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

Zozo at the computer, printing something. Paul walks up, sees: The
Hotel's Registry printing. Paul grabs it, studies.

                        PAUL
            What are you doing?

                        ZOZO
            The lieutenant wants the register.

He pushes Zozo toward the elevator.

                        PAUL
            Go and get more beer.

Now Paul is on the computer, typing.

ON SCREEN: The register shows that day's date: April 13.

Paul hits a few keys.

ON SCREEN: The date above the register is April 4.

Paul hits the print button. The printer clicks to life.

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY

Paul with the printed registry and Zozo with beer walk to the jeeps.

The soldiers don't wait for the Captain's order, they mob Zozo, grab
beers. The lieutenant marches up to Paul.

                        LIEUTENANT
            Where's the guest list?

Paul hands him the printout. He studies it, reads.

                        LIEUTENANT (CONT'D)
            Anderson, Arthurs, Boulier. What is this?

                        PAUL
            The guest list. It hasn't been updated
            since the murder of the president.

The lieutenant grabs Paul by the shirt.

                        LIEUTENANT
            Are you trying to make a fool of me?
            There are no Europeans left in that
            hotel. Get me the names of all the
            cockroaches in there.

                        PAUL
            That will take time.

                        LIEUTENANT
            You don't have time. If I do not have the
            names, so that I can pick out the
            traitors, then I will kill everyone here
            in this car park. Get in there now.

Paul turns to walk back in. The lieutenant hurries to his men, pulls
beers from their hands, smashes them on the ground. One soldier comes
running to him with a radio. Paul watches. The lieutenant listens, then
calls to Paul.

                        LIEUTENANT (CONT'D)
            Hey you, come here.

Paul returns.

                        LIEUTENANT (CONT'D)
            Who did you call?

                        PAUL
            Call, sir?

                        LIEUTENANT
            Don't lie to me. What's your name?

                        PAUL
            Rusesabagina. Paul Rusesabagina.

                        LIEUTENANT
            I will remember that name. (turns to his
            soldiers) Let's go.

The soldiers roar off down the driveway.

Zozo looks to Paul, a thank you Jesus look.

EXT. HOTEL ROOF. DAY

Paul emerges onto the roof, sees Tatiana, his children, and many of the
neighbors sitting huddled together. (They do not know the soldiers have
left.)

Tatiana is frozen to the spot.

                        PAUL
            They have gone.

Tatiana grabs him. Tears of joy. Paul's neighbors swarm him, touch him,
thank him like a messiah. This effects him. He seems genuinely moved as
he shakes hands and hugs them.

                        ZOZO
            Sir. The president of Sabena is on the
            phone for you.

INT. HOTEL MANAGER'S OFFICE. DAY

Paul arrives behind the front desk.

Paul hits the button.

                        PAUL
            They are gone. Thank you, sir. What did
            you do?

INT. SABENA PRESIDENT'S OFFICE. BRUSSELS. DAY

Gotfroid is at his desk.

                        SABENA PRESIDENT
            I managed to get the President of France
            on the phone.

                        PAUL (O.S.)
            Thank you, sir, you saved our lives.

                        SABENA PRESIDENT
            Paul, I pleaded with the president to go
            in and get you all. He told me it will
            not happen.

                        PAUL
            Why?

                        SABENA PRESIDENT
            I can give you many political answers
            Paul but the truth is that Africa is not
            worth a single vote to all of them:
            French, British, Americans.

Silence.

                        SABENA PRESIDENT (CONT'D)
            You have to get out of there, Paul. I
            will do whatever I can.

                                                          SMASH CUT TO:

INT. HOTEL MANAGER’S OFFICE. DAY

The elite of the Tutsi refugees, those with contacts or friends abroad,
are gathered in the office.

                        PAUL
            There will be no rescue, no intervention
            force. We can only save ourselves. Call
            any foreigner you know, tell them what
            will happen to us. Say goodbye but when
            you say goodbye, say it as though you're
            reaching through and shaking their hand.
            Let them know if they let go of that
            hand, you will die. (silence) We must
            shame them into sending help.

The others look stunned.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Get on the phones while we still can. At
            least we can say they heard our cries.

Zozo come with me.

Paul leaves.

                                                                CUT TO:

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

Paul looks around the lobby. It resembles a refugee center more than a
five star hotel.

He turns to a computer, calls up the register, then hits DELETE and
erases the register.

He picks up the phone, calls.

                        PAUL
            Send two of the housekeeping carpenters
            to the lobby.

Paul strides across the lobby, calls to Zozo.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Everyone gather together now. Zozo get
            them all together.

They herd together quickly.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            No one can remain in this lobby any
            longer. I have rooms available. Who can
            pay? The rental is six hundred francs per
            day.

About fifty percent of the hands go up.

                        TUTSI WOMAN
            I cannot pay?

                        PAUL
            Go with Zozo to the ballroom. We will
            find you bedding. This is a hotel. No one
            will be allowed to stay in the lobby.

The carpenters arrive beside Paul.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Good. I want you to go around and take
            all the numbers off the doors.

                        CARPENTER
            What shall we put in their place.

                        PAUL
            Nothing. I want no numbers on the doors.

INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR. DAY

Paul going door to door, knocking. The rooms are all packed with Tutsi
refugees. A door opens.

                        PAUL
            Good day. Here is your bill for the last
            week. If you cannot pay, or think you
            will not be able to pay, go to the
            ballroom. Zozo will take care of you.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR. DAY.

Paul knocks on a door. The Tutsi politician Xavier opens the door, sees
that it is Paul.

                        XAVIER
            Come in Paul.

INT. HOTEL LUXURY SUITE. DAY

A beautiful two-bedroom suite. Xavier lives in comfort compared to the
other refugees.

                        PAUL
            I'm afraid you will have to move room.

                        XAVIER
            Move? Where to?

                        PAUL
            I'm going to put you on the third floor.

                        XAVIER
            The third floor are low class rooms.

                        PAUL
            Yes they are. However if the army return
            they will expect important people such as
            yourself to be in these grand rooms.

                        XAVIER
                 (to his wife)
            Pack the bags, we have to move.

                        PAUL
            Also, this is your bill for the last
            week.

Paul leaves, Xavier looks shocked.

                                                            FADE TO:

MONTAGE
Paul and influential refugees, Odette, Benedict (with a bandage over
his missing ear), Xavier and others call, plead, write and send faxes
all around the world. We see this NIGHT and DAY; DAY and NIGHT --

Then Odette on the phone.

                        ODETTE
            Yes, that's right. I helped set up the
            treatment center in Nairobi. I'm in the
            Mille Collines Hotel right now with my
            husband, Peter, and my two boys. If you
            do not help us we will be murdered.

Zozo arrives.

                        ZOZO
            Sir, General Bizimungu is here.

EXT. HOTEL POOL TERRACE. DAY

The pool patio is deserted except for General Bizimungu and three
soldiers who lounge at a table. Gregoire and his girlfriend sun on
reclining deck chairs like movie stars. Paul and a waiter with a tray
of drinks join the General.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            I am glad you are well.

Paul hands the scotch to Bizimungu.

                        PAUL
            I'm sorry it is not Glenmorangie.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            As long as it is scotch.
                 (drinks)
            Your white friends have abandoned you,
            Paul.

                        PAUL
            The United Nations are still here.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            (laughs) The United Nations. Madmen are
            on the streets, Paul. But I will take
            care of you. (chugs his drink) Your
            cellar is well-stocked, right?

                        PAUL
            Yes, General. I am glad you came by. I
            overheard something that I think you
            should know about.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            What did you overhear?

                        PAUL
            A discussion between an American Embassy
            official and a UN Colonel.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            What did they say?

                        PAUL
            The American assured the colonel that
            they would watch everything.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            Watch everything? How? They are gone.

Paul points surreptitiously to the sky. The General looks up.

                        PAUL
            Satellites.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            Satellites?

                        PAUL
            Yes, they can photograph the epaulets on
            your shoulder.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            And what will they do with these
            satellites?

                        PAUL
            The American said intervention is too
            costly, better to get photographic
            evidence and snatch up the high command.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            The high command? Our high command?

                        PAUL
            'Snatch them up and put on a war crimes
            trial. Lock them all away forever. No
            political risk, and big publicity.'
            That's what he said. (a beat) I thought
            I'd better tell you.

The General looks again to the sky then.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            The Americans! Who are they to put us on
            trial. Let us imagine Paul when their
            president Kennedy was shot, they said it
            was a black man. Then their politicians,
            their radio stations gave orders ‘we must
            wipe out these black people before they
            wipe out us.’ What do you think would
            have happened? No different.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Indeed, general. Excuse me momentarily.

INT. HOTEL CELLAR. DAY

Paul fills Bizimungu's briefcase with scotch, hands two six-packs of
beer to Zozo. Paul notes his once packed storeroom, now considerably
dwindled in stock.

                        PAUL
            Where has all our beer gone?

                        ZOZO
            Sir, Gregoire has been taking beers.

                        PAUL
            How much beer?

                        ZOZO
            Many beers.

EXT. HOTEL POOL TERRACE. AFTERNOON

Paul arrives back at the pool, hands Bizimungu his briefcase. Zozo
gives the beer to the soldiers.

                        PAUL
            I am worried about thieves and criminals
            coming into the hotel. Perhaps you could
            arrange for some police to guard us.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            The police are very busy.

                        PAUL
            I understand General, but when I last
            talked to the president of Sabena he
            promised me that anyone who helped
            protect Belgian property would be
            rewarded.

Bizimungu understands this is a financial proposition.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            He did.

                        PAUL
            “Well rewarded” Those were his words.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            If I were to spare a few policemen, where
            would I station them?

                        PAUL
            The front gate would be best, General.

They could check all guests.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            I will see what I can do.

                        PAUL
            I admire you, General. How do you keep
            command of your men amidst such madness?

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            I am strong, Paul, like a lion.

                        PAUL
            I wish I were like you. Look at my staff,
            they won't work, they listen to no one.

Paul nods over toward Gregoire.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            He is staff?

The General gets up.

Gregoire, who is lying face down on the deck chair, doesn't see him
approach. The General pulls the deck chair from underneath Gregoire and
throws it into the pool. As Gregoire tries to scramble to his feet, the
General propels him forward with a massive kick up the ass.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU (CONT'D)
            Get to work, you slug.

Gregoire races from the pool, followed by his girlfriend.

The General clicks his fingers and his soldiers follow.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU (CONT'D)
            Make sure, Paul, your guests are
            generous.

INT. LOBBY. DAY

Benedict greets Paul in the lobby.

                        BENEDICT
            Paul, we would like to speak to you in
            your office.

                        PAUL
            We, who is we?

                        BENEDICT
            A delegation.

INT. HOTEL MANAGER'S OFFICE. DAY

Paul walks in and discovers the office packed with the elite Tutsi
refugees including Xavier, Odette and Jean Baptiste. Paul's puzzled,
there's an air of tension in the room.

                        PAUL
            Yes.

A brief silence, then a Tutsi bank manager speaks.

                        BANKER
            You have no right to charge us rent.

                        PAUL
            Why not?

                        BANKER
            This is no longer a hotel, it is a prison
            and you are profiteering from our misery.

                        ODETTE
            That is not true.

Another accuser speaks up.

                        TUTSI ACCUSER
            Yes it is. He charges for food, for
            everything. Where is all this money
            going? We hear he has a deal with
            Bizimungu.

                        TUTSI ACCUSER #2
            It is said that you work for the murderer
            George Rutagunda.

Murmurs of agreement. Paul has heard enough.

                        PAUL
            I confess. ( a beat) It's true I have a
            deal with General Bizimungu. He was just
            here. I worked out another money making
            scheme for him. New arrivals will be
            taxed at the gate.

Silence.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Do you know what my deal is with
            Bizimungu. I pay him and he keeps you
            alive. Anyone want to take their money
            back?

Paul pulls money from his pocket, hands it around, offers it.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Here, here take it. And you don't have to
            pay your bill. I will move you into the
            ballroom or out into the gardens.

He walks among them.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            And, yes, I work with George Rutagunda.
            I buy rice and beans, beer and soap. I
            will have to visit his warehouse soon
            because we are running out of food. Who
            wants to come with me?

Paul holds the door open.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Anyone who wants to come with me stay
            behind. If not, please leave.

They hurry out, duly chastised. But Odette and her husband Jean
Baptiste remain.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
                 (laughs)
            You are most certainly not coming with
            me. You will get me killed.

                        JEAN BAPTISTE
            You can't go to that place, they know
            what you are doing here.

                        PAUL
            George will not hurt me, I am too
            profitable to him.

                        ODETTE
            What if he is not there?

Paul hasn't got an answer for that one. He leads them out.

INT. HOTEL PAUL'S ROOM. NIGHT

Roger is asleep, on a couch in the living room, several kids sleep on
the floor.

TO THE BED: Where Tatiana suppresses bursts of laughter as Paul relates
the Gregoire story in whispers.

                        PAUL
            As soon as the General left he came
            running back. (mimics Gregoire) Help me,
            sir, I have been possessed by a witch.
            (Paul's own voice now) A witch you say?
            (mimics) Yes, yes, I did not know I was
            in that room. The president's room, why
            would I be in the president's room? (own
            voice) Indeed, the General asked me the
            same. (mimics) Asked you what? (own
            voice) Does Gregoire think he is
            president now?

Paul mimics Gregoire's whimpers of fear.

                        TATIANA
                 (laughing)
            Stop, stop, we will waken the children.

Paul lifts the bottle of fine bordeaux, pours more.

                        PAUL
            Lynch Bages, 84. Perfect with lamb, or
            fine rare beef.

                        TATIANA
            So where is the lamb?

                        PAUL
            Maybe Gregoire and the witch ate it.

They both chuckle, then Paul remembers, a cloud of anxiety comes over
him.

                        TATIANA
            What's the matter?

                        PAUL
            We're running out of beer and other
            supplies.

She kisses him.

                        TATIANA
            The foreigners abandon us and you do
            inventory. You are so conscientious.

She kisses him again, tries to cheer him.

                        PAUL
            I have to go out to get food.

                        TATIANA
            Go out! Where?

                        PAUL
            To Rutagunda's place. It is close by.

                        TATIANA
            No, no.

                        PAUL
            I have to, Tatiana, we are only as
            valuable as the service we provide.

                        TATIANA
            You cannot go alone.

                        PAUL
            I'm not going alone. I'll take Gregoire
            with me. He's a good Hutu, and he wants
            to impress me now.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

The lobby is deserted except for Gregoire now neatly dressed.

                        PAUL
            Gregoire it is good to see you back to
            work.

                        GREGOIRE
            Please, except my humblest apologies...

                        PAUL
            Don't worry. I have a job this morning. I
            must go to visit my good friend George
            Rutagunda. You know George?

Gregoire nods, impressed.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Fetch the van.

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAWN

A thick mist blankets the grounds as Paul and Gregoire emerge.

                        GREGOIRE
            (fearful) Where are we going, sir?

                        PAUL
            For supplies, you drive.

                        GREGOIRE
            The fog is too heavy, sir.

                        PAUL
            Just drive, Gregoire.

INT. VAN. DAWN

They pass the gate, the policemen are asleep in the box.

The van passes along the deserted main road, past a wrecked car, over
broken glass, the fog swirls around them.

Then Gregoire hits the brakes.

In front of them, a makeshift barricade, long poles stretched across
two oil drums.

They wait for someone to appear from the fog: No one.

                        GREGOIRE
            We should go back, sir.

Paul wants to agree, but can't. He opens his door.

EXT. ROAD. DAY

Paul gets out, tentative.

                        PAUL
            Hello?

Nothing. He moves to the barrier, lifts the pole, places it on the
ground, hurries back to the van.

INT. VAN. DAWN

                        PAUL
            Let's go.

They drive past the barricade.

The van weaves through the fog-enshrouded streets.

They slow to check road signs in the fog - on one a woman's dress,
shredded and soaked in blood, is draped like a banner.

EXT. RUTAGANDA'S WAREHOUSE. DAWN

The fog still hangs like a cloud. As they pull up, a group of young
Militia emerge from Toyota trucks.

                        MILITIAMAN #1
            What do you want?

                        PAUL
            We are to meet Mr. Rutagunda.

                        MILITIAMAN #1
            The commander is not here.

                        PAUL
            He will be here.

                        MILITIAMAN #1
            Show me your ID

Paul and Gregoire hand over their ID cards. The Militia man studies
them, then pockets the cards.

                        PAUL
            Excuse me.

                        MILITIAMAN #1
            What?

                        PAUL
            Our cards, please.

                        MILITIAMAN #1
            What cards?

                        PAUL
            You have our cards.

                        MILITIAMAN #1
            No. But I make cards. Would you like me
            to make you two cards?

                        PAUL
            How much?

                        MILITIAMAN #1
            One thousand francs.

Then from out of the fog, three Toyota trucks roar up. George
Rutagunda, heavily armed, in cut-off shorts and an open shirt, his
barrel chest laden with bandoliers, jumps out.

The Militia man pulls out the ID cards, hands them back.

                        MILITIAMAN #1 (CONT'D)
                 (apologetic)
            A joke.

Rutagunda strides over.

                        GEORGE
            Paul. My old friend.

Paul climbs out, greets George, as a Militia man swings open the doors
of the warehouse. They walk in.

INT. RUTAGANDA'S WAREHOUSE. DAY

The warehouse is filled with looted televisions, artwork, cars. George
points to the stacks of beer.

                        GEORGE
            Everything is double the price now, you
            do understand that?

                        PAUL
            I need rice, beans, beer, and your best
            whiskey.

                        GEORGE
            Beer yes, but no whiskey.

                        PAUL
            You have no whiskey?

                        GEORGE
            No whiskey, no spirits. Your rich
            cockroaches at the hotel, they will have
            to do without their scotch. Anyway, I
            have bled that cow enough Paul.

Paul counts out the Rwandan francs.

                        PAUL
            What do you mean George?

                        GEORGE
            Their money is no good to them. Soon all
            the Ineysi will be dead.

                        PAUL
                 (incredulous) )
            You cannot kill them all.

                        GEORGE
            Why not? We are half way there already.

Paul's stomach heaves. He hides it, turns over the money, gets in the
van with Gregoire. George comes to the passenger window.

                        GEORGE (CONT'D)
            Let me give you a tip my friend, our
            generals in the army say 'do not go near
            the Mille Collines or they will send the
            Belgian soldiers back here'. But the
            generals are about to leave, and we will
            be in charge. It is time to butcher your
            cow for the meat. (a beat)
            You can help us Paul. You have some very
            important traitors at your hotel. The
            politician Xavier. The liar Benedict. If
            we were to get them, then maybe we could
            let one or two cockroaches get away. You
            understand, Paul.

Paul says nothing, but Gregoire has been listening very carefully.

                        PAUL
            Let's go.

                        GEORGE
            Take the river road back. It is clear.

The van takes off.

INT. VAN. DAWN

The fog has gotten thicker. They can barely see a yard ahead.

                        PAUL
            Are you sure this is the river road?

                        GREGOIRE
            I saw the sign.

The van begins to bump erratically. Bump, bump, bump.

                        PAUL
            Stop. You've driven off the road.

You'll put us in the river.

The van jerks to a halt.

EXT. RIVER ROAD. DAWN

Paul clambers out, stumbles, falls.

And discovers he's looking at the face of a dead child, a young Tutsi
girl, her hands clasped on her ears as though to block the sound of her
own death - an African Munz's Scream.

Paul clambers to his feet, sees that the van is on a road littered with
dead bodies, men, women, children.

The bumps were dead bodies, the van has driven over them.

A breeze from the lake blows the fog clear for thirty feet.

REVEALING: a carpet of bodies, hundreds of them sprawled all along the
road as far as Paul can see. Paul wanders stunned among misshapen
corpses, made more ghostly by wisps of fog.

Finally, Paul clambers shell-shocked back into the van.

                        PAUL
            Go back! Go back!

Gregoire throws the van into reverse.

They bump back over the carpet of bodies, each shake and crunch another
horror.

EXT. HOTEL REAR DELIVERY AREA. DAY

The van pulls up at the rear suppliers entrance. Paul hops out, turns
to Gregoire.

                        PAUL
            Tell no one what you saw, do you
            understand?

Gregoire, Zozo and the porters begin unloading the van.

EXT. HOTEL GARDENS. DAY

Paul wanders to a bench set back in a manicured grove of bushes. Beyond
him a crowd of Rwandan refugee children play in the swimming pool,
laughing, jumping, splashing like they were at a municipal pool in
Central Park.

Paul watches. Tears stream from his eyes, the stream grows into a
flood, he buries his face in his hands.

Then a voice.

                        LITTLE BOY (O.S.)
            Mr. Manager.

Paul wipes his eyes, turns.

A little boy stands behind him, holding out his arm.

                        LITTLE BOY (CONT'D)
            Mr. Manager, sir.

Then Paul sees what is wrong. The boy Has a big thorn imbedded in the
muscle of his arm. Paul studies it.

                        PAUL
            That's a big one. (pinches the thorn)
            Here we go.

Paul pulls on the thorn, the kid doesn't flinch.

Paul picks him up, carries him to the pool, throws him in.

INT. HOTEL PAUL'S ROOM. NIGHT

Tatiana feeds the children - rice and beans. Paul arrives.

                        CHILDREN
            Good evening, Papa.

                        PAUL
            Roger, you have no greeting for me.

Roger tries to speak, struggles to mouth the words but nothing comes
out, as though he has forgotten. Tears form in his eyes.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            There, do not worry, no tears.

He hugs him, puts him back at his food, then takes Tatiana's hand,
leads her to the door.

                        TATIANA
            (whispers) Where are we going?

They slip out.

INT. HOTEL ROOF DOOR. NIGHT

Tatiana stops.

                        TATIANA
            Please, Paul, why do we have to go to the
            roof?

                        PAUL
            It's alright. This is the only place I
            can find some peace.

EXT. HOTEL ROOF. NIGHT

Paul slips out onto the roof. Tatiana follows. Artillery and mortar
fire rumble in the distance. Flashes silhouette along the far hills
above Kigali.

He leads her to a blanket, a candle, two glasses and the bottle of
wine. They sit. He opens the wine.

                        TATIANA
            (laughs) I hear we must pay for
            everything. How much for this?

                        PAUL
            A kiss.

They kiss.

                        TATIANA
            You are a very good man, Paul
            Rusesabagina.

She kisses him again.

                        PAUL
            I have a confession. When we met...

                        TATIANA
            In Ruhengeri?

                        PAUL
            Yes, when you worked as the nurse.

                        TATIANA
            Yes.

                        PAUL
            I had you transferred to Kigali.

                        TATIANA
            What?

                        PAUL
            I bribed the Minister of Health to have
            you transferred to Kigali.

                        TATIANA
            Why?

                        PAUL
            To be closer. So that I could marry you.

                        TATIANA
            What was the bribe?
                 (silence)
            What am I worth to you?

                        PAUL
            It was substantial.

                        TATIANA
            Tell me what it was.

                        PAUL
            A car.

                        TATIANA
            What sort of car?

                        PAUL
            What does it matter.

                        TATIANA
            I want to know.

                        PAUL
            A Volkswagen.

                        TATIANA
            A Volkswagen!

She slaps him playfully.

                        TATIANA (CONT'D)
            I hope it was a new Volkswagen.

She kisses him, they lie back on the roof, kiss passionately.

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY

Paul instructs the porters to clean around the entrance.

The UN armored car comes up the driveway. Colonel Oliver gets out,
strides across the tarmac, he shakes Paul's hand.

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            Great news, Paul, we're going to get you
            out of here.

The sweetest words Paul has ever heard.

INT. HOTEL BANQUET ROOM. DAY

Oliver is on the stage, all the refugee guests are crowded into the
room he has a list in his hand.

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            The UN has been notified that the
            following families have received travel
            visas from the following countries.

He reads.

                        COLONEL OLIVER (CONT'D)
            Abukesu - Tanzania, Arumangu -Zambia,
            Bawroanga - Kenya,

CLOSE ON: Elation among the chosen families.

                        COLONEL OLIVER (CONT'D)
            Gituaranga - Zambi, Horangora - Belguim

CLOSE ON - Fear on the faces of families who realize they have missed
this alphabetical list, anxiety among the others.

                        COLONEL OLIVER (CONT'D)
            Paramisambi - Zambia, Rusesabagina -
            Belgium.

Tatiana kisses Paul.

                        COLONEL OLIVER (CONT'D)
            Zamacanga - Ghana. A plane will land at
            the airport tomorrow and the named
            families will be flown to Kenya. Two UN
            trucks will be here at 7 a.m. The named
            families must be ready to leave then.

A voice calls out.

                        TUTSI WOMAN
            Colonel, sir. Why not take us all to the
            airport? We can wait there to obtain
            visas.

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            I can't do that. Our camp at the airport
            is overwhelmed already. We could not
            defend you there. You are better to stay
            here and work to get an exit visa.

Oliver jumps from the stage, pushes through the crowd.

Paul's POV: Odette and Jean Baptiste are silently devastated. He pushes
through to the Colonel now surrounded by those who didn't make the
list.

                        PAUL
            Colonel, Odette Camundu ... she must be
            on the list.

Oliver shakes his head no.

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            Paul, only those I called can get on the
            trucks. I do not want to have to pull
            people off, you understand?

Paul nods yes. Tatiana arrives beside him, pulls him aside.

                        TATIANA
            I will not leave without the twins.

                        PAUL
            We have to get out of here Tatiana.

                        TATIANA
            Please, please try one more time.

                        PAUL
            I'll try but we have to leave, with or
            without them. I want you to promise.

She reluctantly nods yes.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

Mr. Garindi waits nervously in the lobby.

Paul arrives.

                        MR. GARINDI
            It is dangerous to be here. The radio
            says this is a nest of cockroaches.

                        PAUL
            I need one last favor. Go back and get
            the twins.

                        MR. GARINDI
            (emphatic) No, it is impossible. That
            side of town has been destroyed in the
            fighting. The children are dead.

                        PAUL
            How do you know?

                        MR. GARINDI
            Everyone is dead there. The dogs eat the
            bodies in the street. I have to go.

                        PAUL
            I will give you my house.

The businessman turns back.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            It's a fine house. Here is a paper.

Paul spots an elegant woman carrying laundry toward the elevator. He
runs to her.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Madame Kawunda, please.

Paul leads her over.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            I need you to witness this signature.

                 (to the businessman)
            Madame Kawunda is the Minister for
            Agriculture. She is a very reliable
            witness.

Paul signs, then hands the pen to the puzzled woman.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Please witness this deed.

She signs. Paul pushes the deed into the man's hand.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            There, now go and find them. They have no
            papers. No one knows they are Tutsi. They
            will be alive.

The businessman heads for the door.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            You must be back by 7:00a.m. tomorrow.

Paul watches him go.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Seven, remember.

The Mr. Garindi leaves.

EXT. HOTEL GARDENS. NIGHT

Paul skirts the little groups of poor families bivouacked on the lawn.

The smoke of cooking fires has replaced the Tiki lanterns. The grounds
are a mini refugee camp.

Paul joins Tatiana, Odette and Jean Baptiste who sit at a table by the
pool.

                        ODETTE
            Don't worry, Paul, we will make the next
            list.

Zozo arrives, with beers, serves them, is about to leave. Tatiana grabs
him by the arm.

                        TATIANA
            Sit with us Zozo.

                        ZOZO
            No ma,am, I am too busy.

                        PAUL
            Zozo you are family, join us.

Zozo is shocked by this breach of protocol but sits.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            You are my dearest friends. I promise you
            before God that I will not sleep until I
            have you out of here. All of you.

He embraces Jean Baptiste

                        JEAN BAPTISTE
            It is good that you are going, Paul,
            because now we know we have one person
            who will save us.

Odette hugs and kisses him.

                        ODETTE
            We owe you our lives.

Paul takes Zozo in his arms.

                        PAUL
            You are my family now, Zozo, my brother.
            I will get you out of here.

                        ZOZO
            Thank you, sir.

                        PAUL
            Let us remember this night and tell the
            world that even in hell there are good
            people.

A unbreakable bond of faith with each other.

                                                              CUT TO:

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

The lucky families are gathered: Tatiana and all her children; Xavier
and his wife; Benedict; and others.

Some of the unlucky ones peer around the door of the ballroom. A UN
officer stands in their way.

                        UN LIEUTENANT
            Back. Everyone back. Only those with
            letters of acceptance in the lobby.

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY

The UN convoy waits outside. Tatiana waits nervously as Paul checks
his watch.

                        TATIANA
            A little longer, Paul?

                        PAUL
            We wait until 7:00. If he is not here
            with the twins he is not coming. We
            leave. That was your promise. Go help the
            children.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

Paul is in a horrible mood. The refugees in the ballroom try to push by
the UN officer. Paul joins him.

                        UN LIEUTENANT
            Back, please. Stay back.

                        PAUL
            Zozo, tell those people to get back to
            the ballroom. They can not be here.

Zozo scampers off.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            What are we waiting for? Come on.

Paul herds the convoy people toward the door.

CLOSE ON: Gregoire watching from behind the front desk.

Through the doors we see the trucks being loaded.

Zozo returns.

                        ZOZO
            Sir, the others want to speak to you.

Reluctant, Paul walks over to the ballroom dwellers.

                        PAUL
            Yes.

                        TUTSI WOMAN
            Good, sir we have letters, please take
            them for us.

Paul reaches out for the letters, takes them, reads the addresses:

President Nelson Mandela. Pope John Paul. President Clinton.

                        TUTSI MAN #1
            If you leave, we are certain to die.

                        ZOZO
            I have a letter, sir.

Zozo hands Paul the letter. He studies the address. It reads "To the
great man Muhammad Ali."

Others crowd around.

                        PAUL
            I will get you all visas. I promise. I
            will get you out of here.

Paul's at a loss. He has to tear himself away.

Afraid to look back, he heads for the convoy.

EXT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

The last of the evacuees clamber onto the UN trucks. The children are
on board but Tatiana waits.

                        TATIANA
            Ask them to wait a little longer. For the
            twins.

                        PAUL
            Get on the truck, Tatiana.

                        TATIANA
            No.

He checks his watch, then takes her in his arms.

                        PAUL
            Look, our children are crying, please get
            on the truck.

Paul helps Tatiana on board. He looks toward the door.

POV: The unlucky refugees are now crowded at the windows, lost souls
watching out from their prison at the lucky ones.

Paul whispers to Benedict as he boards.

INT. TRUCK DAY

Paul clambers on beside him. He reaches Tatiana as Benedict sits
beside her.

                        PAUL
            I have to stay.

                        TATIANA
            No! Sit down now.

                        PAUL
            I cannot leave these people. I will wait
            for the twins.

Paul backs off. Tatiana tries to follow. Benedict grabs her.

                        TATIANA
            Let go. Let me off this truck.

A commotion as she tries to get up.

                        TATIANA (CONT'D)
            Let me go. Children get off.

                        PAUL
            I will follow on the next plane. Go.

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY.

The truck starts up. Paul runs beside it, shouts to Tatiana.

                        PAUL
            I love you. Keep the children safe.

                        TATIANA
            Paul!
            Then another voice.

                        ROGER
            Papa! Papa!
            The convoy takes off down the driveway.

Paul, Zozo and other refugees cluster by the door.

Zozo looks round,
Sees: Gregoire put a phone down.

INT. UN JEEP. DAY

UN Colonel Oliver sits next to a UN PAKISTANI DRIVER.

The convoy passes looters and small groups of Militia on the road but
proceeds unheeded.

INT. HOTEL PAUL'S ROOM. DAY

The room is still littered with clothes, kids drawings, the personal
junk accumulated over four weeks.

Paul tries to arrange things, then collapses on the bed, paralysed with
doubt - Why did he do this?

Then the door bangs.

                        ZOZO
            Boss, sir, quick, please, come quick.

INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR. DAY

The door springs open, Paul confronts Zozo.

                        ZOZO
                 (breathless)
            Sir, the radio, you must hear, it is on
            the radio.

INT. HOTEL KITCHEN. DAY

Paul and Zozo burst into the kitchen. The cooks and others are
clustered, listening to the radio.

                        RADIO ANNOUNCER (O.S.)
            ...Block the roads to the airport! The
            cockroaches from the Mille Collines are
            escaping! Xavier. The liar Benedict, the
            traitor Rusesabagina's cockroaches. Stop
            them now at Rue Don Bosco. Thirty
            thousand francs for the head of Xavier!

                        PAUL
            Dear lord, how did they know?

                        ZOZO
            I saw Gregoire make a call, sir?

                        PAUL
            When?

                        ZOZO
            As the trucks go.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

Paul bursts out of the kitchen - enraged.

Gregoire is at the front desk. Sees Paul - understands instantly.

Gregoire takes off, running for his life.

EXT. HOTEL GARDENS. DAY

Paul chases after him, through the door.

Gregoire disappears into the thicket of trees.

Paul after him.

Through the trees.

Gregoire, younger, faster, climbs the high wire fence.

Finally, Paul reaches the fence.

Sees Gregoire escape into the bushes on the other side of the fence.

Paul gives up, turns back toward the hotel.

INT. JEEP TRAVELLING. DAY

As the UN jeep turns a bend, Colonel Oliver SEES crowds of Interahamwe
swarming from beside houses, from gardens. They pull burning tires, old
furniture, junk onto the road.

INT. TRUCK TRAVELLING. DAY

The UN truck suddenly lurches, then slows. The refugees from the Mille
Collines grow alarmed.

                        TATIANA
            What's happening?

INT. HOTEL OFFICE. DAY

Paul is on the fax phone, begging.

                        PAUL
            Please, General, I will give you money,
            whiskey.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU (O.S.)
            You said you had no whiskey.

                        PAUL
            Please, I have money. They're driving
            into an ambush, it's on the radio.

EXT. KIGALI STREET JUNCTION. DAY

Swarms of crazed Militia fill the road. Gun fire breaks out.

Colonel Oliver steps from the jeep, waving his pistol in the air.

Militia men swarm around him, push past to the truck.

INSIDE THE TRUCK:

A MACHETE SLASHES through the canvas.

Children scream, HANDS GRAB at people.

Benedict is hauled off the truck. Beaten.

Tatiana protects her kids in a corner, kicking at the hands that grab
for her.

ON THE STREET: Xavier falls to the ground.

Screams, shouts, MORE SHOTS.

Oliver fights his way through to Xavier.

Oliver points his pistol.

The crowd backs off slightly.

Xavier gets to his feet.

BANG - more gun fire. IMMACULATA falls, wounded in the foot.

More are dragged from the trucks. Machetes flash in the sun.

Then HORNS, GUNFIRE - RWANDAN SOLDIERS drive through the crowd in two
jeeps. The crowd scatters, then re-forms as Rwandan soldiers push
between the Militia and the refugees.

As they do, another Militia gunman steps out, fires wildly at the
refugees, but wounds A RWANDAN SOLDIER in the stomach.

Suddenly fights erupt between the Militia and the soldiers.

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY

Paul paces up and down, he can hear gunfire in the distance.

MACHINE GUNFIRE - THEN SINGLE SHOTS.

Paul jumps in the van, guns the engine, drives.

EXT. HOTEL FRONT GATE. DAY.

Paul's van speeds toward the gate.

THEN - A LOUD METALLIC SCREECHING NOISE

As a UN JEEP, its tires shot out, sparks cascading from wheel rims,
screams up to the guard house.

Paul slams on the brakes.

The jeep is followed by the two trucks, their canvas slashed fluttering
in the wind.

Paul throws the van into reverse and clears the way.

The convoy pulls up in front of the hotel.

Bloody and battered, the terrified refugees fall from the trucks.

Paul and Odette run among the casualties. Then he sees them:

Tatiana, clothes torn, scratches on her face.

The kids screaming in terror.

Paul runs to them, grabs, kisses, weeps louder.

Battered refugees everywhere, other hotel residents looking on -
equally terrified because: They know they are doomed.

Paul sees Roger, trembling, tears soak his face.

                        ROGER
            Papa! Papa!

He grabs Roger up. Tatiana struggles to Paul, embraces.

                        PAUL
            Thank God you are safe.

Tatiana breaks from the embrace.

                        TATIANA
            Did he bring the twins?

Paul shakes his head no.

EXT. HOTEL GARDENS. DAY

Paul sits alone on his secluded bench in the garden.

A cloud of despair shrouds him.

As he watches several women dip cooking pots into the pool.

He hurries toward them.

                        PAUL
            What are you doing?

                        TUTSI WOMAN
            There is no water from the pipes.

Paul heads for the front doors. He's intercepted by the two Rwandan
policemen stationed at the gate by Bizimungu.

                        GENDARME
            Where is our beer? You promised us beer.

                        PAUL
            Did you explain to the good General that
            I have temporarily run out of stock?

                        GENDARME
            He said to ask Mitterand and the French
            to send you more.

                        PAUL
            You will get it in due time. Now, please,
            get back to the gate.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

Paul enters, sees Zozo.

                        PAUL
            What is this about no water?

                        ZOZO
            It's true, sir, the water has been turned
            off.

INT. HOTEL MANAGER’S OFFICE. DAY

Paul enters. Odette, Benedict watch CNN on the TV.

Paul shakes his head in disbelief.

                        PAUL
            We can still get CNN here in hell.

A state department woman gives a press conference.

                        ODETTE
            The Americans are talking about us.

ON TV:

                        STATE DEPT. OFFICER
            From the reports we have received from
            Rwanda it appears that acts of genocide
            have been committed.

                        REPORTER
            Excuse me, how many acts of genocide does
            it take to declare this a genocide?

                        STATE DEPT. OFFICER
            I, ahh, there is, ahh we have
            terminology, that has been.

                        BRIT REPORTER
            You haven't answered the question. How
            many acts of genocide before your
            government will declare this a genocide?

                        STATE DEPT. OFFICER
            I'm not prepared to, nor am I able.

Everyone in the room is dumbfounded.

Then Benedict begins laughing, a maniacal laugh, then he bangs on his
chest, and hoots like a chimpanzee.

                        BENEDICT
            I've got it. I have the answer. Watch.

They all stare as he begins beating his chest, and hopping about like
an ape.

                        BENEDICT (CONT'D)
            We must become mountain gorillas. Then
            they can put us on the endangered species
            list. Come on, try it. They think we're
            halfway there already.

Benedict hops up onto a desk.

The door flies open. It's General Bizimungu.

He surveys the room, then points at Paul.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            Come here.

INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR. DAY.

Bizimungu looks terrible, an alcoholic suffering D.T.s.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            Where are my supplies?

                        PAUL
            I'm sorry, General. The cellar is empty.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            You have cockroaches dancing on tables
            and you tell me the cellar is empty? Did
            they drink my whiskey?

                        PAUL
            No. We have no way of finding other stock
            but I have money for you from the guests.

Paul pulls a bundle of notes, hands them to the General.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            Rwandan francs! They are only good now
            for wiping your ass. There is nothing
            more I can do for you people. No police.
            No protection. You're on your own.

The General storms off.

INT. LOBBY. DAY

Paul walks through the lobby. He carries an ash tray to a trash can,
the futile task of a dedicated hotel manager on auto-pilot. He sees a
UN jeep pull up outside.

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY

Paul meets the UN soldiers, (They are the four Ghanians who guard the
gate). They look frightened.

                        UN OBSERVER
            The policemen have gone. What happened?

                        PAUL
            I ran out of whiskey. Please go down and
            guard us.

Then ROAR of an engine and the CRASH of splintering wood.

As a battered Toyota pickup appears, it races up the driveway. The
truck drags the wooden gatehouse on a rope behind.

Crazed Militia pack the bed of the pickup.

BANG, BANG, BANG. A Militia man fires a pistol into the air.

The Tutsi refugees camped on the lawn flee in panic as the Militia
truck speeds around the driveway.

The Militia taunt and yell at the Tutsi refugees.

The truck does a screeching turn and heads back down the driveway,
leaving a trail of splintered wood.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Get down there and stop them, please.

Now the Ghanians are really frightened.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Get down and stop them.

                        UN SOLDIER
            You know we cannot shoot.

                        PAUL
            What do you mean you cannot shoot?

                        UN SOLDIER
            We are peacekeepers, it is not in our
            mandate to shoot.

                        PAUL
            Then go and pretend you are soldiers.

EXT. HOTEL GARDENS. NIGHT

Paul and Tatiana pass the clusters of families around their cooking
fires. They pass the pool, now just a third full. He sits her on the
bench in the grove.

                        TATIANA
            We are almost out of water.

                        PAUL
            We are almost out of everything.

He takes her hand.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            We had a good life, you and I. I want to
            make our peace. To thank God for the time
            we had.

He kisses her, total love.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            We have to have a plan.

                        TATIANA
            What sort of plan?

                        PAUL
            Our children cannot see us die first. If
            the Militia comes, you must hurry up to
            the roof. I will meet you there.

                        TATIANA
            Please do not talk like this.

                        PAUL
            We have to. If I do not come, you must
            take them all by the hands and jump.

She puts her hands to her ears. He pulls them down.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            The machete is no way to die. Promise me
            you will do it.

She cries harder and squeezes his hand in fear.

Suddenly, A BANG, from behind them and then above their heads a trail
of fire - an RPG rocket - zigzags toward the hotel.

A HUGE EXPLOSION on the wall, one-story beneath the roof.

Paul throws Tatiana to the ground, covers her.

Smoke and concrete dust fall around them.

INT. HOTEL STORE ROOM. NIGHT

Paul, Zozo stand amongst the debris: a gaping hole in a wall. The room
is covered in burned note papers, menus brochures for Sabena's two
hotels, the Mille Collines and the Diplomat.

Odette appears carrying her medical bag.

                        ODETTE
            Was anyone hurt?

                        PAUL
            No. It was only a storeroom.

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. NIGHT

Colonel Oliver arrives in his armored truck. Paul, Odette, Benedict and
others gather around him.

                        PAUL
            They fired a rocket at us.

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            Yes. Where are the Rwandan police?

                        PAUL
            I ran out of bribes. Bizimungu took them
            away.

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            That explains it. I'm sorry to tell you
            this but we've heard rumors the Militia
            are getting ready to storm the hotel.

                        PAUL
            Will you protect us.

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            I can't, I don't have the men.

                        VARIOUS VOICES
            We have no one...We will be killed.

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            There's one option.

                        PAUL
            What is it?

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            The rebels have fought their way into the
            city. They have many Hutu prisoners.

They're willing to exchange them for you
all.

                        ODETTE
            Will the Hutu army agree?

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            I think so. They are in disarray now. The
            rebels are winning, and the Hutu high
            command are anxious to get some of their
            men back.

                        TUTSI WOMAN
            How would we escape?

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            By convoy.

                        XAVIER
            This time the Militia will kill us.

                        PAUL
            They will surely kill us here. It's over
            here. We have to take the chance.

                        TUTSI WOMAN
            No, we'll be chopped on the street.

                        PAUL
            We'll be chopped here.

The crowd disperses. Colonel Oliver takes Paul aside.

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            A man came to my headquarters, asked that
            I give you this.

Colonel Oliver hands a letter.

                        COLONEL OLIVER (CONT'D)
            Paul, I need you to buy me a day or two.
            I don't have the fuel for this convoy. I
            will have to scrounge it.

                        PAUL
            I can't. I have nothing left to bribe
            with. Can your men at the gate hold out
            for another day?

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            No, Paul, they're afraid. They've
            demanded to be moved back to headquarters
            now.

                        PAUL
            Give me their uniforms. I will put people
            at the gate, in disguise.

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            I wish I could, Paul. Try to hold out.

One more day.

Colonel Oliver leaves. Their is nothing more Paul can do.

INT. HOTEL PAUL'S ROOM. NIGHT

Tatiana is beside him. He opens the envelope, finds his makeshift house
deed and a note.

                        PAUL
            It's from Garandi.
                 (reads)
            I am sorry. There is no hope for the
            twins. The old lady's house has been
            destroyed.

INT. HOTEL PAUL'S ROOM. NIGHT

Paul sleeps fitfully. It is almost dawn, then he sits up.

                        PAUL
            The Diplomat!
            Tatiana wakens, startled.

                        TATIANA
            What's wrong?

                        PAUL
            I have to go to the Diplomat.

INT. OFFICE. DAWN

Paul is on the one working phone.

                        PAUL
            General, sir. I am glad to find you. I
            have found you some supplies.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU (O.S.)
            Whiskey?

                        PAUL
            The finest, and cognac, champagne. Come
            and I will get them for you.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU (O.S.)
            I'll be over.

                        PAUL
            Bring back your policemen...

...But the line is already dead.

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY

Bizimungu's jeeps arrives at the hotel. Paul greets him.

                        PAUL
            We must go to the Diplomat.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            Get in.

                        PAUL
            Your police are at the gate?

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            After the Diplomat!
            Paul clambers in the back.

INT. JEEP TRAVELLING. DAY

The jeep turns away from the Mille Collines front gate.

They travel at high speed along the road. Then the driver sounds his
horn, because...

Paul sees: A large crowd of Militia marching along the road toward the
hotel, waving machetes and sticks.

                        PAUL
            Where are they going?

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            They can go where they want. They are in
            charge now.

                        PAUL
            What do you mean, General?

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            We have decided to move the government to
            Gitarama.

                        PAUL
            When?

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            Today.

EXT./INT. DIPLOMAT HOTEL. DAY

Paul arrives into the lobby of the Diplomat. Looters have stripped the
place bare. The convoy pulls up. General Bizimungu stands with his
pistol out. The looters see him and disperse.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            Maggots!

INT. DIPLOMAT HOTEL OFFICE. DAY

Paul enters the manager's office, followed by the General. It has been
stripped clean, except for the safe, which is pock-marked with bullet
strikes.

CLOSE ON: Paul: he sees a big problem. The dial is damaged.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            Do your work.

Paul goes to the safe and turns the dials, tries the handle - nothing.

It is incredibly hot, and Paul is soaked with nervous perspiration, he
takes off his jacket.

                        PAUL
            It might be damaged, General.

Bizimungu's look says: it better not be for your sake.

Paul starts again, turns the dials more carefully, tries and opens the
safe door. CLICK.

He pulls it open, sees six bottles of Glenfiddich, four bottles of VSOP
brandy.

Bizimungu is joyous as Paul hands him a bottle
Bizimungu sits on a window ledge, takes a swig.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            Here. (offers) To celebrate.

Paul takes a swig.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU (CONT'D)
            You know what the Scottish call it?

                        PAUL
            No.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            Ishca Baha - the water of life. I went on
            a tour once of the finest single malt
            distillery in the world. Have you ever
            been to Scotland?

                        PAUL
            No, sir.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            Wonderful country, wonderful golf. I
            wonder - will I ever go back? What do you
            think?

                        PAUL
            I hope we all get to do many things. Can
            we go now?

The soldier arrives with a box. He whispers to Bizimungu.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            (to the soldier) Pack those carefully,
            put them in my jeep, and guard them.

                        PAUL
                 (looses his cool)
            Please, General, call and put your
            policemen back at the gate.

The soldier packs the bottles. Bizimungu pours into Paul's cup.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            I am going to do you a great favor.
            (studies glass) I am going to take you
            with us to Gitarama.

                        PAUL
            I do not want to go to Gitarama, General.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            You cannot go back to the hotel. The
            crazy men are going there now. Better to
            come with me.

Paul is now terrified.

                        PAUL
            The Militia are at the hotel?! We must go
            back now, General, please, for my family.

Bizimungu, now tipsy, drinks more.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            We are better here.

                        PAUL
                 (desperate, forceful)
            Listen, you need me.

Bizimungu laughs.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            You are a marked man.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            How so.

                        PAUL
            The Americans, and the UN they have you
            as a war criminal. You are on a list.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            I am on a list! What list?

                        PAUL
            When the Europeans left, their soldiers
            gathered lists.

Bizimungu grabs Paul.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            You lie.

                        PAUL
            If you do not help me, you will stay on
            that list.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            I committed no war crimes.

                        PAUL
            Who will tell them? You need me to tell
            how you helped the hotel. The others who
            have gone, they blame you for all their
            misfortune. They say you led the
            massacres.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            (nervous now) I led no massacres.

                        PAUL
            You think they will believe you?

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            You will tell them the truth.

                        PAUL
                 (defiant)
             I will do nothing unless you help me now.

Bizimungu reaches for his pistol.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            What are you going to do, shoot me? It
            will be a blessing. Go ahead shoot. I
            will pay you to shoot my family. You can
            do nothing to me!

Bizimungu jumps up, grabs Paul, pulls him.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            You will tell them I did nothing.

EXT. DIPLOMAT HOTEL. DAY

Paul and Bizimungu rush out to the jeeps.

INT. JEEP TRAVELLING. DAY

Paul almost overcome with anxiety. Bizimungu worried.

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAY

Militia swarm around the front of the hotel.

The jeeps race through, scattering them. They screech to a halt.

Several refugees sit, huddled and battered. Bizimungu jumps out,
snatches an A.K. from a soldier, fires in the air.

                        GENERAL BIZIMUNGU
            Get back! (to his soldiers) Get them out
            of here.

Paul does not wait.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY. DAY

Paul races into the hotel, past frightened refugees who flee.

Then Paul sees a face he recognizes.

It's Gregoire with the Militia! Paul ducks into the stairway.

IN THE STAIRWELL
He leaps the stairs four at a time.

He makes it to the third floor, pushing past frightened refugees who
race down the stairs.

ON THE THIRD FLOOR

He runs straight into a bunch of young Militia.

                        MILITIAMEN
            Rusesabagina. Show us Rusesabagina.

They shove Paul along the corridor.

                        MILITIAMAN #1
            Show us the manager. He wears a suit.

                        PAUL
            They have him in the lobby, go quickly.

The killers race off. Paul gets to his feet and runs.

INT. PAUL'S ROOM. DAY

Paul bursts in. The place is a mess. And it's empty!

                        PAUL
            Oh God, please Lord.

IN THE CORRIDOR

He careens out of the room.

And sees Gregoire coming with a group of Militia.

                        GREGOIRE
            That's him. That's Rusesabagina!
            They charge toward Paul.

Then a roar of gunfire. The ceiling and walls around Gregoire explode.

General Bizimungu's men run up with weapons drawn.

                        HUTU SOLDIER
            Get out, or I'll shoot you.

Paul rushes to the stairs.

More gunfire echoes (soldiers clearing the Militia).

AT THE STAIRS - Paul races upward, falls, pushes past others struggling
to get down.

AT THE ROOF - now, there are clumps of refugees who have fled up there,
including Xavier who huddles in a corner.

                        PAUL
            Tatiana! Oh God. Have you seen Tatiana?

Paul runs to the edge of the roof, looks over.

SEES: bodies - women, and children, still, on the ground beneath, by a
row of hedge.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            (screams in agony)
            Tatiana!
            The bodies move, look up, it's not them. It's refugees hiding. Paul,
            delirious with fear, runs along the parapet.

BELOW he sees soldiers herding the Militia.

He runs back to the stairs.

INSIDE THE STAIRCASE: He jumps four stairs at a time.

INSIDE THE CORRIDOR: Soldiers are chasing off the Militia.

TO HIS ROOM: Paul staggers in, crazed with fear. He looks under the
bed.

INTO THE BATHROOM - empty.

He's about to run out again, sees the connecting door to the adjoining
hotel room is slightly open.

INTO THE ADJOINING ROOM: It's empty, then A WHIMPER.

FROM THE BATHROOM, he moves in, cautious.

IN THE BATHROOM: Nothing. He moves over, pulls back the shower curtain.

Reveals: A cluster of women and children, the older ones holding hands
over the mouths of the younger ones. And there at the back: Tatiana and
his kids.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            It's alright, they're gone.

Tears, hugs, women tremble.

EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT. DAWN

The grey of dawn, before the sunrise.

Colonel Oliver in his jeep leads a convoy of UN trucks past the guard
house and Bizimungu's police and up the drive.

                                                               CUT TO:

THE UN TRUCKS

Parked in front of the hotel. Tutsi refugees file up and are helped on
board by UN soldiers.

Paul helps Tatiana and the children onto a truck.

An ARGUMENT breaks out towards the back of the convoy. Paul rushes
toward Xavier and Benedict who argue.

                        XAVIER
            They should go one truck at a time. When
            the first truck gets through to the
            airport, then the others will follow.

                        PAUL
            We can't wait. We all go together or not
            at all.

Paul takes matters into his own hands. He locks the doors of the hotel.

There is no going back.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            It is time to leave. The Mille Collines
            is closed.

Paul climbs onto the truck. The others follow, some reluctantly.

Colonel Oliver gives the signal.

The trucks take off down the driveway.

INT. TRUCK TRAVELLING. DAY

Paul now at the front of the truck

WATCHES out through a slice in the canvas.

SEES, the convoy pull out of the Mille Collines.

They travel along the road.

Turn a corner, and the truck slows ...

PAUL SEES: a great mass of Hutus fill the road:

Militia, kids, soldiers discarding uniforms.

No longer a mob, but a crush of Hutu refugees now fleeing toward them,
fleeing the advancing of the rebel army.

A crowd of Militia men wave their arms, shout at the trucks.

                        COLONEL OLIVER
            Don't stop. Push through.

The driver reluctantly speeds up.

A break in the mass of Hutu refugees.

Then GUN FIRE ahead.

Children begin crying, it becomes infectious, spreading to Paul's
children, some of the women.

Then ahead, a gang of Militia men break from the bushes beside the
road.

They're running fast toward the truck, some carry rifles.

There's more gunfire behind.

The Militia are almost upon them now.

Colonel Oliver has his pistol drawn.

                        COLONEL OLIVER (CONT'D)
            Keep going.

The Militia are at the truck.

But they run STRAIGHT PAST!

As a platoon of Tutsi rebel soldiers (in bush camouflage and red and
blue headbands) burst from the brush.

Pursuing, careful, professional.

                        PAUL
            It's the rebels.

The crying stops. Silent disbelief.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            We've made it!

Cheering breaks out. Children frightened again by the sudden euphoria
break into cries of joy.

A rebel soldier waves his AK 47 in the air.

EXT. KIGALI SOCCER STADIUM. DAY

The trucks crawl into the chaos of the stadium, a mass of refugees, the
wounded, lost children, abandoned old people, hundreds crammed
together.

Paul, Tatiana, and the others clamber off the trucks. They hug, cry, an
outpouring of relief. Then Tatiana spots someone among the crowds.

She rushes over.

                        TATIANA
            Have you seen my sister Fedens?

Heads shak ‘no’. Tatiana moves on, more frantic, pushing through the
crowds.

                        TATIANA
            Two little girls, twins, an old woman had
            them.

More ‘nos’

Now she’s desperate, pushing, tripping through the crowds, and around
her we see others doing the same, then

                        ROGER (O.C.)
            Mama, mama.

He reaches her, pulls at her dress.

                        ROGER
            Mama, wait.

She takes his hand.

                        ROGER
            No, mama, look.

Tatiana turns .... and sees Paul carrying the twins in his arms.

She squeals with joy, runs to him, snatches one from his arms.

                        TATIANA
            Oh, my babies.

                        PAUL (CONT'D)
            Anais, it is so good to see you.

                        CARINE
            I'm Carine!

                        ANAIS
                 (in Tatsi's arms)
            And I'm Anais!

Their laughter mix with tears of joy among the crushing mass of
survivors.

FREEZE

                                                      FADE TO BLACK:

THE GENOCIDE ENDED IN LATE JUNE 1994, WHEN THE TUTSI REBELS DEFEATED
THE HUTU ARMY AND MILITIA.

TWO MILLION HUTUS FLED INTO THE NEIGHBORING CONGO IN THE LARGEST SINGLE
EXODUS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
THEY LEFT BEHIND ALMOST ONE MILLION CORPSES.

------------------------------------------

PHOTO OF: GEORGE RUTAGUNDA

George Rutagunda was convicted of crimes against humanity. He is now
serving a life sentence in a Tanzanian jail.

PHOTO OF: GENERAL BIZIMUNGU

Augustin Bizimungu escaped with the Hutu Militia to the Congo. In
August, 2002 he was captured in Angola. A UN war crimes tribunal has
charged him with crimes against humanity.

PHOTO OF: THOMAS AND FEDENS Thomas' and
Fedens' bodies where never found. Paul adopted their twin daughters.

PHOTO OF: PAUL (the lead actor) PAUL
RUSESABAGINA: saved the lives of all one thousand two hundred Rwandan
refugees who took shelter at the Mille Collines Hotel.

PHOTO TURNS TO PHOTO OF REAL PAUL AND HIS FAMILY. Paul,
Tatiana, the twins, and all their family now live in Belgium, where
Paul owns and operates two taxi cabs.

FREEZE -

END CREDITS