"Hotel Rwanda" (2004) is an inspirational movie that takes on the important subject of genocide and features a terrific performance by Don Cheadle. The film is based on the real-life deeds of Paul Rusesabagina, who managed to save the lives of 1200 people.
The story takes place in Rwanda in 1994 when civil war erupted between that African country's two main ethnic groups, the Hutus and the Tutsis. Hutu extremists set out to exterminate the Tutsi people, and nearly a million Rwandans were killed.
At the time, Paul Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle) was an assistant manager at the upscale Hotel des Mille Collines in the Rwandan capital Kigali. Paul, a Hutu, was married to Tatiana (Sophie Okonedo), a Tutsi. Amid chaos, he used his position at the hotel to save his family and hundreds of others.
Among the actors appearing with Don Cheadle and Sophie Okonedo in the movie are Nick Nolte as a United Nations soldier and Joaquin Phoenix as a television journalist.
"Hotel Rwanda" was nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Actor (Don Cheadle), Best Supporting Actress (Sophie Okonedo), and Best Original Screen Play (Keir Pearson and Terry George). Also, the movie features the Golden Globe-nominated Wyclef Jean song "Million Voices."
The "Hotel Rwanda" DVD provides a feature-length audio commentary track with director Terry George and Paul Rusesabagina. Wyclef Jean also makes a few comments. The DVD has a separate menu option which permits viewing 22 minutes of selected scenes accompanied by the audio commentary of lead actor Don Cheadle.
There's also a 14-minute featurette titled "Return to Rwanda" in which Paul and Tatiana Rusesabagina, who relocated to Belgium after the events depicted in the movie, go back to visit Rwanda.
In addition, there's a 28-minute making-of documentary about the film.
Below I've listed the details of what you'll find on the "Hotel Rwanda" DVD.
DVD Details:
- Release Date: April 12, 2005
- Feature Run Time: 2 Hours 2 Minutes
- MPAA Rating: PG-13 for Violence, Disturbing Images and Brief Strong Language
- Anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1), Color
- English 5.1 Surround
- French Stereo Surround
- English Subtitles
- Spanish Subtitles
- French Subtitles
- Audio Commentary by Director Terry George, Paul Rusesabagina, and Wyclef Jean
- Selected Scenes Commentary by Don Cheadle (22 min.)
- "A Message for Peace: Making Hotel Rwanda" (28 min.)
- "Return to Rwanda" (14 min.)
- Theatrical Trailer
