Hotel Rwanda Page #14

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

f***ing hotel, except for one thing.

Paul doesn't answer.

COLONEL OLIVER (CONT'D)

You're f***ing black! You're not even a

n*gger, 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?

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