Hotel Rwanda Page #19

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.

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