Hotel Rwanda Page #4

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

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