September 11, 2004 (TIFF)
December 22, 2004 (United States)
March 4, 2005 (United Kingdom)
March 11, 2005 (Italy)
Hotel Rwanda is a 2004 biographical historical drama film co-written and directed by Terry George. It was adapted from a screenplay by George and Keir Pearson, and stars Don Cheadle and Sophie Okonedo as hotelier Paul Rusesabagina and his wife Tatiana. The film depicts Rusesabagina's efforts to save the lives of his family and more than 1,500 other refugees by providing them with shelter in the besieged Hôtel des Mille Collines during the Rwandan genocide, which occurred during the spring of 1994. Hotel Rwanda explores genocide, political corruption, and the repercussions of violence.
The film was a co-production between United Artists and Lions Gate Films, and was commercially distributed by United Artists theatrically and by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for home media. Hotel Rwanda premiered in theaters in limited release in the United States on 22 December 2004 and in wide release on 4 February 2005, grossing more than $23 million in domestic ticket sales. It earned an additional $10 million in business through international release to top out at a combined total of nearly $34 million in gross revenue.
The film was critically acclaimed and on many of the year's Top 10 lists. It was nominated for multiple awards, including Academy Award nominations for Best Actor (Cheadle), Best Supporting Actress (Okonedo), and Best Original Screenplay.
Storyline
Sound Effects Used
- SKYWALKER BABY CRYING SOUND (Heard several times at low volume for an off-screen baby crying.)
- Sound Ideas, APPLAUSE, CROWD - MEDIUM STUDIO AUDIENCE: SHORT, LIGHT APPLAUSE 02
- Sound Ideas, BIRD, ROOSTER - MORNING CALL, ANIMAL 01
- Sound Ideas, HUMAN, SCREAM - SCREAM: FEMALE, HORROR 01 (2nd scream only; used twice off-screen for a woman screaming.)