PAUL RUSESABAGINA
The author Paul Rusesabagina in a file photo.
At a San Francisco bookstore recently, PopcornReel literally walked in on Paul Rusesabagina, the inspiration for the film "Hotel Rwanda". Mr. Rusesabagina was the hotel manager of the Hotel Mille Collines, who saved the lives of over a thousand Hutus and Tutsis caught up in the violent civil war in the African nation of Rwanda in 1994, a war that killed millions.
Mr. Rusesabagina was in the City-by-the-Bay as part of the North American leg of his book tour to promote his newly-released autobiography entitled "An Ordinary Man". The book recounts the author's childhood, development and the horrors of the strife that engulfed Rwanda.
During the bookstore appearance in California, Mr. Rusesabagina recalled some of the nightmares of June 1994 in powerful and graphic detail when speaking of the violence visited on innocent men, women and children, whom as the author said, "had their heads cut off". He personally witnessed killings and said that the warlord soldiers who had apprehended him told him that they were "not going to kill you today."
The newly-released autobiography by Paul Rusesabagina, with Tim Zoellner; and the author greeting the actor Don Cheadle (left) who portrayed him in the film "Hotel Rwanda".
On-the-set Photo: United Artists.
Mr. Rusesabagina spoke of the courage and endurance of his wife, who shared his ordeal
during those fearful times. He shared his feelings about the United Nations and major countries' non-role in addressing and intervening in the violent crisis, saying that he "did not trust" the UN. He also drew a parallel to the ongoing civil war and massacre in the Sudan, and cited history as repeating itself, and urgently called for the powerful nations of the world to act. He pointed to some African nations, including Senegal, as examples of countries that have recovered and prospered following their own crises. Mr. Rusesabagina then took several questions from the audience of about 150-200 people and proceeded to sign an endless stream of copies of his autobiography.
PopcornReel.com asked Mr. Rusesabagina what he thought of "Hotel Rwanda", the film which was inspired by his humanitarianism and bravery. In 2005 Don Cheadle received a Best Actor Oscar-nomination for his portrayal of Mr. Rusesabagina. When asked what he thought of the film "Hotel Rwanda", the author said, "I had some concerns about it." He then continued on, in a diplomatic tone saying that "when you watch 'Hotel Rwanda', you see that . . . its structure is, it is shot as a documentary with a professional" playing Mr. Rusesabagina.
"An Ordinary Man" is available now, and the film "Hotel Rwanda" is available on video and DVD.
