Hotel Rwanda

I've been flattened by the latest super-virus. What is it with these recent colds? I was OK with the seven day variety but these tend to drag on for weeks . . .  It's given me a perfect chance to watch movies, however, and I've missed so many great ones at the theatre that I've had plenty to choose from.

Hotel Rwanda is an incredibly important movie. Based on a true story, the film depicts the heroic actions of Paul Rusesabagina, who risked his life to save over a thousand Tutsis and Hutus marked for death during the Rwandan massacre. Using his connections as a four-star hotel manager, Paul cajoles, bribes and blackmails military and government officials in his frantic efforts to rescue 1,200 people.

As I watched what was essentially genocide unfold (over a three month period 800,000 Tutsis were murdered by the Hutu majority), I wondered what I was doing as this was happening, and the painful answer is . . . nothing. My daughter was a baby and I'm certain I was completely swept up in her young life. I don't even remember being aware the massacre was taking place, beyond some very vague awareness of Hutus and Tutsis. It makes me wonder what is happening right now that I will look back on later and wonder how I could be so unaware.

I just started reading a book about Rwanda by Philip Gourevitch called We Wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families - Stories from Rwanda. It was the Non-fiction Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award.

Scott Sutherland writes a fabulous review of the book in Salon. Check it out here.

Comments

[dr dre beats headphones]

so good!