George Previews Hotel Rwanda, the Book

by Jeff Zaleski, PW Daily for Booksellers -- Publishers Weekly, 2/9/2005

Director and co-writer of the acclaimed film Hotel Rwanda, Terry George also served as editor of the official companion book, Hotel Rwanda: Bringing the True Story of an African Hero to Film, out from Newmarket Press on February 16. PW's Jeff Zaleski talked with George recently.

PWD: The film Hotel Rwanda has received Oscar nominations for Don Cheadle as Best Actor and Sophie Okonedo as Best Supporting Actress, as well as your and Keir Pearson for Best Original Screenplay, yet it won no Golden Globes. How do you feel about this?

Terry George: Well, the Golden Globes are their own thing, of course, but being nominated for the Globe [Hotel Rwanda was nominated for Best Motion Picture--Drama] increased awareness of the film and its story. The three weeks left leading up to the Oscars will allow us to continue discussion of the movie and its background in an intense way, to increase awareness of what happened in Rwanda. People are taking notice and talking about Rwanda and the genocide.

PWD: There's a telling moment in the movie when Joaquin Phoenix, who plays a Western TV cameraman, remarks that people in the West will watch footage of the genocide, shake their heads and then go back to eating their dinner. Is the film countering this kind of response and contributing to a real understanding of the situation?

TG: Yes, I think it is. We've shown the film to a group of State Department officials, as well as twice to U.N. officials, and the response has been very positive. We've been able to start a discussion, not only about the Rwandan genocide but also about the whole terrible situation in Africa. The global response to the tsunami disaster has been amazing and has allowed us to ask, "Why is it is so much more difficult to respond to human-made disasters than natural disasters?" Hopefully the film is playing a part in changing that.

PWD: The film, along with the eventual DVD and then television broadcast, will reach many more people than the book Hotel Rwanda will. Why did you feel it worthwhile to take time out of your busy schedule to work on the book?

TG: There was much that the movie couldn't cover, and I felt it was important to document that information, the background to the genocide and so forth and to carry on the discussion beyond the movie and into places where the movie won't reach. Hopefully the book will be adopted in schools and so forth. We were able to include the transcript of the best documentary about the genocide, the Frontline report, and to include essays by Paul [Rusesabagina, the hero of the film] and me, as well as deep background information including essays by two journalists and a history of Rwanda and a timeline of the crisis.

PWD: You are listed on the book as its "editor." What does that mean?

TG: The idea for the book came from Esther Margolis [publisher of Newmarket Press] after she had seen the film. I sat down with the good people at Newmarket, and we talked at length about what would be best to include in the book and what not.

PWD: Will you be doing any publicity for the book?

TG: Yes, I'll be doing book signings in Los Angeles and New York. And I've been carrying the book around with me and talking about it wherever I go.

PWD: How is Paul Rusesabagina?

TG: He's doing very well. He and I are going to tour Europe next week for the European release of the film. We're going to Belgium and France, which of course played important roles in the events, and I am particularly looking forward to seeing what the response will be there.