Paul Rusesabagina

Living… with his wife and children in Rwanda. As a hotel manager, he commutes to work in a nice car, lives in a nice house, and is generally very well off. However, the political climate in Rwanda is unstable and the ethnic tension between the Hutus and the Tutsis soon leads to a Tutsi massacre. In the midst of genocide, Paul will need to use all of his prestige and wealth to save as many lives as he can.

Visiting… the Hotel des Mille Collines, which he also manages. After Hutu extremists overrun his neighborhood, slaughtering Tutsis in the streets, Paul places his family and his Tutsi neighbors there and opens the doors to any Tutsis looking for a place to lodge. However, the Hotel is only a temporary safe house, standing solely because of Paul’s vigilance in negotiating with the corrupt Rwandan army.

Profession… hotel manager of the Sabena-owned Hotel des Mille Collines in Kigali. His bosses are in Belgium, and he has to call them long-distance to make his reports. Paul takes pride in every aspect of his work, from being aware of everything that happens under his roof to knowing how to get the imported beer his guests demand.

Interests… having a romantic dinner with his wife once in a while would be nice, if they manage to both come out of this alive.

Relationship Status… married to Tatiana, a Tutsi woman whose ethnicity puts her at risk. Despite the danger, Tatiana bravely supporting her husband, taking care of their children and helping hide the other refugees while Paul is away working or negotiating.

Challenge… doing something about the horrible genocide he is witnessing. As a Hutu, Paul can get through the conflict without much trouble if he keeps his head down, but his conscience would never let him do that. That’s how he finds himself with a hotel full of refugees whose lives he is now responsible for protecting. It’s a tall order, but years of managing a hotel have given Paul valuable knowledge in how to negotiate with and please people.

Personality… quiet, competent, practical, yet deeply kind. Paul will not abandon any of the Tutsi refugees who come to him for help and is constantly at work trying to arrange their safety. Even when the hotel is full to bursting and they’re surrounded by enemies, “there’s always room" for one more life.