What year is "Hotel Rwanda" set?

“Hotel Rwanda” is set in 1994, during the Rwandan genocide. The film’s central events begin in April 1994, when political violence and civil war engulf Rwanda after the assassination of President Juvénal Habyarimana.

The story follows Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager in Kigali who protects his family and hundreds of displaced people inside the Hôtel des Mille Collines. The film portrays the escalating danger faced by both Tutsi civilians and moderate Hutu, as extremist militias, propaganda, and the collapse of international protection turn the hotel into a refuge.

The movie was released in 2004, a decade after the events it depicts, which can cause a common mix-up between its production year and its setting. It is a historical drama based on real events, although some details and character portrayals were dramatized for filmmaking.

The Rwandan genocide lasted roughly 100 days in 1994 and killed an estimated 800,000 people, primarily Tutsi but also moderate Hutu. Hotel Rwanda focuses on one hotel’s ordeal rather than attempting to recount the entire conflict.