What do you say to a man who risked his life to shelter people from a genocide that killed more than 800,000 of his fellow Rwandans?

That is the question when one is face-to-face with Paul Rusesabagina, a former Rwandan hotel manager (played by Don Cheadle) who single-handedly saved the lives of thousands – an act documented in the upcoming film “Hotel Rwanda,” opening Dec. 22 in the Chicago area.

“You can ask me anything you want,” Rusesabagina said with a laugh.

Rusesabagina has an irresistible smile – he’s a man who walks with a love for life. He’s gentle as a teddy bear, yet stern in his convictions. “Hotel Rwanda” is one last step for Rusesabagina to make sure that an event as horrid as the 1994 Rwandan genocide is never committed again.

“I want people who see the movie to go out as they go out of a church,” Rusesabagina said. “Take it and convey it to their neighbors, to their friends. What happened in Rwanda, which was ignored by the international community, should serve as a lesson to plan a better future for mankind and especially for Africa.”

The filming of his heroic story brought him back to Kigali, the city where his hotel, Des Mille Collines, was located. He was overwhelmed by the response he received.

“I was excited to see people coming to welcome me right from the tarmac,” he said. “When I arrived at the hotel, there was a crowd of people there to see me. It was exciting for me and a good experience for Terry. It was his first trip to Africa.”

Terry George is no stranger to strife. An Irishman, George spent his younger years writing various scripts for director Jim Sheridan. These stories (“In the Name of the Father” and “The Boxer”) follow the struggles of a man grappling with a horrible association. In these cases, it is a character’s involvement with the Irish Republican Army that drives the plot – plus his attempt to rid himself of such a sinful tie.

In “Hotel Rwanda,” George directs Cheadle as Rusesabagina, a man who finds himself a member of the Hutu tribe – whose rebellious members parade around Rwanda slaughtering hundreds of thousands of Tutsi, their rival tribe. Rusesabagina tries desperately to escape this association by sheltering thousands of Tutsi inside the Rwandan hotel he manages – even if it means taking a rocket-propelled grenade or two during the process.

“It struck me that there had to be great stories here, yet it was purely being avoided because it’s Africa,” George said, comparing “Hotel Rwanda” to his other films. “For this film, I was more interested in the theory of the ordinary man, who, when confronted with great evil, uses his own skill and his courage to overcome it.”

After meeting Rusesabagina, a man by no means “ordinary,” Cheadle’s performance took on a greater significance – and it’s a performance being hailed by many as comparable to Liam Neeson’s role as Oscar Schindler. Cheadle spent two weeks watching Rusesabagina’s every move to create his character on screen.

“He came to see me and we went to Johannesburg,” Rusesabagina said. “He was observing me, just watching me for details.”

Those details paid off. Cheadle’s performance alone matches the greatness of this man’s story. While watching the film, the viewer can see why so many Hutu rebel leaders were willing to negotiate with him; he has a charm and sincerity that can make the most vicious terrorist give in to his wishes. But no matter how much one pries, Rusesabagina will tell you he is no hero – he’s just an ordinary fellow who insists he did what any decent human being would do, and now it’s time for us to do the same.

“American people are very good people, but they are not informed,” Rusesabagina said. “You know, whoever walks in the theater – he will be entertained. At the end, a small lesson will remain in his or her head as a souvenir.”