Rwanda recently held the 8th edition of the Mashariki African Film Festival, the largest film festival in the country, aiming to showcase Rwandan filmmakers and African films at large.
Themed: Afro-futurism, the 2022 edition placed emphasises on films that question gender relations in Africa.
Speaking about the festival, Trésor Senga, the founder of the Mashariki African Film Festival, said, “This year’s theme is Afro-futurism. So it’s about encouraging young directors, producers to have the idea of creation, to reinvent stories, to show a new Africa, different from the image people have of Africa, a poor Africa.”
The festival showcased 72 films from across Africa.
Diane Ntahimpera, the Burundian scriptwriter, said, “Rwandan cinema is just starting out on the international scene. Interestingly, when you start your career in filmmaking, you are exposed to everything, and you can tell your stories however you see fit. Africa has rich stories that are rooted and have depth.”
Also commenting, Gatesi Ganza Bernadette, a film design student, said, “We have constantly been exposed to white people creating films. It is refreshing to see black people like me taking the wheel in filmmaking, making our dreams obtainable.”
High-profile people, including the daughter of the president of Zimbabwe, attended the closing ceremony. On this occasion, three films were awarded in the professional film category. Four students also received a jury prize.
