WONDER WHERE TO GO for a movie after work? CineFemmes got you covered with screening of movies now underway at the ongoing Urusaro International Women’s Film Festival.
The annual festival, which is underway in Kigali since Tuesday, October 4, until October 11, will showcase the best of movies produced by women filmmakers or those in which actresses are starring.
A total of 21 movies were selected for this year’s festival and each of them will be shown during an evening for movie screening taking place at Institut Francais in Rugando, Kigali.
Three of them were directed by Rwandan female filmmakers. They were supposed to be four at but one was rejected by the selection jury at the last minute ‘because it does not meet the international standards” required by the festival, according to Floriane Kaneza, the festival director.
"Some filmmakers think that taking place in Rwanda does not give this festival credit to be an international film festival. They are totally wrong, that’s why we are strict on selecting films for our festival and they must, of course, be international. They should be movies that can be shown at any other international festival,” Murekeyisoni said.
The films selected are from filmmakers from Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Benin, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Togo, Cameroon, South Africa and Sudan.
Organisers said that every movie that earned a selection will be screened throughout the week of film celebration during which one open air screening will be embellished by music and other artistic performances.
Filmmakers with the best works will be awarded during the closing ceremony scheduled on October 11, at Century Cinema.
Urusaro International Women’s Film Festival celebrates women in the film industry, especially through showcasing incredible talent in film.
Other activities scheduled during the festival include a TV Series Mini-Conference which will include a panel discussion with Rwandan producers-directors whose series are locally followed at high consideration.
On the conference agenda is also a Master Talk with ZACU TV, the most invested company into TV Series production and distribution.
There is also an East African Program which will look at the state of cinema in the region.
While the festival will coincide with the celebration of International Day of Girl Child, organisers plan a visit tour to at least two schools for a mini-conference under the sub-theme.