Rwandan clinical psychotherapist and filmmaker Dr. Celestin Mutuyimana on Wednesday, February 26, launched his scientific film, Hear My Voice, in Zurich, Switzerland.

The film, completed in two years, explores post-traumatic stress and healing across cultures, with emphasis on the need to listen to survivors’ lived experiences.

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Acted and shot in Rwanda, Kenya, Switzerland, Ukraine, and Afghanistan, the film features trauma survivors and clinicians from these regions. Mutuyimana highlights that trauma cannot be effectively treated without acknowledging survivors’ voices.

"Their voices share both known and unknown knowledge, showing the need for active participation in their treatment,” Mutuyimana told The New Times.

The film aims to increase the perspectives of trauma survivors, particularly from the Global South, advocating for a culturally informed approach to diagnosis and treatment.

"We want to raise awareness among researchers, clinicians, and policymakers that while universal treatment methods are important, the uniqueness of cultural and contextual backgrounds must also be considered. Current diagnostic criteria are based on Western standards, often overlooking meaningful symptoms of trauma in Africa and the Global South,” Mutuyimana said.

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During his early-career fellowship at the Collegium Helveticum in Zurich, Mutuyimana focused on incorporating survivors’ voices and cultural diversity into mental health treatment. His work resulted in the production of Hear My Voice, aimed at bridging gaps in trauma diagnosis and care.

With over a decade of experience as a psychotherapist, filmmaker, trainer, mentor, and researcher, Mutuyimana has been recognized for his contributions to mental health awareness through film.

On September 29, 2023, he received the Young Visionary Research Award at the Ethno Kino Film Festival in Bern, Switzerland, for his films, The Soul Wound, which examines the impact of trauma-related disorders on communities, and Sewing Souls, which explores trauma’s effects on families and coping strategies.

He was also honored at the 5th Global Science Film Festival in Zurich on April 2, 2023, as the inaugural scientist-filmmaker winner for Sewing Souls.

Mutuyimana’s passion for psychotherapy arises from his upbringing in Rwanda, where many individuals suffer from trauma-related disorders without adequate professional support.

In response, he founded the Baho Smile Institute (BSI) in 2019, a psychotherapeutic and research center in Rwanda dedicated to raising mental health awareness and providing professional assistance to those in need.