A new film locally shot and produced portrays domestic violence and is actually catching Rwanda’s audience by surprise. The film entitled; Urugamba Nk’Izindi (a war like any other) gathered some of the talented local actors including; Bushombe (Urunana) and Solina among others. Over 20 actors and actresses acted in the same film.

The film has been shown in only two places in Kigali City and Huye (Southern province) and will soon be taken to other provinces.

"We need people like these. This shows you how creative Rwandans can be. It is a very nice film that does not come from Hollywood or Nigeria. Why can’t we have our own films acted in Kinyarwanda. this is so beautiful,” remarked one film admirer.

The one hour and a half film shows a happily living family ending in a disaster. The two protagonists, Jean-Claude Ayirwanda(Bushombe) and Marie-Rose Uwamariya(Rosa) give a number of interesting episodes that leave the audience wanting.

The family in the Urugamba Nk’Izindi film shows a wife being blamed by husband for a business loss, a thing that sparks off domestic violence.

The climax of the family violence comes when the husband (Bushombe) directly confronts and threatens to beat up his pregnant wife in the presence of visitors.

The film was directed by Rogers Niyoyita a young and fresh graduate from National University of Rwanda. An effort to talk to the executive producer Caritus Uwizeye was fruitless as her phone was not available by press time.

However, the director of the film Rogers Niyoyita told The New Times that the film was meant to help people stop gender related violence. He is said to have been motivated by persisted domestic violence that are gender based.

Niyoyita was however quick to say that his efforts to come up with the film, were greatly handicapped by inadequate funds.

"We produced the film with very limited resources but we hope that in future, we shall get sponsors,” Niyoyita said.

This new film follows several other Rwandan films about the 1994 Genocide. Nonetheless, Film production in Rwanda is still generally low.

Caritus Uwizeye becomes the first woman to be an executive producer of a film in Rwanda. The film Urugamba Nk’Izindi which is based on gender violence becomes the first of its kind in the country.

Ends