For the second time, Rwanda, on Saturday, December 4, hosted Les Trophées Francophones du Cinéma, considered the first major cinema awarding ceremony in French-speaking countries at the Intare Conference Arena. The event was conceived in 2010, out of the desire of a group of heads of festivals, academies, and French cultural institutions, Canadian, Belgian and Luxembourgish to create a constellation of French-speaking cinematographics. Since the debut edition in Dakar in 2013, Trophies has been committed to encouraging and promoting diversity and freedom of cinematic innovation in French-speaking countries. The 7th Awarding ceremony edition of Trophees francophonie du cinema was punctuated by numerous activities and was the opportunity to award the nine trophies to distinguished winners and those who well represented French-speaking cinema in the past three years. In the hosts place was Michael Sengazi, a Burundian-Rwandan comedian, in an event that was broadcast on Rwanda broadcasting agency and TV5 Monde. Present at the ceremony was Rosemary Mbabazi, the minister of youth and culture, Robert Masozera, Director General of the Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy, Nicola Bellomo Ambassador of the European Union in Rwanda, Abderrahmane Sissako president of ATFCine, and Isabelle Kabano, a well-known Rwandan actress were present during the ceremony. The ceremony was also attended by many movie icons in the Rwandan cinema, artists and representatives of the awarded films, representatives of partner institutions and personalities, and representatives of the world of cinema, arts, and culture of Rwanda and the Francophonie. The nine categories in which winners were recognised during the ceremony include; Francophone Female Interpretation Trophy 2021, awarded to Hend Sabri for the film ‘Noura rêve.’ Francophone Male Interpretation Trophy 2021, awarded to Zain Al Rafeea for ‘Capharnaüm.’ 2021 Francophone Second Female Role Trophy which was awarded to Yamie Grégoire for ‘Kuessipan.’ 2021 Francophone Second Male Role Trophy, which was awarded to Serge Kanyinda for ‘Maki’la.’ 2021 Francophone Production Award which was awarded to Joël Karekezi for ‘La miséricorde de la jungle.’ The Francophone Trophy for the 2021 Scenario was awarded to Alaa Eddine Aljem for ‘Le miracle du Saint Inconnu.’ The 2021 Francophone Short Film Trophy was awarded to Meryam Joobeur for the movie ‘Brotherhood.’ 2021 Francophone Feature Documentary Trophy which was awarded to Chloé Aïcha Boro for ‘Le loup d’or de Balolé.’ The 2021 Francophone Feature Film Trophy was awarded to Nadine Labaki for the film ‘Capharnaüm.’ Trophees Francophone du cinéma also recognised Aquilla Magnifique Nsanzemaliya as a promising young filmmaker in the Rwandan film Industry. Nsanzemaliya is a 21-year-old student at African Leadership University. “It is a great pleasure to live in a country like Rwanda that values and empowers youth. Recognising youth in cinema is a great honor to us, young filmmakers,” said Nsanzemaliya “ it’s of great honor to me that I received an international award organised by Trophées Francophone du Cinema, this award is not mine, but for all the youth in this industry, it’s our time to shine,” she added. The awarding ceremony took place after a series of other activities that took place on October 26, this year, when Les Trophées francophones du cinéma came to Rwanda, stopping at five major cities to meet the general public in Kigali, as well as public schools and universities in Huye, Karongi Kibuye, Musanze, and Rwamagana. A selection of 12 films from the Cinema and Francophonie 2021 collection were shown at these free screenings. ATFCiné sought to improve the talents of Rwandan film actors during the 7th edition of the Francophone Cinema Trophies. In this context, they planned three half-day film courses and a two-day workshop dedicated to Rwandan professionals top-of-mind trades. Qualified professionals from various Francophone countries supervised the modules. They were aimed at young Rwandan professionals and film students. They were organised in collaboration with Myculture, Rwanda Film Office, and Rwandan cinema and audiovisual media schools and vocational training institutions. “It’s an excellent thing because there were a lot of films from different countries competing. The fact that Rwanda won the best production movie means that the Rwandan film industry is developing, and we should invest more in it,” said Joel Karekezi, the producer of La miséricorde de la jungle. The movie that won the 2021 Francophone Production Award The 7th Gala Ceremony marked the end of the Francophone Cinema Trophies program of events in 2021.
