Rwandan short film Breaking Ground has been shortlisted among movies set to be screened at the ongoing 47th edition of Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) 2021 that kicked off virtually on April 8. This year’s film festival edition will see a total of 92 features and 126 short films from 69 countries get a screening alongside daily events, talks and Q&As lined up for the festival which runs until April 18. Breaking Ground“, a production by Imitana Productions, is a short movie project directed by fast-rising young female film director Inès Girihirwe about a woman who is suffering from the relationship with her abusive husband. It was produced in early 2020 on the occasion of the ‘Power In Constraints’ workshop, hosted by filmmakers Sharangabo Mbabazi, Samuel Ishimwe Karemangingo. It is the 23-year-old’s very first film since she launched her filmmaking career in 2017. “Happy to announce that Breaking Ground has been officially selected for the 47th Seattle International Film Festival 2021. A special thanks to everyone who contributed/supported from the beginning to the end,” Girihirwe posted on her social media platforms. ‘Breaking Ground’, which Clocks 13 minutes and eight seconds, had its world premiere in Los Angeles, United States during the 2020 American Film Institute (AFI) Film Festival, an annual movie event that champions progress in visual storytelling to empower storytellers, inspire story lovers and further the limitless power of the moving image. “After another incident with her husband, a mistreated woman seeks old adventures from her neighbors’ house where she decides to change the course of her life,” reads the film synopsis. Girihirwe made an incredible start to filmmaking when a film project that she directed during a workshop became a world-class movie which immediately got recognized with a premiere at an internationally recognized film festival of AFI Fest’s caliber. “It’s a good motivation to me. When you do such movie work and you see people appreciate it, you feel you can only do greater things,” Girihirwe told The New Times. Starring in ‘Breaking Ground’ is actress Rosine Bazongere, who has made a name for herself in acting at different local popular local movies like City Maid TV Series, Other characters in the film include Alphonse Karangwa, Cheryl Isheja, Natacha Muziramakenga and Micheline Muhimpundu. About SIFF Festival The annual Seattle International Film Festival traditionally attracted nearly 150,000 attendees to celebrate films from more than 80 countries and regions around the world. A series of screenings of movies varying from features to short films and documentaries make the festival an amazing event to discover new and underrepresented voices and stories. SIFF believes in film’s unique power to share original stories, diverse perspectives, and rich emotional journeys. Beginning in 1976, the annual Seattle International Film Festival, which expanded into year-round programming, offers experiences that bring people together to discover extraordinary films from around the world for nearly five decades.
