THE RWANDAN film industry continues to grow, however, enthusiasts in the field say that related training in various sections of the industry can be of benefit. Emmanuel Nturanyenabo, the co-writer of ‘I Bwiza’, a feature film, is an experienced filmmaker. He has had various training in film-making and also gone on to become a coach and mentor to others. Speaking to The New Times he says, “The master classes are at the highest level of training but they provide excellent material for film production. It would be a huge milestone for any filmmaker to acquire this training from experts. With those skills, I believe that the Rwandan movie industry will shine brighter in writing and technique as well.” Ariane Vanessa Irakoze who stars in ‘The Secrets Series’ says that as an actress who acquired training in cinema, she learnt a lot and is aiming higher in the acting field. “After attending some workshops, I am certain I will do even better. The more we get training, the better we become, and this will ensure the best in the future of cinema. I am an actress, but I didn’t study acting, save for the platforms that train us,” she says. She encourages other female actresses to not be afraid of grabbing such training opportunities since they will enable them to be the best they can be. Angelika Stute, the managing director of Rwanda Media Project says, “After learning that Rwanda has so many talented filmmakers who are eager to learn more and get professional training, we decided to provide so. We engage both locals and international mentors who train the selected participants. They have been taught all the steps from how to write a script, to developing it, the plot and production process as well as the acting.” The pre-production course session took two months starting September 2021, and was a success which led to other technical guidelines that started in mid-January this year, with the basics being different camera angles, sounds and recording of a movie. The aforementioned two-week programme benefited film directors and producers, as well as actors and actresses. Stute says that it is such a pity to have such a programme and not see enough women engaged. “Women, you are capable enough to make the perfect changes in the cinema industry. For the next sessions, we want to see you in this programme. Don’t underestimate yourselves,” she says. Ibrahim Kwizera, the director of ‘City Maid’, a local television series, tells this publication that he has learnt a lot from the cinema training programmes—even with a big team —like the techniques of framing and using the highest quality materials for all settings. “I now ensure to deliver the best. I am always eager to learn new things and so this came as a breakthrough. The visual storytelling is getting to the next level. The best is yet to come, believe me,” says Kwizera. Carine Munyana, a writer, director and production designer who does visual art, shares that getting some training helps them to be more successful. Participants learn that every single thing and change in a movie matters and creates some variations in the results. If Rwandan filmmakers can get more training, this will enhance the local industry’s growth, putting it in a better position for international platforms as well.
