Rwanda took a historic step in its cinematic journey on August 11, 2025, with the announcement of its very first Oscars Selection Committee (ROSC), a team of 15 distinguished professionals tasked to select a film that can potentially represent the nation in the International Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards. Formed by the Ministry of Youth and Arts in accordance with the regulations of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), this marks Rwanda’s official entry into the global Oscars process. The committee’s mandate is clear: ensure a fair, transparent, and artistically rigorous selection process that identifies the film best suited to carry Rwanda’s voice onto the world stage. ALSO READ: Five stars taking Rwandan film industry by storm “This marks a pivotal opportunity for Rwanda’s creative economy. The establishment of Rwanda's Oscars Selection Committee aligns with our strategy to elevate our cinematic voice globally,” said Minister of State for Youth and Arts Sandrine Umutoni in a statement released on Monday, August 11. The timing couldn’t be more significant. In recent years, Rwanda’s film industry has seen rapid growth, with local talent earning recognition at prestigious film festivals across Africa and beyond. The selected films will be a reflection of Rwanda’s artistic vision, cultural heritage, and storytelling uniqueness. ALSO READ: Who are some of the key players in Rwanda’s creative industry? But who is who on the committee? Marie-France Niragire Leading the group is Marie-France Niragire who serves as Chairperson of the Rwanda Arts Council and also chairs the Rwanda Oscars Selection Committee. She is a creative media strategist and cultural innovator with extensive experience in film and television production, screenwriting, and directing. She is also a recognized actress, filmmaker, and producer who gained national recognition through lead roles in popular movies like Urudasanzwe and Inzozi. As an advocate for women in film, she has held significant leadership roles within Rwanda’s creative sector and continues to support emerging creatives while promoting film as a meaningful medium for education, healing, and transformation. Hope Azeda Azeda is a renowned playwright, theatre director, and founder of Mashirika Performing Arts and Media Company. She has served as casting director for acclaimed films such as Sometimes in April, Shake Hands with the Devil, and Our Lady of the Nile. Hope is the founder and curator of the Ubumuntu Arts Festival and a fellow of the Africa Leadership Initiative. Her accolades include the McNulty Prize, the CEO Global Award, and the Segal Centre Civic Engagement Honour. She serves on the advisory board of the Global Public Diplomacy Network (GPDNet). ALSO READ: “It’s like raising a child”: Hope Azeda talks 10 years organising Ubumuntu Arts Festival Myriam U Birara Myriam U. Birara is a filmmaker and painter whose work explores nuanced human experiences and cultural identity. Her short film Imuhira premiered in competition at the 2021 Locarno Film Festival. Her debut feature, The Bride, won several awards and screened at top festivals including Berlinale, FESPACO, BFI London, and Marrakech. Myriam’s thoughtful visual language contributes a distinctive voice to African cinema. Her creative journey reflects a strong commitment to telling intimate and resonant stories from a Rwandan perspective. Kantarama Gahigiri Kantarama Gahigiri is a Rwandan filmmaker, writer, and director, and an alumna of La Fabrique Cinéma (Cannes), Realness, and other prominent residencies. Her work explores identity, sovereignty, and representation, and has premiered at Berlinale, Sundance, IDFA, and Locarno. Her acclaimed film Terra Mater earned a Swiss Academy Award nomination and over 55 international awards. Her short Ethereality, which explores migration and belonging, won the Golden Foal Award at FESPACO. Her recent work critically examines the connections between colonisation, capitalism, and climate change. Jones Kennedy Mazimpaka Mazimpaka is a veteran Rwandan actor, director, and mentor with over 50 years of experience. He has appeared in 50+ local and international films and performed in nearly 60 plays and social awareness productions. As a director, he has led multiple film and stage productions. He is deeply involved in training emerging artists through national drama and acting programs. Kennedy’s legacy is marked by his enduring contribution to Rwanda’s cultural identity and the professional development of generations of performing artists. ALSO READ: Every person has a story: An interview with veteran actor Kennedy Mazimpaka Aime Philbert Mbabazi Sharangabo Sharangabo is an award-winning filmmaker and Co-Founder of Imitana, a Kigali-based production company and home to the Kigali Cine Junction Film Festival. A graduate of HEAD–Genève, his debut feature Minimals in a Titanic World premiered at the 2025 Berlinale. His short I Got My Things won the Grand Prize at the Oscar-qualifying Oberhausen Festival. With works screened at over 70 international festivals, including Rotterdam, Visions du Réel, and Clermont- Ferrand, Mbabazi is a Berlinale Talents and Locarno Filmmakers Academy alum, contributing a powerful auteur voice to contemporary African cinema. Wilson Misago Misago is a visionary media executive, producer, and entrepreneur, and the Founder and CEO of Zacu Entertainment Ltd, Rwanda’s leading content production company, now part of the CANAL+ Group. In 2017, he launched Zacu TV, Rwanda’s first VoD platform, which evolved into a fiction-focused cable channel broadcasting in Kinyarwanda. Under his leadership, local content production grew from 40 to over 160 hours per year. He has produced acclaimed series including Seburikoko, City Maid, and Kaliza wa Kalisa. Misago also co-founded Inyarwanda.com and created AFRIFAME, a leading photography brand in Kigali. Elodie Mumhoreze Mumhoreze is a Brand Communications Consultant with the Rwanda Development Board, where she has supported the Visit Rwanda brand since 2023, driving its global visibility through strategic campaigns and storytelling that showcase Rwanda’s cultural and creative industries. With a background in media and communication, she blends academic insight with professional expertise, offering a nuanced perspective on cinema, television, and the power of storytelling to shape cultural narratives. Didacienne Nibagwire Nibagwire is a cultural entrepreneur, writer, and creative producer with over a decade of experience in Rwanda’s arts and film sectors. She is the Founder of IYUGI Productions and Co-founder of L’Espace, a multidisciplinary cultural venue in Kigali. She has produced award-winning films and collaborated on international projects such as Petit Pays and Le silence des mots. She also produced Father’s Day (Berlinale Encounters 2022) and leads youth-focused initiatives promoting intergenerational dialogue through the arts. Her work bridges creative practice, cultural research and social impact. Ruzindana Rugasa Rugasa is a strategic communication and cultural policy professional with over 15 years of experience in media, communication and creative sector development. He serves as Advisor to the Minister of State in the Ministry of Youth and Arts and previously coordinated the Government Communication Relations Team. Certified in arts management, cultural policy, and sustainable project design for cultural and creative industries, Rugasa connects public policy with cultural innovation to position youth, arts, and heritage narratives on the global stage. Kivu Ruhorahoza Ruhorahoza is an award-winning filmmaker and visual artist. His work has been exhibited at major international festivals, including Sundance, Berlinale, TriBeCa, IDFA, Melbourne, and Venice, and in institutions such as MoMA New York. He was the 2022–2023 Stewart McMillan Fellow in Distinguished Filmmaking and is affiliated with the Hutchins Centre at Harvard University. His feature films include Of Heroes and Villains (upcoming), Father’s Day (Berlinale 2022), Europa (IDFA 2019), Things of the Aimless Wanderer (Sundance 2015), and Grey Matter (TriBeCa 2011). Eugene Safali Safali is a seasoned Rwandan production sound mixer with two decades of experience in the film and television industry. He has contributed to numerous acclaimed films, including The 600, Inkotanyi, No U Turn, Imfura, Father’s Day, Neptune Frost, and the forthcoming Alkebulan. His work has been recognised at festivals such as Berlinale, Sundance, Tribeca, and FESPACO. He has also collaborated with Canal+ Afrique, National Geographic, and Voyage on productions filmed across Africa, cementing his reputation as a trusted sound specialist in global audio-visual storytelling. Tresor Senga Senga is a filmmaker, producer, and founder of the Mashariki African Film Festival. Since 2012, he has championed East African cinema through his company, Mashariki Pictures Ltd and as FEPAFCA Regional Director. He has produced and directed films screened across Africa and Europe and served on multiple festival juries. In 2023, he launched the Kigali International Film and Content Market and produced The Greenland series. He also leads the EU-funded LET’S KNOW project, training 400 Rwandan youth in film. His work promotes storytelling, mentorship, and market access for African content creators. Chance Tubane Tubane holds an international degree in Information and Communication | PR from the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium. She is a passionate advocate for gender empowerment, youth engagement, and human rights aligned with the SDGs. Her career spans national and international work with UN agencies and NGOs such as Women for Women International. She has led impactful initiatives, including the TunyweLess anti-alcohol campaign, TOHOZA.com, and the ECWIPD platform for empowering creative women. Annette Uwera Uwizeye Uwizeye is a film producer, writer and strategist dedicated to storytelling and creative capacity building. She is the founder of A Wize Media and NANO Studios Africa, which have served Rwanda’s audio-visual sector for over 15 years. Her notable works include The 600, The Story of Us, Africanda, and Coexist. A Berlinale delegate and fellow of the Korea–Rwanda Film Capacity Building Program, she also authored a TVET training manual for GIZ Eco-Emploi. Annette has served on juries for URUSARO and MAAFF, and regularly facilitates high-level production partnerships across the region.
