The Animal Kingdom (Le Règne animal), a French film that reflects today’s world, where transformation, adaptation, and empathy are essential for living together in harmony, became the first film to be screened at the 2025 European Film Festival, organised by the EU in Rwanda. The festival kicked off on Thursday, November 13, and will run until December 10 at the Francophone Cultural Centre. This year's edition will see 12 films screened at selected venues, mainly the Francophone Cultural Centre and Goethe-Institut Rwanda. Attendance is free of charge. The European Film Festival is an annual event that brings together a variety of films from Europe to local audiences around the world. It gives people a chance to discover the continent’s rich culture, creativity, and different ways of telling stories. These 12 films come from nine EU member states, including France, Spain, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Malta. Each film offers its own style and message, ranging from drama to documentaries and imaginative stories, highlighting Europe’s artistic talent and cultural diversity. French Ambassador Aurélie Royet-Gounin was among participants who attended the opening day of the festival. “This evening holds special meaning as we also remember the tragic events of November 13, 2015, when coordinated terrorist attacks struck Paris and Saint-Denis,” she said. “As we honour the memory of those who lost their lives, we are reminded of the power of art and culture to heal, unite, and inspire hope. Le Règne Animal, a film that speaks to humanity, love, and resilience, is a fitting choice for this day of reflection and renewal,” she added. About Animal Kingdom This is a film directed by Thomas Cailley. It is set in a world where a strange wave of mutations is slowly turning some people into animals. François is determined to save his wife, who has been affected by this mysterious condition. When some of the transformed people disappear into a nearby forest, he and his 16-year-old son, Émile, set out on a journey that will change their lives. The film had its world premiere as the opening movie of the Un Certain Regard section at the 76th Cannes Film Festival on May 17, 2023. It was released in France on October 4, 2023, and received mostly positive reviews. It earned 12 nominations at the 49th César Awards and won 5: Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Original Music, Best Costume Design, and Best Visual Effects. “We extend our sincere thanks to the European Union and its Member States for their continued partnership and trust, for believing in the power of the arts to connect, to educate, and to inspire. Together, let us continue to build bridges between Rwanda and Europe through the universal language of storytelling, a language that speaks not only to the mind, but to the heart,” said Brave Ngabo Olivier, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth and Arts. “The festival is far more than a sequence of screenings. It is a conversation of souls across continents. Through the language of film, we are invited into Europe’s creative imagination, into its humour, its complexity, its tenderness. And in turn, we see reflections of ourselves, of Rwanda’s own history, resilience, and evolving identity, refracted through a new light,” he added. Ngabo explained that film has that rare ability to bridge worlds without translation, to make us feel before we understand, and to remind us that emotion, truth, and beauty speak a universal language. “Rwanda believes deeply in this transformative power of storytelling,” he stated. “We are nurturing a generation of young. Rwandans who dare to tell their own stories, with courage, creativity, and authenticity. Because cinema does more than entertain since it shapes mindsets, sparks innovation and plants the seeds of empathy that hold our communities, he said. Belen Calvo Uyarra, EU Ambassador to Rwanda commended the country's powerful spirit of storytelling through film, poetry, and music. “When European films meet Rwandan audiences, something beautiful happens – a dialogue of imagination and connection. Through cinema, we explore our shared values, resilience, love, hope, justice, and transformation. Each film becomes a small bridge between Europe and the world, including Rwanda, reminding us that though our stories may begin in different places, they often lead us to the same human truths,” she said. “Let’s remember that the European Union and Rwanda will continue to share and celebrate these values, understanding, creativity, and respect for human dignity. May this festival inspire more collaboration between Europe and Rwanda and may the stories we share tonight spark new ideas, new friendships, and new artistic journeys.,” she added.
