A group of 15 Rwandan film professionals is in South Korea for a two-week training programme aimed at strengthening skills in film and audiovisual production. The delegation travelled to South Korea on June 27, with the programme officially beginning on June 28 in the city of Busan. The training will run until July 11. The initiative offers participants an opportunity to exchange knowledge with industry experts, gain exposure to global best practices and build professional networks that could contribute to the continued growth of Rwanda's film industry. ALSO READ: EU envoy commends Rwanda filmmakers Among those taking part are renowned actors Emmanuel Mugisha, popularly known as Clapton Kibonge, Antoinette Uwamahoro, and film director and sound engineer Aaron Niyomwungeri. According to Niyomwungeri, the programme combines practical and theoretical sessions designed to enhance participants' technical and creative capabilities. The training covers film production, directing, modern audiovisual technologies, film industry management and strategies for building international collaborations within the creative sector, he said. He added that the knowledge and experience gained will contribute to the long-term development of Rwanda's film industry by strengthening technical expertise, deepening participants' understanding of industry governance and exposing them to international standards in filmmaking and audiovisual production. ALSO READ: Canon partners with local school to develop Rwandan film industry Beyond classroom sessions, the participants are visiting key film and media institutions across Busan to gain first-hand insight into South Korea's thriving film ecosystem. These include the Busan Asian Film School, where they are learning about film education and international co-production programmes; the Busan Film Commission, to understand production support systems and filming incentives; and the Busan Cinema Center, home to the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), where they are exploring film festival management and audience engagement. The delegation will also visit the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) to learn about national film policies, funding mechanisms and strategies that have strengthened South Korea's global film industry, as well as the Korea Media Rating Board to better understand content classification and audiovisual regulations. The programme forms part of the Capacity Building for Film and Video Industry in Rwanda initiative, which aims to improve the competitiveness of Rwanda's creative sector by equipping film professionals with advanced technical skills, international exposure and industry knowledge. It is being implemented through a partnership involving Busan Metropolitan City, the Busan Global City Foundation (BGCF), the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and Capacity Improvement and Advancement for Tomorrow (CIAT). Busan, South Korea's second-largest city, is widely recognised as one of Asia's leading film and cultural hubs. It hosts the Busan International Film Festival, one of the continent's most influential cinema events, which has played a key role in promoting Asian filmmaking on the global stage.
