Local filmmaker Joel Karekezi continued his winning streak this year, bagging two film awards in Morocco over the weekend.

Karekezi’s film, The Mercy of the Jungle won ‘Best Screenplay’ and ‘Best Supporting Actor’ accolades at the just concluded Khouribga African Film Festival that run from December 15-22, in the Moroccan city of Khouribga. It was the 21st edition of the festival, which drew fifteen films from thirteen African countries Morocco, Cameroon, Algeria, Benin, Kenya, South Africa, Tunisia, Zambia, Congo-Brazaville, Ivory Coast, Tanzania, Ghana, and Rwanda.

The win was a crowning moment in a year, in which filmmaker scooped various awards at different film festivals across the globe.

As a filmmaker, Karekezi first shot to the limelight in 2009, with his first shot film titledImbabazi: The Pardon. In 2011, he developed it into a feature length film. By then, he already had the script of The Mercy of the Jungle at hand, only scouting for partners before shooting the film.

In September this year, The Mercy of the Jungle had its international premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in Canada. The following month, it won the Silver Hugo prize in the New Directors competition at the Chicago International Film Festival in the U.S.

The film has also took part in festivals like Namur Film Festival in Belgium, Milano Film Festival in Italy, Carthage Film Festival in Tunisia, and the Les Arcs Film Festival in Poland.

The Mercy of the Junglewas also the opening film at this year’s edition of the European Union Film Festival (EUFF) Rwanda chapter.

Karekezi dedicated 2018 to exposing the film to international film audiences through appearances at various film festivals. 

Next year, he plans to release the film in theaters in Europe, U.S. and Rwanda.

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