The second edition of the Kigali Cine Junction (KCJ) festival offered Rwandans a cinema experience from August 1-4, held at various open-air venues in Kigali, including Imbuga City Walk, Cine Mayaka, and Moshions space.

The festival kicked off at Imbuga City Walk in Kigali's Car Free Zone with the 2023 film ‘Banel and Adama’, directed by Senegalese filmmaker Ramata-Toulaye Sy. This film centres on a young couple in Senegal facing the disapproval of their remote village.

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Philbert Aime Mbabazi Sharangabo, Co-founder at Imitana Productions, a Kigali-based film production company that organised the festival, said in his opening remarks that cinema is a universal language, which is why they chose the Car Free Zone (Imbuga City Walk), a public place, for the event.

He said that cinema captures time, records past lives and experiences, helps people understand the present, and imagines the future.

Sharangabo also noted the importance of celebrating the start of Rwandan cinema and the contributions of the Rwandan diaspora.

During an interview with TV5 Monde, Eliane Umuhire compared the festival&039;s celebration of cinema in Rwanda to helping a baby be born and watching the baby grow.

"At the opening of the festival, I was delighted to see a large audience, primarily composed of Rwandans, sitting in the open air to watch the Senegalese film. It is truly a celebration of cinema and the evolution of cinema in Rwanda," she said.

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On the second day, the film ‘Omen’, starring Eliane Umuhire, was screened at Cine Mayaka, while the classic ‘Love and Basketball’ entertained audiences at Imbuga City Walk.

Sharon Kirezi, who attended the festival to watch the films, said it was an amazing experience since she missed the first edition due to being abroad.

"This feels so new to me. Being able to come to an open venue and enjoy these film screenings is so exciting. Also, seeing such well-made films by Rwandan filmmakers shows me that we have truly evolved in filmmaking. The large audience present also indicates that people now appreciate films," she said.

The festival&039;s third and final days featured a diverse lineup, including ‘Supa Modo’, directed by Likarion Wainaina, as well as several Rwandan cinematic gems: ‘Muzungu’ directed by Moise Ganza, ‘Cacophony’ directed by Carine Umunyana, ‘The Bride’ directed by Myriam Birara, and the closing film ‘Mami Wata: Mermaid Goddess of West Afrika’, directed by CJ Obasi.

Besides the screenings

The festival also hosted discussions on various topics such as the lasting impact of narratives on imagination, the danger of stereotypes, and producers' insights on producing films in East Africa. Additionally, industry professionals shared valuable advice for those pursuing directing careers.

Eliane Umuhire also conducted an acting workshop at the Cine Mayaka, which saw participation from numerous aspiring actors.

In an interview with The New Times, Yannick Mizero, a film producer at Imitana Productions and the festival's coordinator said that the festival was a success and exceeded their expectations in terms of attendance. "Compared to the first edition, this year’s turnout was impressive, and we were pleasantly surprised by the large number of people who showed up," he said.

Sharangabo also told The New Times that during the first edition, the event was limited to Imbuga City Walk. However, this time, attendees had various options to choose from. "We saw an increase in both films and directors participating.”

He added that the festival is an annual event. "We believe that summer is the ideal time for this festival because it takes place in open spaces.”