The 6th edition of the Rwanda Film Festival is on and a predicated exhilarating gala night will be held, today, at Kigali Serena Hotel.

The festival, started on July 11, with the Hillywood tour across the country and it will run until July 23.

Pierre L. Kayitana, the Director of Rwanda Cinema Centre/ Rwanda Film Festival Event, told The New Times that over 300 spectators attended the first night in Nyagatare.

The FIFA World Cup finale in South Africa was the focus of attention for the excited Nyagatare football fans. During the half time of the game, the film ‘Stressed’ starred by locals was screened to relieve the tension.

"There was no better way to start the Film Festival than screening the final match of the world cup 2010,” Kayitana said.

The second phase was held in Rwamagana and attracted an even bigger audience—four local films:’ Inside’, Stressed’, ‘Aid’ and ‘Kezalella’ were screened.

Jolie Murenzi, the Art Director and Public Relations Officer of the Rwanda Cinema Centre, said that Hillywood focuses on educating children who do not have chances of having television at home.

"We screen cartoons for young children and various films for adults,” Murenzi said.

The gala night at Serena will be graced by a renowned filmmaker Thierry Michel, known for his films, ‘Mobutu le Roi du Zaire’ and ‘Business in Katanga’, which will be screened today.

The theme for this year’s film festival, ‘Africa Celebrated’, in which we will see the country continue to celebrate the just concluded FIFA World Cup which was hosted for the first time in Africa, the Kwita Izina and Fespad slated for July 24-31.

"With a small budget and big support from the Ministry of Culture and Sports, Germany Embassy and local restaurants, we have organised a gala night, which will be entertained by Lokua Kanza, a famous African artist,” Murenzi said.

Murenzi, who had a week’s training during the recent Tribeca Film Festival, vows to use the skills she acquired to train local filmmakers.

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