KIGALI - Preparations are all set for the hosting, at The Serena Kigali, today afternoon, of the African premiere of Hillywood’s biggest movie co-production project ever; "Africa United”.

Hillywood refers to Rwanda’s budding movie industry. The planning of the premier has been finalized with the highly anticipated arrival of the cast and production crew of the comedy movie.

A press statement issued for the event states that it would be the first African premiere of the movie.

While talking to The Sunday Times the cast and production team of the movie, which has received positive reviews by globally acclaimed film critics and analysts are saying that they all look up to the Kigali premier.

The cast and crew led by the young star Roger Nsengiyumva who played Fabrice in the cast, expressed happiness that Kigali is set to host the African premiere of the movie.

"It is with great pleasure to be back home in Rwanda to be part of this event which definitely will bring happiness and hope, not only to the crew and cast, but to the people of Rwanda,” Nsegiyumva said.

Jackie Sheppard, one of the three producers, along with Mark Blaney and Hillywood’s Eric Kabera, said that the movie presented the production team with a new set of story telling that inspired the UK based producers to come on board by joining Hillywood’s team.

"The project presented to us an opportunity to work on producing something that is just more than entertainment,” Blaney said.

Co-producer Kabera added that the planned event presented Hillywood with an important milestone for the future development of the budding industry.

"It is a great momentous event we are planning. Going forward tomorrow’s (today) event heralds the onset of the opening of the wider doors for Hillywood to the larger global movie industry,” Kabera said.

"It means that the potential for Hillywood is huge and while it has taken some time to get to where it is now. The premiere will cement the fact that Hillywood is coming of age,” Kabera added.

Critics say that "Africa United” has what it takes  to be big time just the way "Slum Dog Millionaire”, another movie that was made from similar third world settings,  made its way to mainstream Hollywood.

Kabera, while responding to a question by this writer on the larger prospects of the movie getting into mainstream Hollywood, said that the hard work and dedication of Rwanda’s entire budding local movie industry can be credited with the success of the movie, along with support from the people of Rwanda.

"It means that more partners and more people will believe in the power of storytelling, and it means that we will have to struggle even harder for people to understand the magnitude of film making. We are now at a level whereby there is more appreciation from stakeholders locally.

We are now at the position whereby we can tackle serious issues with a lighter tone just the way we have done with this movie. Using comedy and using the less kind of depressing stereotype to tell our story is the way forward”.

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