Local film star, Edouard Bamporiki, last Friday returned from Turkey, after a week-long ‘Crimes and Punishment’ film festival.

The festival, which was held in Istanbul from September 23, featured about 100 films from 40 countries dealing with various themes from crimes and punishments, but mainly focusing on coups d’état, the inaugural year’s main festival theme.

During his presentation at the event, Bamporiki said: "If we want long lasting peace, there should be a journey to inbuilt peace and reconciliation within our own hearts because no one can deliver and give out what he doesn’t have personally.”

Bamporiki told the audience how Rwanda experienced the worst history of horror in 1994 and, how the nation has regained its pride today, which gives hope to sustainable development.

The festival’s theme had a special resonance about Turkey, a country which has seen four elected governments pushed out by the military since 1960 and has just started to overcome taboos surrounding that history.

Bamporiki is an award-winning filmmaker, actor and poet. His film ‘Kinyarwanda’ featuring Hollywood actress Cassandra freeman, won international attention and was see as an antidote to fight against related war crimes and genocide ideologies around the world.

The 27-year-old, who is also a peace activist, was born in the Western Province of Rwanda. He has written, directed, acted, and produced various movies including ‘Long Coat’.

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