Filmmakers and actors from different African countries are in Kigali for the Rwanda International Movie Awards (RIMA) gala scheduled for April 1, at Crown hotel, Nyarutarama.

Filmmakers from Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Cameroon and hosts Rwanda are among those set to attend the awards gala.

The awards which are in their eighth edition, in Rwanda, and the second edition ever since they went international in 2019, are organized by Ishusho Arts, a Rwandan company. The latter focuses on cinema activities with an aim of recognising the finest films produced by Rwandan and foreign movie producers.

The visiting filmmakers visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial on Friday, March 31.

"It is nice to see what Rwanda’s president has done for the country in creating the sense of peace and unity among Rwandans. As Africans, we can only progress and reach our full potentials when we stand as one with no divisions among us,” said Nigerian actor, Mitchel Ogbonna.

The actor who is in Rwanda for the first time appreciates the initiative for bringing Africans in cinema together.

Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Ejekwu, a comedian, said that he is excited to be in Rwanda and looks forward to making connections with Rwandan comedians. Upon his visit at the Genocide memorial, he had a message for Nigerians who have a mindset of tribalism. His message is that nobody is big than the other and that they are one.

Inionongo Edo Ekim, another Nigerian filmmaker, emphasized on unity among Africans and collaboration "by pushing each other as we understand the essence of being Africans.”

"Collaborations like the RIMA are indeed important to Africans. We have the richest stories and if we come together it will be the quickest way to tell our own stories globally,” she said.

The event manager, Alliance Isimbi, best known as Alliah, said she is pleased to have managed to bring the filmmakers from different parts of Africa to Rwanda.