Germany to set up TV and film institute in Rwanda

The government of Germany in partnership with Kwetu Film Institute and German Development Cooperation is set to establish a television and film institution in Rwanda. This is part of efforts to develop and empower the country’s media industry.The project, dubbed, Rwanda Media Project, will begin early next year with about 20 students who will undergo intensive training to become internationally recognised professionals in the fields of film production, editing and script writing among others.Martin Brandes the projects coordinator says that Rwanda has a hospitable culture and potential to make it a leading film and television hub not only in Africa but the whole world.“This is a well organised country with beautiful scenery and wildlife and thus a good place to shoot films. It only needs to market itself internationally through establishment of the country’s film commission like in other countries.”The project is financed by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Development and Cooperation (BMZ). Other partners are Kwetu Film Institute, Deutsche Welle Akademie (DWA) and European Film Centre Babelsberg (EFB), working in close cooperation with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)/Centre for International Migration and Development (CIM).The Rwanda Media Project is the brainchild of Oscar winning movie director Volker Schloendorff who is a long-term supporter of Kwetu Film Institute and a friend of the institute’s founder, Eric KaberaFive years ago, Volker Schloendorff visited Rwanda in the entourage of former Germany President, Mr. Horst Köhler and witnessed amazing things Kwetu and Kabera was involved in. That marked the beginning of longstanding professional and personal friendship that has led to the establishment of this ambitious project.Brandes added that RMP will provide full-time, hands-on two year training to talented students in different fields of film and television production and they are already in consultation with Workforce Development Authority so that successful students can have their diplomas within two years.Through this initiative, the German government will provide state-of –the art equipment including cameras, sound equipment, computers, editing system and light system.The project vision is to train qualified professionals who will take over from their mentors and teachers after two or so years. Rwanda is going to boast of qualified film producers and directors who in turn will be able to produce high quality films in the country in future, and thus international film producers will not have to ship in producers and directors when filming in the country.The trainers and mentors will come from Germany. “Because we plan to start with a small number of students, it implies that each student will be assigned his or her own teacher in specific fields of their talents. It will ensure that we bake professionals in film and television that are going to take Rwanda to the next level of professionalism in the industries.”Brandes encouraged women to apply for this project when it officially opens its doors since the country has the capacity to produce women who can make it in the film and television industry.

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Germany to set up TV and film institute in Rwanda