Filmmakers awarded at Mashariki African Film Festival

Outstanding filmmakers who participated at the recently concluded second annual edition of Mashariki African Film Festival (MAFF) were awarded. The festival, which started on March 5, concluded on Saturday at the Grand Pension Plaza’s Roof Top. The closing ceremony saw three outstanding filmmakers with short films awarded with cash prizes and 60 students who completed the week-long pre-production, acting and post-production classes, awarded with certificates. Pluvier Benko emerged winner with his film A ride in a Coffin, walking away with Rwf100,000; Clementine Dusabejambo (Behind the World) emerged second winning Rwf70,000, while Olaf Hamelek (Agasanduku) emerged third and was awarded with 50,000. “We had a lot of students and they worked really hard throughout the workshop. This is the future, it’s the next generation. It’s therefore their time to shine. We however have high hopes for the next edition and the upcoming films,” said Kantarama Gahigiri, the head of the producing and directing class at Goethe Institute. This year, more films from Africa were screened and workshops for local film makers, conducted by some of the few film experts were hosted this year. This year’s jury constituted of film experts like Gerald Lichen, a Canadian filmmaker, Fibby Kioria, the Maisha Film Lab director and Moses Serugo, a Ugandan film critic. It attracted over 44 features, documentaries and short films by filmmakers from Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi, Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso Congo-Brazzaville, France and Belgium. Meanwhile, Tresor Senga, the president of the festival, said the main aim of such an event is to help promote and develop local and regional film industries, adding that it was also part of promoting African cinema culture, with focus on quality and professionalism. During the week, a number of activities were taking place. With different partnerships; we’ve been able to make this festival a success. This is all about developing and promoting the local and regional film industry, he said. This year’s edition kicked off under the theme “Cinema Unites Africa” which saw only short films from Rwandan filmmakers screened. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Filmmakers awarded at Mashariki African Film Festival