Gossip: On the grapevine

Genocide film voted best A Canadian movie about the1994 Genocide won the hearts of the judges when it was chosen as best film of the year in the inaugural Kuala Lumpur International Film Festival (KLIFF) last Sunday in Kigali. “Sunday in Kigali”, the movie won the best actress award for Fatou N’Diaye. The film beat 22 other feature films in the final selection, winning a trophy, certificate of appreciation and US$10,000cash prize. The festival was graced by Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage, Datuk Seri Rais Yatim, who also presented the awards to the winners. The best director award went to Charles Burnett for his film “The Struggle for Liberation”, portraying the struggle of Namibia’s first president Sam Nujoma. The film also won the best African film award as well as best music score. There were also three special jury awards which went to Transformers, Tehilim and 1957 Hati Malaya, from the US, France and Malaysia, respectively. Hosted by popular local presenter Sarimah and Singaporean funnyman Gurmit Singh, the awards were held at Dewan Merdeka of Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC). Creating a lasting impact through powerful images is the goal of a team of photojournalists traveling to Rwanda to document HIV/Aids. According to our scouts, participants in renowned Canadian photography project photosensitive are teaming up with The Rwanda Initiative, a Canadian and Rwandan journalism partnership, for a 10-day trip leaving on Tuesday next week. Deceit witness convicted by the ICTR Latest on Grapevine is, one of the Rwandan witnesses of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, who was recently convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) for false testimony in a preceding trial in Rwanda. He contradicted the testimony for which he was convicted for. In order to ensure his safety, this witness confessed before an ICTR chamber that he had been encouraged to lie during the appeal trial to clear Jean de Dieu Kamuhanda, the former Rwandan Minister for Higher Education. According to scouts, the later was sentenced to 9 months in prison. It’s also said this witness supported in a trial against him in Rwanda that the version he had given before the appeals chamber was the good one and that it was in first instance that he had lied. B-Club finally opens Good news to all who only go in for sophisticated stuff, a new multi million complex, which will also include a Club (B-Club), is set to open over this weekend. Situated in Gacuriro, near Kobil Building, the complex is owned by one of Kigali’s mogul, Barry Ndengeyingoma. A newly-renovated multifaceted premise will become the superlative in town and its services are set to kick things off in style. The mogul who is not only famous for his Hummer and Black Limousine, he is also owns Palm Hotel, found in the eastern part of the country (Gisenyi). And rumour has it that, he is yet to bring another White Limousine. Has Hotel Rwanda Movie scored? It’s true; there are some countries and particular individuals in the world who up to now have continued to deny the fact that what happened in Rwanda during the 1994 was not Genocide. It’s promising though that despite of all such allegations and denials, some of the world’s renowned actors and actresses have staged documentaries and films to portray the evils of the Genocide. And at least this has put on limelight all the evils that were exercised during 100days of massacring. It is therefore due to these documentaries that many people, including young people have continued to blame themselves for having failed stop the killings. “Hotel Rwanda” is simply one of the most riveting portrayals of courage that I have ever seen. Terry George, the director and co-writer of the film, has given us one of the greatest inspirational stories of this generation. Ends