Alternative African cinemas: a case study of Rwanda

Abstract

There are various prescriptive and limiting discourses about what African Cinema is or should be. Because of the vastness of the continent and the heterogeneity of the people inhabiting it (as well as those interested in its culture and history), most of these theories and assertions provide little more than general statements and often omit the importance of national and regional particularity. This article examines the emerging film industry in Rwanda as well as the potential challenge it can pose to certain paradigms within discourses surrounding African Cinema. It also looks at different funding and distribution models, including international, collaborative and independent film projects currently underway in Rwanda. Analyses of two films Patrick Mureithi's Icyizere:Hope and Debs Gardner-Paterson's We Are All Rwandans are provided to support the article's argument.

History, trauma and remembering in Kivu Ruhorahoza’sGrey Matter(2011)

“…The many TV and film crews who arrived shortly after the event left behind a host of trained Rwandan professionals who understood that if they did not tell their stories, someone else would. The strong commitment of a number of individuals, international collaborations and Rwanda's relatively stable economic growth resulted in the creation of institutions such as the Rwanda Cinema Centre and the Kwetu Film Institute and established events such as the Rwanda Film Festival (see Cieplak 2010b;Dovey 2015). And while film penetration and availability in Rwanda (especially in rural areas) are still very limited, there has been a sustained push in the country to produce films in Kinyarwanda.…”

“…3 The latter has dominated Rwandan fictional narratives (mostly short films) on the topic (see Cieplak 2010b). While this focus is understandable and reflects the governmental discourse as well as the actual wishes of a significant part of the Rwandan population, it is necessary for it to gesture towards or at least acknowledge the complex and not inevitable nature of the reconciliatory process.…”