Rwanda documentary films produced in RW/DRC in 2008 and 2009 now showing in international film festivals and online.
Internews produced a series of 12 documentaries targeting the population of Rwanda and Eastern DRC as well as ex-combatants, their families and FDLRs still in eastern Congolese forests. The productions were tailored to assist people of the two countries in better understanding each other and help the local communities from the Kivus to better know their Rwandan neighbours. They were screened in public and aired all over Rwanda and Eastern DRC.
One of Internews Rwanda films - “A letter to my Daughter”- has been nominated for an Award in the international documentary category of the International Film Festival South Africa from Nov 2- 8, 2009. The film has also been selected at the Radar Hamburg Film Festival taking place in Hamburg, Germany from 2-7 November, 2009.
Another film, “24h in Mutubo camp”, showing the Hutus ex-combatants in a transit camp in Rwanda is also taking part to the Culture Unplugged online films festival (Humanity Explored). To see the film click here.
A LETTER TO MY DAUGHTER (Lettre à ma fille) 29’ HD – French and Kinyarwanda with English subtitles.
Synopsis: A young Congolese journalist is shocked when she interviews victims of domestic violence in Rwanda and Congo. She discovers the deep-rooted and prevalent nature of the violence, a subject that is taboo in Africa. Women are regularly beaten and degraded when their husbands bring mistresses home. They are forced to bear children with husbands they no longer love. And tradition demands that they serve and obey husbands as masters in the home. In a region of Africa where women have experienced extreme violence during multiple genocides, massacres and wars, women cannot voice their anguish. There is no one to turn to for help. And sadly, these distraught women inflict more suffering on their children, ignoring daughters who find themselves in similarly abusive relationships. The Congolese journalist, Solange, belongs to the new generation of women who are demanding justice, respect and equality in marriage. But how will Solange break with tradition when the time comes? Will her father break her bed?
The series was produced with the support of the African Conflict Prevention Pool - British Foreign Commonwealth Office.