A Rwandan production company ended last year on a high – with a short film and a workshop.
Triumph wins over adversity in the Rwandan short film Whatever It Takes, which will be targeted at the international festival circuit in 2012.
It is a story of a young woman (Mucyo) who wants to sit for her final high school examinations but is hampered by poverty and circumstance — her mother is a widow and too poor to pay school fees.
Although she is chased out of the school Mucyo is never discouraged and searches for any job, finally finding one as a taxi assistant. Her school friends reject her but eventually she manages to pay for her exams, pass them and win a government scholarship in the process.
Written and produced by Umulisa Gakuba Diane, Whatever It Takes was directed and edited by Richard Mugwaneza of Almond Tree Films.
Says Mugwaneza: “The message of the film aims to inspire young people to attain higher goals in life irrespective of the challenges that they face. The film also encourages women to rise up and be champions of development.’
Set in the Rwandan capital city of Kigali, the lead role is played by Yvette Kanyange and, according to the filmmakers, the role was very difficult to cast. It took a couple of months until they met Kanyange who they describe as a “typical Rwandan woman’.
The film’s budget of $2 000 was awarded when the script was selected during the eight-day Maisha Screenwriting Lab held in Kigali in May 2011.
This was the first time that Mugwaneza directed a script penned by someone else. It was also the first time he shot on 16:9 in full high definition (HD) on memory sticks instead of tapes.
“For years I have dreamt of doing this. I enjoyed this digital experience and like the picture quality of the footage,’ he comments.
The three-day shoot was extended by a day due to bad weather and incessant rain.
Calling card
Towards the end of last year Mugwaneza organised and facilitated a workshop called A Sample of Work, attended by 10 aspiring filmmakers. Its main objective was to provide an opportunity for young directors to create a sample of their work they could use as a calling card when trying to raise funds for their film projects.
By the end of the workshop each filmmaker had directed a short film of between five and 10 minutes long. All films were shot in HD with a professional crew and will be promoted under the Almond Tree Films banner.
The workshop was a success, says Mugwaneza. “It has been a huge development in the Rwandan film industry and a prestigious accomplishment for Almond Tree Films. There were a number of challenges such as lack of a sponsor, finding actors and appropriate sets and location. It was a learning curve,’ he says.
Mugwaneza wants Rwandan films to shine and believes that local film directors should have a platform to share ideas among their peers.
By Martin Chemhere
