The Great Lakes

Forum for young filmmakers

Cinema has become a tool of reconciliation for the violence-ridden region of the Great Lakes. Colonial-era boundaries and natural resources have led to a never-ending chain of civil wars, ethnic cleansing and genocide since the 1960s. A young generation of filmmakers from this region is using motion pictures to better understand, document, process and, if possible, forgive these acts of violence and their repercussions. The film festivals in Kigali (Rwanda), Bujumbura (Burundi) and Bukavu (Democratic Republic of Congo) have become important hubs for these filmmakers, as well as local and international audiences.

“The Great Lakes” served as a forum to promote promising young film artists from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. Because training programmes for prospective filmmakers are rare in these countries, the transnational exchange with experienced colleagues, some of whom are German, helped make more artistic and socio-political opportunities available to these young artists. Their best films were compiled into a programme by the artistic directors of the African film festivals mentioned above and presented at selected events, such as the Afrikamera 2015 film festival in Berlin, accompanied by conferences and discussion panels on the cultural life of the Great Lakes region.

A project by toucouleur e.V. and Afrikamera, Berlin.

Artistic director: Alex Moussa Sawadogo (DE)

Participants: Michael Bogar (DE), Franck B. Mweze (CG), Léonce Ngabo (BI), Kivu Ruhorahoza (RW), Jacques Rutabingwa (RW)

Scheduled dates

Kwetu Film Institute: 13 Sept. – 19 Sept. 2015 (workshops, panels, screenings), Kigali, Rwanda

Arsenal-Institut für Film- und Videokunst e.V.: 2 Nov. 2015 – 15 Nov. 2015 (production workshop)