We are all Rwandans one of a few Rwandan movies
Rwanda is working on a project that would put the film industry among the options for any artist who is thinking business.
Rwanda Development Board (RDB) is promoting a new office that seeks to boost local film industry and put it on the global ranking.
The scheme dubbed ‘Rwanda Film Office’ (RFO) is expected to boost film production and set pace of global competitiveness of the local film producers and actors.
RFO has been in trial phase since the start of the 2018/2019 fiscal year under regulations of Rwanda development Board (RDB) in partnership with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)-a Germany based organization that aims at improving governance and eradication of poverty.
With its offices in RDB headquarters, RFO aims at extensively finding potential ways of networking with international and local film investors, support international co-production and film shooting.
RFO will also help in allocating local film industry challenges and solve them with the help of other partners including; Ministry of Sports and Culture.
Other functions of RFO will also include; strong commitment to develop the local film industry, increase the competitiveness of the domestic film production by looking for the external funding and skills from experienced film production countries, among others.
“RFO has been in trial phases working as an organization, but we are now asking the government to approve it and launch it, for it to start its work officially,” Belize Akaliza, RDB chief tourism officer said during the press briefing on Wednesday 6.
“RFO will give a push in promoting local film industry by marketing Rwanda as a country that does international co-productions, find challenges in the sector and solve them,” Akaliza said.
“Networking opportunities for audiovisual professionals from across the globe will be possible once Rwanda film office is launched film industry investors will have one stop center.”
According to Ahmed Harerimana, Secretary General of Rwanda film federation, the RFO comes at the moment we highly need it, it will help us in speeding up co-production with other international producers, help in sensitizing people on respect of intellectual property law.
“RFO will be our mouthpiece for the government to solve local challenges,” Harerimana said.
According to Harerimana, film industry has several challenges including; failure to get funding, small access to co-production with senior international actors, disrespect of intellectual property law-where people reproduce other people’s content (films, songs, audios) without permission.
