The Rwandan feature film “Ben’Imana”, directed by Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo, has made a historic appearance at the 79th Cannes Film Festival, screening in the Un Certain Regard category and marking a milestone for Rwandan cinema on the global stage.
Set in Kibeho in 2012, during the final phase of Rwanda’s Gacaca courts, the film delves into the emotional aftermath of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, when communities were still grappling with justice, truth, and reconciliation at the grassroots level.
At the center of the story is Vénéranda, played by Clémentine U. Nyirinkindi, a deeply complex woman navigating forgiveness, trauma, and fractured family relationships. While her opening words, “I forgive,” suggest peace, her emotional restraint and internal conflict reveal a more turbulent reality beneath the surface.
Through intimate storytelling, the film follows Vénéranda’s strained relationships with her daughter, sister, mother, and other women in her village, portraying how national trauma continues to shape everyday life and family bonds.
Critics describe the film as a searing and intimate portrait of collective reckoning, balancing personal grief with a broader reflection on justice and reconciliation in post-genocide Rwanda.
As the first Rwandan film to be selected for Cannes’ official lineup, Ben’Imana signals a growing presence of Rwanda in international cinema, while amplifying stories rooted in truth, memory, and healing.
The film is written and directed by Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo, whose debut feature highlights the strength of women’s voices in confronting painful histories and shaping the future of remembrance.
