Following Iraq in 2025, Rwanda makes its mark on the Croisette. The Caméra d’Or jury, presided over by Monia Chokri, has crowned Marie Clémentine Dusabejambo’s Ben’Imana, a deeply moving work about reconciliation.

Chosen from among 30 debut feature films, this drama, presented in the Un Certain Regard section, confirms the powerful emergence of a new African cinema. From its very first screening, the film sparked a lengthy standing ovation.

The Weight of the Past, the Urgency of the Future

Ben’Imana plunges us, without artifice, into the heart of post-genocide community tribunals. Veneranda (Clémentine U. Nyirinkindi) appears there to beg for forgiveness. Facing her, her sister Suzanne (Isabelle Kabano) refuses, demanding confessions for the murder of her family.

At the center of this fracture stands Tina (Kesia Kelly Nishimwe), Veneranda’s daughter. She embodies the youth who did not experience the genocide, yet inherits the weight of its silences and seeks her own path toward peace.

Global Recognition

With this prestigious award, Marie Clémentine Dusabejambo delivers a masterful film. Beyond the intimate, this Caméra d’Or serves as a powerful reminder that Rwandan narratives possess a universal resonance, capable of captivating audiences worldwide.