AMECEA: SIGNIS Award at Mashariki Africa Film Festival (MAAFF)
Mashariki KAFACOH Team
Pamela Adinda
SIGNIS continues to widen its participation in film festivals with a debut at the eighth edition of Mashariki Africa Film Festival in Rwanda.
Mr. Tresor Senga, the festival director and founder expressed immense gratitude to SIGNIS for joining the festival saying that it is a sign of growth for Mashariki Africa Film Festival.
“Although Covid19 pandemic effects have interfered with the film industry progress, cinema in East Africa is alive and most of the selected films in this 8th edition of MAAFF is proof that the future of cinema in Africa will continue to surprise audiences worldwide,” Mr. Tresor Senga said as he expressed gratitude to SIGNIS for participation at MAAFF.
For the maiden SIGNIS Awards at Mashariki Africa Film Festival, the jury comprising of Fr. Andrew Kaufa from Malawi, Pamela Adinda from Kenya and Jacques Mugiraneza from Rwanda gave SIGNIS Prize to KAFACOH, a film produced and directed by Mirembe Doreen from Uganda.
KAFACOH is a story of fight for justice in the face of power, which depicts a young native lawyer, Sandrah Atika Alexis whose quest to succeed in the career finds herself in the battlefield between two political heavyweights. Sandrah must therefore fight not only for justice to prevail in a manipulative and dangerous political arena but also to survive in an environment where those who try to challenge the powers that be are either lured to conformity or made to disappears mysteriously.
The film depicts courage and an unrelenting spirit in the fight for social justice and human dignity where resilience and determination are key. With great cinematography and a captive plot that keeps the audience at the edges of their seats, KAFACOH has an international appeal and promotes the same values that SIGNIS through its activities strives to achieve.
SIGNIS East Africa Talent Award was given to a young upcoming artist from Burundi, Lionel Nishimwe, who wrote and directed the short film A Colourful Life.
The film which is produced in black and white, contrary to the title Colourful Life, is about a young woman Sarah who in the heat of Covid19 pandemic discovers that she has cancer and only has six months to live. Confined to her home with her husband Phil, she has to face her fears and find ways to make the most out of the six months she has to live.
“Colourful life is actually a story of love, a story of courage, a story of a woman battling cancer in a pandemic season and a husband who suffers in solidarity with his wife during the difficult time. We most sincerely appreciate the festival for giving us space to share this wonderful story,” Lionel Nshimwe said in his acceptance message.
The 8th Edition of Mashariki Africa Film Festival took place in Kigali Rwanda from 26th November to 2nd December 2022.
