Rwanda makes Oscars history with first-ever submission, ‘Ben’Imana’

Rwanda’s first Oscars entry film “Ben’Imana”  tells a story of reconciliation decades after genocide.

Rwanda has made its first-ever submission for the Academy Awards’ Best International Feature Film category with Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo’s post-genocide drama “Ben’Imana”.

The film arrives at the Oscars after a strong international festival run, including winning the Caméra d’Or for Best First Film and the FIPRESCI Prize at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. According to a report by Deadline, Ben’Imana has also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and is set for its UK premiere at the BFI London Film Festival.

The film is set in Rwanda in 2012, 18 years after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. “Ben’Imana” follows Vénéranda, a woman who has spent years helping survivors and families of those responsible confront the words and experiences separating them. The story takes a personal turn when her daughter’s future becomes connected to the past, forcing Vénéranda to confront her own history and find words she has struggled to express for long.

The film stars Isabelle Kabano, alongside newcomers Clémentine U. Nyirinkindi and Kesia Kelly Nishimwe. Dusabejambo co-wrote the screenplay with Delphine Agut. Mostafa El Kashef serves as cinematographer, while Rwandan singer-songwriter Igor Mabano composed the original score. Ben’Imana is a majority Rwanda-Gabon co-production, with France, Norway and Côte d’Ivoire participating as minority co-production partners.

The movie was filmed entirely on location in Rwanda with a primarily Rwandan crew, giving the project a strong connection to the country and the story it portrays. The film’s selection was announced by Alexander, the independent media company of producer Cameron Lamb, which acquired English-language rights in September. Alexander plans to release Ben’Imana theatrically in the UK on Feb. 19, 2027, followed by a U.S. theatrical release in March 2027. Paris-based mk2 films is handling world sales.