Ben'Imana
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- Marie Clémentine Dusabejambo
- Delphine Agut
- Clémentine U. Nyirinkindi
- Isabelle Kabano
- Kesia Kelly Nishimwe
- Leocadie Uwabeza
- Antoinette Uwamahoro
- Aime Valens Tuyisenge
| Ben'Imana | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Marie Clémentine Dusabejambo |
| Written by |
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| Produced by | |
| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Mostafa El Kashef |
| Edited by | Nadia ben Rachid |
| Music by | Igor Mabano |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | MK2 Films |
Release date |
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| Countries |
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| Language | Kinyarwanda |
Ben'Imana is an upcoming drama film directed by Marie Clémentine Dusabejambo, co-written by Delphine Agut and Dusabejambo. It stars Clémentine U. Nyirinkindi, Isabelle Kabano, Kesia Kelly Nishimwe and Leocadie Uwabeza.
The film will have its world premiere at the Un Certain Regard section of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival in May 2026, where it was nominated for the Caméra d'Or, marking the first film directed by a Rwandan filmmaker to be selected for the festival's official selection.[1]
Set in Rwanda in 2012, the film follows Vénéranda, a survivor of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, who is involved in community-led justice and reconciliation. As she faces mounting pressures in her work, a personal crisis within her family forces her to confront the limits of her beliefs.
Cast
- Clémentine U. Nyirinkindi
- Isabelle Kabano
- Kesia Kelly Nishimwe
- Leocadie Uwabeza
- Antoinette Uwamahoro
- Aime Valens Tuyisenge
Production
Ben'Imana was developed over several years through international development labs and co-production programs, including Lim – Less Is More programme in 2020,[2] La Fabrique Cinéma,[3] the Atlas Workshops at the Marrakech International Film Festival,[4] and Ouaga Film Lab.[1]
The project received financial backing from the Berlinale World Cinema Fund and, in 2025, production support from the Norwegian Sørfond. The film also received post-production recognition at the Red Sea Souk Awards, including the Red Sea Souk Post-Production Award and a Filmmore in-kind award.[1]
The film is produced by Ejo Cine.Ltd (Rwanda) and Princesse M Prod (Gabon), in co-production with Les Films du Bilboquet (France) and Duo Film (Norway). The project was presented at La Fabrique Cinéma at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022 by director Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo and producer Samantha Biffot. International sales are handled by MK2 Films.[5]