Marie Clémentine Dusabejambo
Marie Clémentine Dusabejambo | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Dusabejambo in 2026 | |
| Born | Marie Clémentine Dusabejambo 1987 (age 38–39) Rwanda |
| Occupation | Film maker |
Marie Clémentine Dusabejambo (French: [maʁi klemɑ̃tin dusabeʒambo];[1] born in 1987) is a Rwandan filmmaker known for films that explore the complexities of contemporary Rwandan society. In 2026, she became the first director from Rwanda to premiere a film in the Cannes Official Selection with her debut feature, Ben'Imana.[2]
Life
Marie Clémentine Dusabejambo was born in Kigali in 1987 Rwanda.[3] She trained as an electrical and telecommunications engineer before turning to filmmaking.[4]
Her first film, Lyiza, won a Tanit bronze award at the Carthage Film Festival in 2012.[3] A Place for Myself (2016), her third film, follows a young Rwandan girl with albinism who struggles in the face of discrimination and stigma at school.[5] The story was inspired by news reports of the 2007-2008 killings of people with albinism in Tanzania.[6] The film premiered at the Goethe Institut in Kigali [7] and was shown at the 2017 Toronto Black Film Festival.[5] It won several awards, including the Ousmane Sembène Award at the Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF);[7] the Tanit bronze award at the Carthage Film Festival,[3] and the Thomas Sankara Prize at FESPACO.[8][7] A Place for Myself was also nominated for Best Short Film at the 2017 Africa Movie Academy Awards.[9]
Icyasha (2018) centers on a 12-year-old boy who wants to join the neighborhood football team but is bullied for being effeminate.[10] It was nominated for Best Short Film at ZIFF 2018,[9] in the short films category at Carthage Film Festival,[11] and for Best Short Film at the 2019 Africa Movie Academy Awards.[9] It won the Golden Zébu for Panafrican Short Film at Rencontres du Film Court Madagascar 2019.[4]
Her debut feature film, Ben'Imana premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2026.[12] She was named among the six honorees for the Women in Cinema Gala hosted by the Red Sea Film Foundation during the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. [13]
Filmography
Feature films
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Ben'Imana |
Short films
- Lyiza (2011)
- Behind the Word (2013)
- A Place for Myself (2016)
- Icyasha / Etiquette (2018)
References
- ↑ "Rwandan filmmaker Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo discusses her debut feature BEN'IMANA, a Red Sea Souk and Red Sea Fund-supported film that premiered at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival as part of Un Certain Regard". Red Sea International Film Festival. 21 May 2026. Retrieved 28 May 2026.
- ↑ Nkunda, Mutiganda wa (2026-04-09). "Ben'Imana Makes History as First Film by a Rwandan Director to Premiere in the Cannes Official Selection". Sinema Focus. Retrieved 2026-05-17.
- 1 2 3 Linda M. Kagire, FESPACO recap: Nyirasafari highlights government efforts to boost film industry, The New Times, March 1, 2019.
- 1 2 Thierno I. Dia, Dusabejambo Clémentine, africine.org, May 7, 2019.
- 1 2 Moses Opobo, Rwandan film selected for Toronto Black Film Festival, The New Times, February 8, 2017.
- ↑ Stephanie Jason, The rise of Rwanda's women filmmakers, Mail & Guardian, March 24, 2017.
- 1 2 3 Moses Opobo, Dusabejambo on scooping Thomas Sankara Prize at FESPACO, The New Times, March 12, 2017.
- ↑ Moses Opobo, Rwandan film scoops two prestigious awards at FESPACO, The New Times, March 8, 2017.
- 1 2 3 Glory Iribagazia, Rwandan film nominated for eight AMAA awards, The New Times, September 21, 2019.
- ↑ Moses Opobo, Rwandan movies nominated for ZIFF 2018 awards, The New Times, July 10, 2018.
- ↑ Moses Opobo, Three Rwandan films in competition at Carthage Film Festival, The New Times, November 6, 2018.
- ↑ Canfield, David (2026-05-17). "Cannes Hidden Gem: The Rwandan Genocide Faces an Intense Reckoning in Ben'Imana". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2026-05-17.
- ↑ Lodderhose, Diana (2026-05-13). "'The Eddy' Director Laïla Marrakchi, Nigerian Actress-Producer Genevieve Nnaji & Indian Actress-Singer Tara Sutaria Among Honorees For Red Sea Film Foundation's Women In Cinema Gala". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-05-18.