Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo's debut feature Ben'Imana has been selected as Rwanda's first-ever entry for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. The announcement was made by Alexander, the independent media company of producer Cameron Lamb, which acquired all English-language rights to the film in September.
The film is set in Rwanda in 2012, eighteen years after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. It follows Vénéranda, a woman who has spent years facilitating reconciliation between survivors and the families of perpetrators. When her daughter's future becomes entangled with the unresolved past, Vénéranda is forced to confront a history she has long tried to process in silence. Isabelle Kabano stars alongside newcomers Clémentine U. Nyirinkindi and Kesia Kelly Nishimwe. The film was shot entirely in Rwanda with a primarily Rwandan crew.
Ben'Imana premiered in Cannes' Un Certain Regard section, becoming the first Rwandan film ever to screen in the festival's official selection. It won the Caméra d'Or for Best First Feature and the FIPRESCI Prize, then had its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. A UK premiere is scheduled for October 12 at the 70th BFI London Film Festival. According to a review in The Hollywood Reporter, Dusabejambo has crafted "a story that's both emblematic and achingly specific."
Alexander has set a UK theatrical release for February 19, 2027, with a US release in March. Paris-based mk2 films handles world sales. Alexander called the submission "a historic moment for Rwandan cinema." The Academy will reveal its 15-film Best International Feature shortlist on December 15, 2026. Five nominees will be announced January 21, 2027, ahead of the 99th Academy Awards ceremony on March 14, 2027.