Rwanda has selected Ben’Imana, a feature film directed by filmmaker Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo, as its first official submission to the Academy Awards, marking a significant milestone for the country’s film industry.

The Ministry of Youth and Arts announced on October 9, 2026, that the film had been chosen by the Rwanda Oscar Selection Committee to represent the country in the International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards.

The selection marks Rwanda’s first entry into the international feature film category of the Oscars, one of the world’s most prominent film awards.

“Rwanda's first submission to the Academy Awards is a proud milestone for our film industry and a testament to the talent, creativity and determination of Rwandan filmmakers. BEN’IMANA demonstrates the power of cinema to tell meaningful stories rooted in our history and lived experiences, while connecting with audiences around the world," said Sandrine Umutoni, Minister of State for Youth and Arts.

The submission does not automatically mean the film has been nominated, as it must still pass through the Academy’s selection process.

Ben’Imana made history earlier in 2026 when it premiered in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival, becoming the first film directed by a Rwandan filmmaker to feature in the festival’s Official Selection.

The film subsequently won the Caméra d’Or, an award recognising outstanding first features presented across Cannes’ selections, as well as the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) Prize.

Set in Rwanda in 2012, eighteen years after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, Ben’Imana explores the difficult process of confronting painful memories, rebuilding relationships and pursuing reconciliation within communities affected by the genocide.

The story follows Vénéranda, a woman who has spent years helping survivors and the families of those responsible confront painful silences surrounding the past.

However, when her daughter’s future becomes intertwined with that history, she is forced to reconsider the limits of her own capacity for forgiveness.

Through the experiences of three generations of women, the film examines memory, inherited silence, reconciliation and the challenges of rebuilding lives after tragedy.

The cast includes Isabelle Kabano, Clémentine U. Nyirinkindi and Kesia Kelly Nishimwe. The film was produced through an international collaboration involving Rwanda, Gabon, France, Norway and Côte d’Ivoire, with filming carried out entirely in Rwanda.

Dusabejambo is a self-taught Rwandan filmmaker who began her filmmaking journey in 2008.

Before making her first feature film, she gained international recognition through short films including Lyiza, A Place for Myself and Icyasha, which explored themes of identity, discrimination and social experiences.

The Academy is expected to publish the list of eligible international feature films before narrowing the selection to a shortlist of 15 films and, ultimately, five nominees.