Burundian Women in Cinema, Visual Media and Screen Culture

Burundian Women in Cinema, Visual Media and Screen Culture

Since the 1990s there has been a current of cinema-related activities by Burundi women. Sham-Jeanne Hakizimana, who headed the television programs at the National Radio and Television of Burundi, produced the documentary film, Une Burundaise aujourd'hui in 1991. Similarly, Diane Kanéza, who completed her studies in Communication Sciences and Audiovisual Design, joined the National Television of Burundi as director and TV presenter in 2006. In addition she is professor of courses in documentary and fiction production in the department of Communication Sciences and Audiovisual Design at the Université Lumière de Bujumbura. Diane Kanéza is also president of the Film and Audiovisual Professionals of Burundi Collective, a post she has held since 2018.

Women’s presence is especially visible in various organizational positions at FESTICAB, Festival International du Cinéma et de l'Audio-Visuel du Burundi, currently helmed by Francine Munyana. The dominance of women in the festival organization administration--as director of communication, festival programmer, communications manager, public relations manager, communications director--attest to their growing visibility in the film industry. Several of the past and present festival cultural workers include, Ancilla Nigaba, Rachel Opota, Mireille Niyonsaba, Nadège Simbizi, Francine Munyana, Inez Ineza, Ancilla Nigaba, Ginette Karirekinyana, Issola Iradukunda, Glicyne Ntirampeba, Larissa Ndayiragije--some of whom are also filmmakers. Moreover, Burundian filmmaker and director Floriane Kaneza, based in Rwanda since 2015, is the director of the Rwandan Mashariki African Film Festival. She began her career as a actress for the theatre, cinema and television--in TV series for the Burundi National Radio and TV. She trained in film production and directing at Itulive Media and Communications in 2012 and in 2013, along with other partners, created Itulive Actors' Agency, where she served as director. As evident from the above, the leadership practices of women in organizational structures follow a long trend throughout the history of African cinema organization.

Annie Bernice Nikuze put the spotlight on Burundian women artists in her 2017 documentary “La femme Burundaise dans l’art”, at the same time promoting art and culture in Burundi, the film showcases the important role that women perform within these sectors of society. Moreover, the film attests to the enduring place of African women in society in general, in the arts, and, in cinema.

Report by Beti Ellerson

Following are articles published in the African Women in Cinema Blog

Tresor, Tissé, Mireille Niyonsaba, doc., Burundi

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2018/06/mis-me-binga-2018-mireille-niyonsaba.html

Mon identité...None tubipfe ! | My identity, Diane Kaneza, doc., (Burundi)

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2018/06/mis-me-binga-2018-diane-kaneza-mon.html

Floriane Kaneza, director of the Mashariki African Film Festival (Rwanda)

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2017/04/floriane-kaneza-director-of-mashariki.html

Mis Me Binga 2018 – Mireille Niyonsaba : Tresor Tissé | Woven Treasure (Burundi)

MIS ME BINGA 2018

Documentary | Documentaire

Tresor Tissé | Woven Treasure

Mireille Niyonsaba (Burundi)

SYNOPSIS

[English]

The woven cloth of African origin seems to have fallen by the wayside, because Africans adopt foreign cloth such as wax and basin. I decided to meet those who still have an attachment to the traditions of this local cloth, to understand their value and the social and symbolic function. But what about the transmission of generational savoir-faire for the survival of this fragile heritage? From an economic standpoint could this textile be a valuable carrier of knowledge? We confront this traditional cloth with that of the wax.

[Français]

Les pagnes tissés d’origine africaine semblent passer à la trappe, car les Africains adoptent des pagnes étrangers tels que le wax et le basin. J’ai décidé d’aller à la rencontre de ceux qui ont encore de l’attachement quant aux traditions de ces pagnes tissés localement, pour comprendre la valeur et la fonction sociale et symbolique de ces pagnes. Mais qu’en est-il de la transmission du savoir-faire générationnel pour la survie de ce patrimoine fragile ? Ce textile peut-il être un excellent porteur du point de vue économique? Nous confrontons ce pagne traditionnel avec le wax...

BIOGRAPHY | BIOGRAPHIE

[English]

Mireille is a journalist and has made advertising and institutional films with the commercial service of the National Radio and Television of Burundi. In addition, she works in the programming department at FESTICAB, International Festival of Cinema and Audiovisual of Burundi.

She was actively involved in the realization of 5 short animated films in Burundi collaboration with the Belgian crew, including Butoyi, 2013, Kanyan, 2012, Gahungu, 2012, Keza et Karire, 2011, Mfashabagowe, 2011. The themes included respectively, girls' education and violence against girls, civil registration campaign for children, children's rights, infant nutrition and school education.

Mireille Niyonsaba has also trained in animation filmmaking and cinematography with CFI, Studio Malembe Maa. In 2011, she directed a short animated film, “Elle a compris” (She understands). In 2012, she co-directed with five other young people from different African countries, Kamikazi et l’arbre au mille pouvoirs (Kamikazi and the tree of a thousand powers) a short animation film on the theme of an African tale.

[Français]

Mireille est journaliste et a réalisé des films publicitaires et  institutionnels avec le service commercial de la Radiotélévision Nationale du Burundi. La réalisatrice travaille au service de  Programmation au FESTICAB, Festival International du Cinéma et de l’Audiovisuel du Burundi.

Elle a participé pleinement à la  réalisation de 5 courts films d’animation au Burundi avec l’équipe de Camera-etc. de Belgique dont  Butoyi, 2013, Kanyan, 2012, Gahungu, 2012, Keza et Karire, 2011, Mfashabagowe, 2011. Sur respectivement les thématiques de l’éducation scolaire des filles et des violences faites aux filles, l’inscription des enfants à l’état civil, droit des enfants, la nutrition des enfants en bas âge ainsi que l’éducation scolaire.

Elle a également suivi des formations en réalisation de film d’animation avec CFI, le Studio Malembe Maa, l’association camera etc. de Belgique Elle a réalisé, en 2011, un court film d`animation, « Elle a compris ». Elle a coréalisé, fin 2012, avec d’autres 5 jeunes de différents pays d’Afrique  « Kamikazi et l’arbre au mille pouvoirs », un court film d’animation sur la thématique d’un conte africain.