Message from the Country Director,
British Council Rwanda

It is a pleasure and an honour to be part of this year’s Mashariki African Film Festival here in Kigali: a festival that has become one of the most vital platforms for African cinema, creative exchange, and industry growth on the continent. For one week, Mashariki will bring together filmmakers, producers, writers, technicians, students, and audiences to celebrate the power of African stories and the craft behind them.

What makes Mashariki so special is its commitment to people. By championing youth and women, and by giving space to emerging and established filmmakers alike, the festival helps new voices find the confidence—and the visibility—they deserve. Through workshops, mentorship and community outreach, it nurtures talent while deepening the conversations that matter in our societies.

Mashariki is also a festival that embraces change. In a world where creativity and technology increasingly intersect, the festival offers opportunities to explore new tools, new platforms and new forms of storytelling. From digital production techniques to innovative market exchanges, this week invites us to imagine what the future of East African filmmaking can look like.

The British Council is proud to support this edition of Mashariki through our Festivals Connect Fund, which encourages collaboration, mobility and fresh ways of working between festivals in Africa and the UK. This aligns closely with our mission: to build connections, understanding and trust, and to support the creative sectors as engines of innovation, inclusion and economic growth. Here in Rwanda, we remain committed to strengthening the arts ecosystem through partnerships that support skills, enterprise and long-term cultural development.

Our work in arts and culture is guided by a simple belief: that creativity builds stronger, more inclusive and more prosperous societies. We support global creative communities with networks, resources and opportunities so that artists and cultural professionals can realise their ambitions.

Mashariki reflects this spirit perfectly, and they have found a kindred spirit in the Afrika Eye Festival, based in Bristol, UK. Afrika Eye has been promoting the richness and diversity of Africa and its diaspora through film, education and cultural exchange for the last 20 years and the British Council is thrilled to facilitate this collaboration.

We are delighted to be part of this journey. Welcome to Mashariki. Welcome to a week of creativity, possibility and connection. Let the storytelling begin.

Rebecca Picton
Country Director, British Council Rwanda