Rwanda is making its Oscar debut with Ben’Imana, Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo’s feature film, which has been submitted for consideration in the Best International Feature Film category.

The submission comes after a strong international run for the film, which premiered at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival and won both the FIPRESCI Prize and the Caméra d’Or.

For Rwanda’s film industry, the selection gives a Rwandan production a place in the Academy Awards’ international feature race for the first time. It also comes as more Rwandan films and filmmakers continue to gain visibility at international festivals and industry platforms.

Ben’Imana is continuing that journey beyond Cannes. The film had its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and is set for its UK premiere at the BFI London Film Festival this month.

Its international distribution is also taking shape. Alexander, an independent media company founded by producer Cameron Lamb, acquired the film’s English-speaking rights in September. The company plans to release it theatrically in the UK on February 19, 2027, followed by a US release in March. Paris-based mk2 films is handling world sales.

The film is a majority co-production between Rwanda and Gabon, with France, Norway and Côte d’Ivoire as minority co-production partners. It was shot entirely in Rwanda with a primarily Rwandan crew.

Ben’Imana is not yet an Oscar nominee, but its submission gives the film another opportunity to reach a wider audience and puts Rwandan cinema into a conversation it has not formally entered before.

Whatever happens next in the Oscar race, the submission gives Rwanda a first reference point for future films seeking to make the same journey.