INTWARI | TRAILER
When the killing stops, wounds don’t magically heal. Trauma doesn’t disappear overnight, and orphans are still orphans, even during peacetime. This film takes a long perspective, listening to the stories of one survivor over the course of many years.
SYNOPSIS
Josiane is only six years old when her parents are killed by genocidal militias. She escapes, hiding among the bodies. After the massacre, she reunites with her siblings and, like so many orphans in Rwanda, they rebuild a life for themselves, finding the scraps of their home and surviving by selling bananas.
They become one of Rwanda’s “child-headed households.” Over the following years, Josiane provides for her siblings and holds the family together, in spite of being the youngest. She continues to put her family first, leaving school and taking in her sister’s children and other young relatives.
She sacrifices countless things, from her appearance to her dreams, to make sure her family has a good life.
But, she reflects, the children in her life call her “mama.” Her days are full of love. And against all odds, she’s made it to adulthood.
Genre: Documentary
Language: Kinyarwanda
Runtime: TBD
INGOMA | Directing & Producing
In the languages of the Bantu peoples, Ingoma is a kind of drum, or the songs played on it. In Rwanda, Ingoma also refers to the throne of the precolonial king - a symbol, like the drums, of the roots of African culture. INGOMA creates films that broaden people’s perspectives. They highlight the worthy and uplift the marginalized, making the specific global and the global specific.
LampHouse Films | Producing
LampHouse Films develops and produces narrative films and documentaries, both commercially and for the entertainment industry. Since 2014, LampHouse has produced hundreds of documentary-style films, and two narrative features (Blindsided and Locked In). LampHouse is known for its emphasis on tight, focused storytelling, and a commitment to the highest production values. Based in Pennsylvania, with its generous 25% Film Tax Credit, LampHouse Films is well connected to world-class film personnel, crews, and staff. Learn more at LampHouseFilms.com.
CHAIYO | Editorial
CHAIYO “ไชโย” is a Thai victory cry that means Bravo! or Huzzah! CHAIYO is an editorial studio focused on amplifying stories that matter. They were born out of Michael Rothermel and Saritha Petthhongpoon’s passion for stories that reflect truth, beauty, goodness, and for films that offer a fresh perspective.