This evening, November 29,2025 Minister of State Sandrine Umutoni attended the closing ceremony of the 11th Mashariki Film Festival, an event that continues to champion African storytelling through film screenings, workshops, and the Kigali International Content Market (Masharket). 

In her remarks, MoS Umutoni emphasized that “film goes beyond simple entertainment—it is memory, identity, economic resilience, and healing.” She thanked international guests, filmmakers, festival programmers, distributors, broadcasters, investors, and partners for their contributions to this year’s edition. 

Highlighting the importance of authenticity and collaboration, she encouraged the industry to build strong, inclusive systems that benefit the entire film ecosystem. “Stories are seeds,” she noted. “When we plant them with authenticity and courage, they take root in the hearts of others and become bridges that no border can divide.”