When filing on locations in Rwanda – Land of a thousand hills
Rwanda is an elevated, landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of East Africa. It lies just a few degrees south of the Equator and has a temperate subtropical climate. The country’s capital, Kampala, is sprinkled with lovely small parks and gardens to relax in, or here you can take a scenic promenade stroll along the shores of beautiful Lake Victoria. Rwanda has a few aspects worth mentioning that sets it apart geographically and historically. Let’s have a look at some of these and how it influences Rwanda as a film location and production destination.
When filming in Rwanda you might need a long list of Film Production Services, or you might only require some additions to your Film Unit. Regardless of your needs, navigating film logistics is a multi-faceted procedure that can easily steal time and unnecessary money if you’re not being precise and have the essential know-how of country specific requirements. This is where Hoodlum Film Fixers Rwanda will step in to offer solutions to any queries and problems that might arise. From the very beginnings of your film production, to taking care of and delivering the masters after a successful Post Production process – Hoodlum Film Fixers can hook you up with anything and everything your film production might need. Filming on location in Africa, Middle East or anywhere will always require visas and filming permits which have been handled by us in Rwanda many times before. We know that wardrobe, styling, and music composition is best to source from within the country and we certainly know where to go for the best. We know where to source the most up to date and reliable film equipment and we have carefully acquired knowledge to confidently advise you on how to optimize your budget and time.
With the highest population density in mainland Africa, Rwanda is home to dozens of ethnic groups which makes it a melting pot of different cultures, peoples, and traditions. The two major ethnic groups by representation are the Hutus and Tutsis. These two groups are well known to the world, especially because of the tragic Rwandan genocide which took place in 1994 when forces mobilized the Hutu tribe to declare a war of ethnic cleansing on the Tutsi’s. The atrocities of that time lead to millions of gut-wrenching stories of loss and trauma which will reverberate throughout time and have an eternal impact on the futures of so many. ‘Hotel Rwanda’ is a critically acclaimed Hollywood motion picture from 2005 that was shot in Kigali and depicts these events. The movie created awareness about the history of this country. Another very well-known movie, Gorillas in the Mist (1988), was partly filmed in Rwanda.
Rwanda should not be overlooked as a location for film production. Although it is a multicultural and multilingual place, English has become a unifying language and is widely spoken together with French and Kinyarwanda. Swahili is also used, mostly in urban areas, and connects Rwanda with its East African neighbors, Tanzania and Kenya. Being able to communicate with locals in your mother tongue will surely ease the film production process as well as help to procure the perfect location, transport, and accommodation for your film crew. Our local Line Producers and film specialists, on the ground in Rwanda, represent all these languages and have vetted film services providers to make sure we connect you with the very best solutions. Kigali international airport offers regularly scheduled flights that connect Rwanda to the world. There are few excuses left to not visit and film in this beautiful place, the land of a thousand hills.
