French Release: 24 April 2019 (Urban Distribution International).
Rwanda's celebrated war picture, The Mercy of The Jungle, bagged Africa's biggest prize in cinematography and filmmaking in style as that country's leader crowned his compatriot Joel Karekezi the winner of the coveted award.
President Paul Kagame beamed with pride as he handed the envied prize in African Cinema to Karekezi. alongside his host and Burkinabe counterpart His excellency President Roch Marc Christian Kabore marking the end of the 26th edition of Fespaco which coincidentally also marked its 50th anniversary.
The Mercy Of The Jungle, is an emotional rollercoaster of a story pitching a senior haunted army officer with his starry eyed and impressionable junior. They are trapped in the jungle and have to find their way out after being left by their battalion. It spoke to the hearts of the jurors as strongly as it had won over the viewers eventually winning the ultimate prize.
Actor Marc Zinga had also won the prize for leading actor for the same flick earlier in the night.
The coveted stallion; the Etalon de Yennenga is awarded every two years as the premier prize at the Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou.
Robert Mukondiwa (Zimbabwé)
Africiné, The Magazine of the African Federation of Film Critic (AFFC / FACC) - www.africine.org
Africiné Magazine issue no.1 - Saturday 2 Marcg 2019, pages 1 and 7 - FESPACO 2019 /// 26th edition
This magazine is published by the Fédération Africaine de la Critique Cinématographique (FACC). The publication was made possible thanks to the support of La Francophonie, Africalia Belgium, the Goethe-Institut and Ascric-B. It is produced by a collective of 42 African journalists from 23 countries.
Director of Publication : Khalil Demmoun
Editorial committee
Sid-Lamine Salouka
Abraham Bayili
Ahmed Shawky
Robert Mukondiwa
Fatou Kiné Sene
Pélagie N'Gonana
Charles Ayetan
Yacouba Sangaré
Espéra Donouvossi
Layout: Korotimi Sérémé