Sound Recordist
“Finding Hillywood” is an inspirational film about the making of the Rwandan film industry and the power of film to change and heal individuals and communities. It tells the story of how a nation, still healing from the 1994 genocide, creates a film industry as both an outlet for the pain and a way to bring entertainment and a new industry to the population. Hillywood, which is named for Rwanda’s hilly terrain, is a traveling film festival that screens films made by, about, and for Rwandans. The festival goes from town to town, setting up public, outdoor screenings, on inflatable screens, to showcase Rwandan films.
Editor
Rebellion of the Flowers tells the story of a gardener, Jan, who “understood nature’s needs” and worked hard to grow and care for his plants. He protected and looked after his flowers, providing them with “love and gentle care.” He took great pride in his work and, as a result of his labor, felt “filled with purpose” and “close to God.” However, Jan’s love and adoration of the flowers transforms into a distortion of his power, as he becomes jealous of the flowers bowing “under the intense authority of the sun.” Jan’s body reflects this internal transformation, and he becomes a looming totalitarian figure demanding the obedience of his flowers. When he realizes that his shadow can block the sun, the flowers rebel and twist around his body, drawing him into the earth. The next morning, the sun comes out, and a “sparking and sweet smell” (perhaps Jan’s body transformed into metaphorical fertilizer) mixes with the natural perfume of the flowers.
