Rwandan actor and filmmaker Niyitegeka Gratien, known as Papa Sava, is set to take his latest film, What a Day, to France after it was selected for the L’Afrique Fait Son Cinéma international film festival in Paris.
The selection gives the Rwandan production an opportunity to reach audiences beyond the country and puts a spotlight on a locally made film written, directed and acted by Rwandans.
What a Day follows Egide, a motorcycle taxi driver struggling with poverty who decides to steal a bag he believes could help ease his financial problems.
The plan takes a dark turn when he discovers that the bag contains the body of a baby. His attempt to conceal what he has found leads him into an increasingly complicated situation involving the bodies of more than four people.
Papa Sava said he was pleased to see his work receive recognition from an international festival.
“It is always rewarding when you create something and see other people receive it positively. I continue to be happy that my film is being selected among those approved to be screened at some of the major film festivals in the world,” he said.
L’Afrique Fait Son Cinéma was founded in Paris in 2019 by Blaise Pascal Tanguy and focuses on promoting African and Caribbean cinema. Its eighth edition is scheduled to run in Paris from Nov. 5 to 14, 2026.
The 2026 edition will also introduce new categories for films made using mobile phones and productions created with or involving artificial intelligence.
What a Day was first screened at Mundi Center on Jan. 30, 2026, during celebrations marking 30 years of Papa Sava’s career in the arts.
Its selection for the French festival marks another step for the Rwandan film industry, giving the production a chance to present a Rwandan story to an international cinema audience.
