Biographie

Joel Karekezi graduated in 2008 with a Diploma in Film Directing from Cinecours. In 2009, with the support of the Maisha Film Lab, he directed his short film The Pardon, which won the Golden Impala Award at the Amakula Film Festival in Uganda and the 2010 award for Best Short Film at the Silicon Valley African Film Festival. He received a development award from the Göteborg International Film Festival Fund for his first feature film Imbabazi: The Pardon, which was screened at festivals around the world. Imabazi won the Nile Grand Prize 2014 at Luxor African Film Festival, and Best Director at International Images Film Festival For Woman 2014. 

In 2012, his script The Mercy of the Jungle won the CFI Award for the Most Promising Audiovisual Project at Durban FilmMart, as well as the STEP development award at Luxor African Film Festival 2015. It was also selected at Cannes for La Fabrique de Cinema du Monde 2013,  Locarno Open Doors 2014, Atelier Grand Nord in Quebec 2015, Forum de production de Namur 2015, and Rencontre de Coproduction Francophone in Paris 2015.

The Mercy of the Jungle premiered at (tiff) Toronto International Film Festival, and went on to win many prizes including: the FESPACO Gold Stalion and Best Actor; (PAFF) Pan African Film and Arts Festival's Jury Best Feature Narrative Award; Africa Movie Academy Awards Best Film, Best Achievement in Make-Up, Best Achievement in Costume Design, Best Actor in a Leading Role (Marc Zinga); FIFF Namur Junior Jury's Prize; the Milano Film Festival's Digital Award; Chicago International Film Festival's Silver Hugo Award; Festival du Cinéma Africain de Khouribga's Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor and others. 

Filmographie

Capitane Mbaye (In Development)
Feature
Writer

The Mercy of the Jungle (2018)
Feature
Co-Producer, Director, Writer        

Imbabazi: The Pardon (2013)
Feature
Producer, Director, Writer

The Pardon (2009)
Short
Writer, Director