{{short description|Filmmaker from Burundi}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Justine Bitagoye | occupation = Film director, journalist | notable_works = Rwagasore: vie, combat espoir }}
'''Justine Bitagoye''' is a Burundian journalist, film producer, screenwriter, and film director.
== Biography == Bitagoye is an independent filmmaker from Burundi, who works as a journalist for the National Television and Radio Broadcast Authority. She has a BA in history from the National University of Burundi, and an MA in environmental journalism from Karera University in Uganda.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://africultures.com/personnes/?no=10735|title=Justine Bitagoye|website=Africultures|access-date=28 February 2019}}</ref>
== Filmography ==
; Moussa (2005)
Documentary film; Bitagoye's first collaboration with Gaudiose Nininahazwe.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ghana.spla.pro/file.person.justine-bitagoye.10735.html|title=Justine Bitagoye|website=ArtsGhana|access-date=28 February 2019}}</ref>
; Mieux vaut mal vivre que mourir (2006)
Documentary film, created and directed with Burundian filmmaker Gaudiose Nininahazwe. The film follows the lives of people living in a city garbage dump, surviving on what they scavenge there. They live a difficult, sometimes violent, life.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fcat.es/peliculas/mieux-vaut-mal-vivre-que-mourir/|title=Mieux vaut mal vivre que mourir |website=Festival de Cine Africano – FCAT|access-date=1 March 2019}}</ref>
The film was chosen for screening at festivals around the world, and received a special commendation at FESPACO and at the Monte Carlo International Film Festival.
; Kazubaː le soleil se lève (2008)
Documentary film about Sybil Anita, who grew up as an orphan in rural Burundi. At age 11, she began participating in singing competitions, and eventually became an international artist, performing in multiple languages. She is also an activist for women's rights, and political reconciliation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://mukanda.univ-lorraine.fr/auteurs/justine-bitagoye|title=Justine Bitagoye|website=Auteurs|access-date=1 March 2019|archive-date=2 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302024745/http://mukanda.univ-lorraine.fr/auteurs/justine-bitagoye|url-status=dead}}</ref>
; Rwagasoreː vie, combat, espoir (2012)
Biographical documentary, directed by Bitagoye and Pascal Capitolin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.afrikamera.de/i-mashoka/|title=I MASHOKA|website=Afrikamera|access-date=1 March 2019|archive-date=30 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330205432/http://www.afrikamera.de/i-mashoka/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
The film was released in honor of the 50th anniversary of Burundi's independence, and tells the story of the man who became a symbol of the struggle against colonialism – Prince Louis Rwagasore, who the son of King Mwambutsa IV Bangilisenge. During his short political life, he gathered around him militant support for his vision: Complete liberation from Belgian colonization. in 1961, in Burundi's first free elections, his party, Union for National Progress (UPRONA), came out on top, and he was elected as prime minister. However, only a few days after he established his government, he was assassinated, on 13 October 1961, and did not live to see the day his country finally declared independence, on 1 July 1962.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.namibian.com.na/print.php?id=112116&type=2|title='Rwagasore. Life, Struggle, Hope' screens this Saturday|date=23 July 2013|work=The Namibian|access-date=1 March 2019}}</ref>
The film is based mostly on personal witness accounts, as very little documentary footage exists about this leader of Burundi independence.<ref name=":0" />
The film was selected for screening at many international film festivals, including:
* Afrika Filmfestival 2013 * AfricAvenir presents: "African Perspectives" * Rwanda Film Festival 2013 * Jenseits von Europa XIII * Au-delà de l'Europe * Cologne African Film Festival 2014 * Afrika Filmfestival 2014 * Les mardis de Mémoires du Congo 2017
The film was also a finalist in the International Radio and Television Union (URTI) competition.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.urti.org/news/finalistes_gptv2014-en|title=The URTI official selection of the 10 finalist documentaries|date=19 April 2014|website=URTI, Actualite|language=fr|access-date=1 March 2019}}</ref>
==See also== * List of female film and television directors *[https://m.imdb.com/name/nm11720240/ IMDb]
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [http://www.neonrouge.com/en/almost-nothing-better-nothing-all ''Almost Nothing Is Better Than Nothing At All''], Neon Rouge * [http://www.rwagasore.com/english/crew.html ''Rwagasore: Life, Struggle, Hope''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020182744/http://www.rwagasore.com/english/crew.html |date=20 October 2020 }}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bitagoye, Justine}} Category:Living people Category:Burundian film directors Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Burundian women film directors Category:Burundian women journalists Category:21st-century journalists Category:21st-century women journalists Category:21st-century Burundian women writers Category:Burundian journalists Category:21st-century Burundian writers