Rachel Mwanza

Rachel Mwanza (c. 1997) is an actress from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Became famous for the amateur actress with her ​​first film role in the Canadian feature film Rebelle (2012 ).

Biography

Rachel Mwanza grew to own data zufolgte under difficult conditions with five siblings. Her parents split up and left the family. Then the neglected children were picked up by the grandmother, who was unemployed and living denied by selling small items. The grandmother could not feed, so they the older children, including Mwanza repudiated their entire grandchildren. Then sold the girl nuts on the road. Mwanza came later in an orphanage - where she met similarly difficult conditions - and lived with a friend, she helped in the household.

Mwanza was discovered by an agent, the street children of Kinshasa was looking for the cast of the Canadian film Rebelle, the second feature film production in the last twenty years in the Congo. Director Kim Nguyen stated that he had spent ten years working on the script, which is a child soldier from Africa at the center. Although Mwanza could not read and had no formal school, they got to the lead female role of Komona which she portrayed between twelve and 14 years of age. As a reward they received 500 euros as well as money for visiting a school. The money, however, was misappropriated by Mwanza grandmother what only noticed when the film crew returned to the reshoots to Africa. It was then made ​​sure that Mwanza could attend school and learn to read. The film crew they should call later than their actual family.

Rebelle 2012 was premiered in the competition of the 62nd Berlin Film Festival, where Mwanza was awarded the Silver Bear for Best Actress of the film festival. It had the competition jury for the British director Mike Leigh of 15 year olds in preference to such well-known actresses such as Deutsche Nina Hoss (Barbara ), the Austrian Birgit Minichmayr ( grace) or the Frenchwoman Lea Seydoux ( Farewell, My Queen! , And Winter Thief ) was added. Mwanza is the first African actress who could triumph in Berlin. End of April 2012 she was awarded the Film Festival, while Rebelle was awarded the Grand Prize for Best Film and the Best Actor Award of the New York Tribeca. According to the jury had to " live " Mwanza their role completely out, there would be " no limits to her stunning performance, no distance between the actress and the unforgettable character Komona ".

Rachel Mwanza lives in Kinshasa and speaks Lingala.

Filmography

• 2012: Rebelle

Awards

• 2012: Best Actor Award at the International Film Festival Berlin for Rebelle
• 2012: Best Actor Award at the Tribeca Film Festival for Rebelle