Some Rwandan kid actors with elderly characters
Rwanda’s Film Federation (RFF) has warned local filmmakers to stop using young children in their films without permission from their parents or guardians or else legal action will be taken against them.
The move comes after the film watchdog discovered that a number of filmmakers were giving underage children inappropriate roles, which eventually affect their behaviour and their surrounding communities.
“No one is allowed to use minors, boys or girls, in their films without the permission of their parents or guardians. Anyone found to be in breach of these regulations will be referred to the competent authorities for prosecution of their misconduct,” reads part of the statement released by Rwanda Film Federation last week.
According to the Newtimes.co.rw, the federation released the press statement after discovering various films featuring children in certain roles that don’t suit a child under 18 years, which they could risk applying in their normal lives.
“As a regulator, we released this statement to ensure this issue does not get worse as time goes by because after we realised that there are underage children being given roles in films that may ruin their future. There are so far very few cases but we want to take advantage of this to ensure no similar cases arise,” said RFF President, Willy Ndahiro.
Ndahiro clarified that filmmakers are still allowed to act in some important roles but also reminded filmmakers to first approach their parents and sign contract agreements before casting their children in certain films because children are not allowed to make decisions until they are aged 18.
He said the federation will always be there to protect children and make sure that they are not used in films whose roles are for adults.