Rwandan filmmakers, Waterville students collaborate on coffee documentary premiering this summer

The documentary, “Ikawa,” began as a classroom assignment for students at Mid-Maine Technical Center but quickly expanded into an international collaboration involving filmmakers in Rwanda and the United States.

“This was about bringing students together to tell the story of coffee from Rwanda to the cup people enjoy here in Waterville,” said Mike Perreault, executive director of the Maine International Film Festival.

Perreault, who also works with the Mashariki African Film Festival, said the project grew out of connections between the two communities.

“We’re bringing Waterville to the world and the world to Waterville,” he said. “And the students are telling that story.”

The idea evolved into a broader narrative about the global coffee supply chain, from growers in Rwanda to distributors, roasters and consumers in Maine.

“What it quickly became was the story of the people involved in growing, distributing, shipping and finally roasting and consuming coffee,” said Dave Boardman, a media design instructor at Mid-Maine Technical Center.

Students who took part in the project said the experience shaped both their creative interests and career paths.

“It was a lot for me,” said Brenden Beckwith, one of the filmmakers. “I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, and this helped me find my path.”

What began as a small assignment soon grew beyond expectations, said filmmaker Allison Dorval.
“We never expected it to be this big,” she said. “We thought it was just a project, but it became something much more.”

The film also features Waterville-based coffee roaster Churchhill Elangwe-Preston of Mbingo Mountain Coffee, who grew up in a coffee-producing community in Africa and now supports those communities through his business.

Students said one of the project’s key themes is the importance of personal and cultural connections.

“It shows how important people are and remembering where you come from,” Dorval said.
While the Maine-based students worked on their portion of the film, student filmmakers in Rwanda documented the production process on their end. The teams later met in Rwanda to combine their work during a film festival.

Participants said the trip challenged assumptions and broadened their perspectives.
“One of the biggest things we were told was that Rwanda wasn’t safe,” Beckwith said. “But going there, it was the complete opposite. People were welcoming and friendly.”

For the students, the project left lasting impressions beyond filmmaking.

“The whole experience being there with friends and creating something meaningful is something we’ll always carry with us,” said filmmaker Louis Williams.

“Ikawa” is scheduled to make its North American premiere in July at the Maine International Film Festival.