Isabelle Kabano is an internationally acclaimed film and theater actress, recognized on the global stage notably for her role in the film Ben’imana, winner of the Caméra d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2026.

Born in Bujumbura and raised in North Kivu, she began her training in the performing arts in 2001 by joining the “URWINTORE” theater workshops created by director Dorcy Rugamba in collaboration with the Royal Conservatory of Liège.

Alongside her artistic career, she has been deeply committed to the cultural development of her country through a longstanding and close collaboration with Rwanda Arts Initiative (RAI). Within this platform, she actively contributes to structuring Rwanda’s creative industries, supporting local artists, and promoting Rwandan culture internationally.

Her theater career began with the landmark production Rwanda 94 — particularly La Cantate de Bisesero — launching a trajectory defined by politically and socially engaged works, including Bloody Niggers! in 2022.

She also established herself as a stage director, first serving as assistant director on the opera UMURINZI in 2019, before independently directing the iconic play The Vagina Monologues in 2024.

In cinema, she has appeared in international productions such as Sometimes in April by Raoul Peck, Shake Hands with the Devil, and Opération Turquoise. In 2020, her leading performance as Yvonne in Petit Pays, directed by Éric Barbier and adapted from the novel by Gaël Faye, earned her the Best Actress Award at the Angoulême Francophone Film Festival, as well as the Francophone Cinema Honor Trophy and the Best Actress Award at the BCN Film Festival in 2021.

She has continued working with renowned filmmakers, appearing under the direction of Abderrahmane Sissako in the feature film Black Tea, as well as in Kwibuka by Jonas d'Adesky. In 2026, she gained international recognition with Ben’imana, which won the Caméra d’Or in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival.

She is currently preparing for the role of Evaliana in the major film project The Battle of Bisesero by South African director Mandla Dubé.

Isabelle Kabano is also regularly invited to serve on juries at international festivals, including the Angoulême Francophone Film Festival and the Brussels Film Festival.

Languages: Kinyarwanda (native), French (fluent), English (good working proficiency), Swahili (good working proficiency).