A short film has brought to the fore mental health challenges the society is battling with in the wake of Covid-19 infections and measures that government has put in place to contain the spread.

The film, Sinakubeshya (I am uncertain), delves into the challenge that most people wish away or don't want to talk about in the society.

Written and directed by Sharon Urusaro Kalimba, the 12 minutes short docu-drama was funded by University of Global Health and Equity (UGHE) in Rwanda to bring out what young people are going through, leading to shattered dreams due to CoronaVirus lockdown.

The 2021 film is starring Kijyana Yves Peter as Ntege and Odile Uwera as Kayove, and reflects on how the internal battles and challenges have increased in society especially among the youth.

It explores mental health and the disruption of one’s expectations for the future. With the initial scene introducing the viewers to two protagonists; Ntege and Kayove, these are two youth, creatives who are far apart from each other but are at first affected by the Covid-19 lockdown.

With Kayove a Visual artist and Ntege an actor, the film looks into their survival tactics due to challenges in work schedules and the daily rush as the lockdown directives require people to fully stay indoors.

The two find themselves in a desperate situation as they learn they are not essential workers, and so their jobs can be suspended.

This is a cross-cutting issue that much African youth woke up to as the recent total lockdown was affected.

These challenges as reflected in the society especially in youth are what stretches each to a dead-end of solitude and contemplation.

These same situations were shared by those who were pursuing education and other people who were in non-essential jobs.

The characters are further physically brought together as Kayove is out for a normal walk, where she is captures landscape images of the streets as an inspiration tool for her drawing practice back home. She bumps into Ntege, whose work he can recall having come across on Instagram.

T with their daily errands to have been halted, the two are seen gradually weaving their way into a relationship, exposing some vulnerabilities, strength and the realization of how a normal humane nature of interaction ought to be in exploration.

But, as it all seems fine sailing for us, Ntege politely calls of the relationship, admitting how they can stay just friends.

Kayove is quite heart-broken the incident but gathers herself up, and things normalise. Sinakubeshya, which held its debut premiere late last year during the Hamwe Festival, well reflects on how the internal battles and challenges of uncertainty have increased in society especially among the youth.

It explores mental health and the disruption of one’s expectations for the future.