Alena Gärtner has been exploring and working with film, photography and other audio-visual media since 2007. She has an academic background in documentary film and anthropology (MA degree from Goldsmiths University of London) as well as media and philosophy (BA degree from Hildesheim University, Germany). She gained her professional experience mainly in film, journalism and communication. She has worked for news broadcasting, film festivals and as a communication expert for different organizations in Rwanda, mainly the German Development Cooperation. Born and raised in Germany, she first came to Rwanda in 2011 – an experience that made her want to stay and explore, in Rwanda and beyond.