The Tribeca Film Festival announced its competition slate Tuesday, with two Canadian films, Quebec director Kim Nguyen’s Rebelle (War Witch) and ex-NFB filmmaker Nisha Pahuja’s The World Before Her, in the running for top honours at the prestigious New York City festival.

Writer/director Nguyen’s Rebelle will receive its North American bow at Tribeca in the world narrative feature competition, while Pahuja’s portrait of India in transition will contend in the world documentary competition.

Rebelle earlier bowed in Berlin and earned the movie’s lead, Congolese Rachel Mwanza, the Silver Bear award for best actress.

The French-language Rebelle drama, shot in the Congo, portrays a 14 year-old child soldier confiding to the baby growing inside of her the harrowing story of her life since rebel warlords stormed her village.

Also in competition at Tribeca is a world premiere for Pahuja’s The World Before Her, which weaves together the opposing stories of the Miss India beauty pageant and a fundamentalist Hindu camp for girls.

The English language films also has Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati subtitles.

The Tribeca Film Festival will run from April 18 to 29 in New York City.