tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55124380839945416882024-03-06T09:47:02.879+01:00iREP DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVALiREPRESENT (iREP) is a touring film festival founded by three Nigerian culture figures to promote independent documentary films and global awareness about the role of documentary films in deepening participatory democracy.It stages a festival every year, and will run Training and Screening regularly.Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-29209557739469349492021-06-02T16:32:00.001+01:002021-06-02T16:32:40.805+01:00Fela Kuti Father of Afrobeat - Documentary<iframe style="background-image:url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/p6zCpTf3HeU/hqdefault.jpg)" width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/p6zCpTf3HeU" frameborder="0"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-8727599186400803082021-03-01T01:24:00.001+01:002021-03-01T01:24:41.121+01:00The Satchel - Full Short Film<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/lNNHX1DaShI" frameborder="0"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-15822794301846450462020-12-09T06:50:00.002+01:002020-12-09T06:50:10.167+01:00Professor Wole Soyinka Unveils New Novel After Four Decades<iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MtLHB8TNHP4" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>đPresentation of Soyinka's CHRONICLES on TVC on Monday, Dec 7</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-14553543764112614322020-12-01T12:02:00.000+01:002020-12-01T12:02:07.205+01:00Love Your City 6 x 6 | Lagos (Nigeria)<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/xDcFIinGym4" frameborder="0"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-4856070468842140132014-12-01T08:20:00.001+01:002014-12-01T08:20:10.446+01:00DAODU OF NIGERIAN THEATRE PART A | AFRICARTS | TVC NEWS<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lcBjuKazTc8" width="459"></iframe> <br /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">TRIBUTE TO PROFESSOR DAPO ADELUGBA</span><br /><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">Airing schedule on Television Continental, TVC...<br />AIRING DAYS AND TIMES FOR TVC NEWS (Arts and Culture programme)AFRICARTS CHANNEL 307 ON STARTIMES, 101 ON CONSAT AND 572 ON BSKYB. 0NLINE: <a href="http://www.tvcnews.tv/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">www.tvcnews.tv</a></div><div class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 6px;">MONDAYS<br />00:30 â 01:00am<br />07:30 â 08:00am<br />15:30 â 16:00pm</div><div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">TUESDAYS<br />02:30 â 03:00am<br />12:30 â 13:00pm</div><div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;"><br />ADELUGBA, Adedapo (Dapo) Abayomi Olorunfemi<br />March 9, 1939 --November 23, 2014<br />BORN on March 9, 1939, Professor Dapo Adelugba had his education at the University College, Ibadan where he studied English. While at the university, apart from taking part in a lot of productions such as Wole Soyinka's Swamp Dwellers, where he acted as the Blindman, he was president of University College, Ibadan Dramatic Society, where he adapted Moliere's Les Fourberies de Scapin (The Trickeries of Scapin) to That Scoundrel Suberu. In 1964, he submitted his Master's degree dissertation at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he wrote on Nationalism and the Irish Theatre. He later joined the teaching services of the University of Ibadan, where he retired in 2004. He spent his last teaching years as Emeritus Professor at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, from where he retired finally two years ago. Thousands of Theatre Arts graduates and practitioners on the Nigerian stage (and screen) and beyond owe him a debt of gratitude for his mentorship and fatherly counselling on their studies and professional career. He will be celebrated always....</div><div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">THE PROFESSOR DAPO ADELUGBA FUNERAL PROGRAMME<br />Wednesday 10th - Friday 12th December, 2014.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">WEDNESDAY 10TH DECEMBER, 2014.<br />(i) Evening of Tributes: 5.00 - 7.00pm<br />(Faculty of Arts Quadrangle, University of Ibadan).</div><div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">THURSDAY 11TH DECEMBER, 2014.<br />(i) Service of Songs: 500 - 7.00pm<br />(Department of Theatre Arts Premises)<br />(ii) Artistes' Nite: 8.00 - 10:30pm<br />(Arts Theatre, University of Ibadan).</div><div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">FRIDAY 12TH DECEMBER, 2014.<br />(i) Lying-in-State: 8:00am<br />(Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan).<br />(ii) Commendation Service: 9:00am<br />(Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan).<br />(iii) Interment: to be announced by the Family</div><div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">Released by Teniayo Adelugba </div></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">(On behalf of the family).</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-37877365888059032612014-09-18T00:09:00.002+01:002014-09-18T00:09:37.168+01:00SODIQ... for iREP Monthly Screening; 7pm Saturday Sept 20; Freedom Park, Lagos Island<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWCiADH1AdaELCUego-V2LLblTCqoQLhvBSNCpiPazHZJnlnopZmaWO4Uqel9sMUlwGFhZQ_kcGd3wbGilJQN5QCchDhJsLg-JbjvifayUD4jTahtHBk8OyQN1shT7ta26ympzwjJWOoBi/s1600/SODIQ-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWCiADH1AdaELCUego-V2LLblTCqoQLhvBSNCpiPazHZJnlnopZmaWO4Uqel9sMUlwGFhZQ_kcGd3wbGilJQN5QCchDhJsLg-JbjvifayUD4jTahtHBk8OyQN1shT7ta26ympzwjJWOoBi/s400/SODIQ-2.png" /></a></div>www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 802 201 6495, +234 803 403 0646
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-82686320441050774282012-05-03T19:11:00.002+01:002012-05-03T19:11:54.548+01:00An Almajirai State Of Mind<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px;"><b>BY ADERINSOLA AJAO </b></span></div>
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<i>(culled from THE GUARDIAN SUNDAY, 29 APRIL 2012 )</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ4MWVi974hfaMz3mB9j_rYfgTBmJMAh03G3ioo_HLYtyUpgg5nByyxhizK_ssiIf0uUN8zby2_TXZfkE69GicSw_m0z5lwCPoQTKQkbML9uJL5XHOnPVAEsAAvtkDLRz9vQzjNul5C19l/s1600/Almajiri-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ4MWVi974hfaMz3mB9j_rYfgTBmJMAh03G3ioo_HLYtyUpgg5nByyxhizK_ssiIf0uUN8zby2_TXZfkE69GicSw_m0z5lwCPoQTKQkbML9uJL5XHOnPVAEsAAvtkDLRz9vQzjNul5C19l/s320/Almajiri-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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THE decision by the Federal Government to deliver a conventional learning environment for the infamous Almajirai has met with conflicting reactions. Of 400 model Almajirai schools proposed by the FG, the first set was recently commissioned in Sokoto State on April 10, and the likelihood of the project succeeding has been both contested and anticipated.</div>
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Many are in support of what they call a âwiseâ move toward curbing the illiteracy and religious radicalism latent within the Almajirai. Many more judge the schools a cosmetic approach to what is considered a breeding ground for extremists and a âwaste of public fundsâ that should have been channelled towards improving decaying federal structures. One word that has frequently appeared is the description of the entire project as another âwhite elephant.â</div>
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In its own way, President Jonathanâs administration believes the schools will take the estimated 9.5 million Almajirai off the streets of Northern Nigeria and provide a conducive atmosphere for combining Quâranic and Western education. Facilities at the schools include language labs, hostels, clinics, staff quarters and recitation halls. Ironically, much of the criticism of these schools has emanated from the North, but there are others, who are of the view that proper communication and awareness about the benefits of the Almajirai schools will win opposing voices to the governmentâs camp.</div>
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While the different opinions from the âexpertsâ grace the pages of newspapers, the Almajirai have hardly had a chance to put a word in. Widely considered a ânuisanceâ within and outside Northern Nigeria, it is no wonder that many believe placing them in a ânormalâ learning institution is a waste not just of taxpayersâ money but possibly, a waste of everyoneâs time as well. This notion might however be dismissed as biased and uninformed once these young students of the Qurâan get the chance to personally tell their stories.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8o7zcfS56zd6gzQ443J0WWYsLaH3Q-kMaFYW33zDi1Tuuumd3A342kp4Q2BWYaIHCy-TLXmr2tzS875A7w4lqSfuGr2Rvl9DMBZRTxBS490vQZeGzk4lLFWlKZAutM9QyfAFmZ8neBAA/s1600/Duniya_Juyi_Juyi_Photo_Hannah_Hoechner_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8o7zcfS56zd6gzQ443J0WWYsLaH3Q-kMaFYW33zDi1Tuuumd3A342kp4Q2BWYaIHCy-TLXmr2tzS875A7w4lqSfuGr2Rvl9DMBZRTxBS490vQZeGzk4lLFWlKZAutM9QyfAFmZ8neBAA/s200/Duniya_Juyi_Juyi_Photo_Hannah_Hoechner_2.jpg" width="200" /></a>Sixty-nine minutes might not have captured the entire essence of their existence, but the message of Duniya Juyi Juyi, a docu-drama about Almajirai is no less effective in voicing âthe perspectives and concernsâ of the boys. The film, which screened at this yearâs iREP International Documentary Film Festival, is largely believable considering the main cast and crew comprise nine real-life Almajirai. The young men â Ikira Mukhtar, Buhari Murtala, Anas Ali, Sadisu Salisu, Abdullahi Yahaya Saâad, Auwalu Mahamud, Ismaâil Abdullahi, Muhammad Naziru Usman, Kabiru Idris â were trained to act, write and direct their own stories as members of this mostly-neglected arm of society.</div>
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Aminu (Ikira Mukhtar) is one of these real-life Oliver Twists and his story along with that of other students from a Qurâanic school in Kano is the pivot for relating the becoming of an Almajirai, the upsides and the down. Meeting Aminu, we discover a respectful young boy, whose father believes it is near impossible for any child to successfully become a religious scholar if he remains under the guidance or tutelage of his parents. Like many other parents, who share a similar belief, Aminuâs father (Sani Garba SK) hands his son over to a Malam (Husaini Sule Koki) at a school in a neighbouring town. Upon his graduation, Aminu is expected to return home. Bitter encounters that jolt the unwitting Aminu fill the time between study and graduation, leaving him convinced that life as an Almajirai is not the best.</div>
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He has to struggle for a place to sleep or to have his bath plus try to overcome the taunts and bullying of an older student (Auwalu Mahamud). When the Almajirai are not studying, they produce handicrafts, clean private homes and beg for food and money depending on their ages. On Aminuâs first day out with his begging bowl, someone âkindlyâ gives him some rotten food warranting a complaint about people giving beggars what belongs in the dustbin. âTreat others the way you want to be treated,â moans the hungry Aminu, an important lesson in lifeâs generally unwritten rules.</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">Aminu later succeeds in finding work as a housekeeper, but his employer (Lubabatu Madaki) will not stop raining insults on him and his parents for abandoning him to a life of begging. When she fires Aminu for being a disturbance, Aminu philosophically concludes that she cares about him âonly for my labour, not as a person.â But the blame is not hers alone as Aminu also takes a shot at federal leadership for not ârecognisingâ Almajirai as âcitizens of the nation.â The parents are not excluded from the blame especially as some of Aminuâs mates appear to have been dumped for good at the Qurâanic schools, clearly flouting the Malamâs admonition that parents should pay regular visits to their offspring. Oddly enough, Aminu has only a few if mostly good words for the Malam. Many in the older public however believe the Ulamas or Malams are largely responsible for making beggars and extremists of the young boys due to their own ineptitude as religious scholars.</span><br />
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When all hope seems lost for Aminu however, life at the âcampâ takes a turn for the better and our young protagonist finds himself on a comfortable plane. But the question remains whether all Almajirai are as lucky as Aminu and what point there is, if any, in thrusting a child into such a harsh and thankless life.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNpBC_gRuHVPvmf9OelxqjZbaM3j2XAK5wOKQsi6u6lc3XifEb8Pwl6M_9ODtRmPdjhiYhivLQieUDksTOcgIcRu0re4oBjP1knXQJTHyQkDOitWd0q8vD3mPXku6TQNJUj1ta1_hbO0O/s1600/Cover_Duniya_Juyi_Juyi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNpBC_gRuHVPvmf9OelxqjZbaM3j2XAK5wOKQsi6u6lc3XifEb8Pwl6M_9ODtRmPdjhiYhivLQieUDksTOcgIcRu0re4oBjP1knXQJTHyQkDOitWd0q8vD3mPXku6TQNJUj1ta1_hbO0O/s320/Cover_Duniya_Juyi_Juyi.jpg" width="222" /></a></div>
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<i><b>Duniya Juyi Juyi,</b></i> which means âhow life goesâ is a much-needed intervention for improving the Almajirai cause. As the young men themselves point out; what they want from the public is not pity, but an opportunity to prove their intelligence. The nine Almajirai, who act in and produce this film prove this point on intelligence beyond any doubt. It is difficult to fault anything in the production besides the sometimes conscious acting and the fact that the Malam does not fulfil his threat to âshackle and caneâ Aminu if he attempts to escape a second time. Aminu not only tries to escape a second time, but succeeds on his third try, yet no shackling and caning.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDDiJH7tUM5YNA9PYHeDPL2bEBinuV4XWI9WJy8Bxi1sKfENYZNZ2qwE3aknYuGtuzNnKyNtbbzk5zkcIak4C-yowdcaGzEjzek4pRlxeN3A926OLkaU66hOM-7YbWJohdcK61Bs4N9Z5/s1600/Almajiri_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDDiJH7tUM5YNA9PYHeDPL2bEBinuV4XWI9WJy8Bxi1sKfENYZNZ2qwE3aknYuGtuzNnKyNtbbzk5zkcIak4C-yowdcaGzEjzek4pRlxeN3A926OLkaU66hOM-7YbWJohdcK61Bs4N9Z5/s200/Almajiri_1.jpg" width="200" /></a>Apart from this though, the documentary â a joint project of the Goethe Institut Kano and the Child Almajirai Empowerment Support Initiative â is a job well done; training and equipping the Almajirai is commendable. The trainer and Script Consultant was Nasiru Bappah Muhammad.</div>
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However to state the obvious, 9 out of 9.5 million Almajirai is infinitesimal, so maybe the Model schools can handle the deficit. Maybe. Given that there is a considerable number of âbadâ Almajirai for every Aminu-like boy, the film itself thus becomes a communicative tool for behavioural change, making it essential that the film be screened to other Almajirai as well as the public.</div>
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Similarly, 400 concrete spaces will not support what many consider an attempt at scoring cheap political points by President Jonathan. Asides the buildings, many ask, what kind of knowledge will be cloaked under the guise of Western and religious education? Whatever the governmentâs motive - especially its claims of reducing the threat to national security - there is little doubt that the Almajirai, if left unattended can bloom into the menace may already fear that they are.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm834UON-kjl9d6KxvB2U85bEhoaJ7ATqpf2lZa6iwei5qXpNeKBN4MZI9CMGqYgroTR8fa_7mU_hzjGqXlFn3CD-b_9M8urkqd3d3fDKWM6qzBV5kAfRsJJVW-MMTMkG4pQ8wUn3jaqr_/s1600/Almajiri-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm834UON-kjl9d6KxvB2U85bEhoaJ7ATqpf2lZa6iwei5qXpNeKBN4MZI9CMGqYgroTR8fa_7mU_hzjGqXlFn3CD-b_9M8urkqd3d3fDKWM6qzBV5kAfRsJJVW-MMTMkG4pQ8wUn3jaqr_/s320/Almajiri-2.jpg" width="320" /></a>For those who consider the Almajirai a disturbing bunch of useless urchins and beggars with no parents or loved ones, the message of this film is simple: âSpeak good about us or keep quiet,â as one of the Almajirai declares. The choice, of course, is yours.</div>
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www.irepfilmfestival.com
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E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-18626415377845769202012-05-03T18:38:00.000+01:002012-05-03T18:50:00.551+01:00Djo Munga: The Art of Pushing Boundaries in African Cinema<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Interview by </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Tahoma; text-decoration: underline;">Belinda Otas</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'; font-size: 16px;"><b><i>Culled from http://belindaotas.com/</i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><u><br /></u></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua';">
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<b><i>âIn Kinshasa, every day is a struggle and every night is a party. In a city where everything is for sale, Riva has something everyone wants.â</i> â Djo Tunda wa Mungaâs debut feature film, <i>Viva Riva!</i> had cinema buffs the world over in awe. Set in Kinshasa, DRC, the film depicts the countryâs tumultuous existence as it chronicles the life of Riva, an ambitious mobster in the making, who returns home after spending a decade in Angola, only to find the country in dire straits as a result of fuel shortages. What unravels is an enthralling story of frank realism that includes crime, violence, disorder, corruption and sexuality, revealing the myriad complexities ofKinshasa and its citizens. In his own words, Djo Munga and the art of pushing boundaries in African cinema. </b></div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Belinda: </b></span><b>Why was it important to tell the story of Viva Riva the way you did?</b></div>
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<b>Djo:</b> This was the first film in 26 years in Congo. When you realise there is no film industry in your country and you are producing the first film in 26 years, you really want to do something different and make a great film. At the same time, you want what you have to say to be personal and important and for people to understand it. In that sense I wanted to talk about the city of Kinshasa because thatâs my hometown and many people can relate to it. In the global sense, it was really important to try and describe the city in a way it has never been described. You talk about night life, the problems that we have and it is important to address certain issues and I also wanted to explore the last 13 years of the city, the war, violence and the change, you know, the new Congo, the crisis and shortage of (fuel) petrol/gas because the shortage did happen in 2001, among the other important elements that was vital to this story.</div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Belinda: </b></span><b>What significant impact has it had in terms of shaping different narratives about the DRC since it was released?</b></div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Djo:</b></span> We had a couple of screenings in Congo, and had close to 300/400 people and of course, we were nervous and not sure. But the response was like wow, this is us and it was like have something where you can recognise yourself. The film opened at the Durban film festival (2011) which was the official African premiere and it was the same. It was a really, really big success and people took ownership of that and the young people were saying how proud they were to have a film about themselves. Also, I think this is the first time, they may see a film where the people look like them and at the same time, it is like an art house movie â it has entertainment and is directed by an African director, with the same level/standard of an international film. The reception has been great.</div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Belinda: </b></span><b>Why the name <i>Viva Riva!?</i></b> </div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Djo:</b></span> (Laughs) the salsa bit is very important in Congo and the term Viva, Viva La Monica, which is a popular band in theCongo and itâs a reference to Salsa. So I picked the name Viva because it is a way of praising the sense of freedom.</div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Belinda: </b></span><b>I understand you come from a documentary background. I think it is fair to ask how you were able to marry a documentary background, art house and entertainment. Was it very challenging to approach the issues you bring to the fore in the film?</b></div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Djo:</b></span> It was a challenge because for me, when we look at the Congo, we donât have a cinema, we have a high level of illiteracy in the country and making a film, you want to focus on the issues and elements for the art house and at the same time, you want it to be accessible. That was the reason why I chose the genre of the film. To achieve the art house vision, it was important for it to be close to a documentary. So, it is like a thriller but in a documentary context. So we shot in Kinshasa in the mode of a documentary/style. We went on location and shot the city based on how it was. It was really delicate to balance. It was kind of a film noir vision and at the same time, an approach/take on reality.</div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Belinda: </b></span><b><i>Viva Riva!</i> has been described as âa tough, sturdy thriller, centred around a small-time hustler called Riva (Patsha Bay), who shows up in the fuel-starved big city with a truck of petrol heâs liberated from his Angolan gangster employersâ why did you want to use the metaphor of fuel/petroleum, the lack of it and huge hunger that people have for it as the basis of your film?</b></div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Djo:</b></span> Wow! Thatâs a question no one has ever asked me. (Laughter) I mean, there was a shortage of gas in Kinshasa in 2001, and there was also one in Zimbabwe. When there is a shortage of gas, everybody is affected because they feel trapped and when you have fuel, you can go anywhere. So, you are kind of like in a prison in your own country. And certainly, Gas is so important that I would compare it to drug addicts. If they donât have it, suddenly, that hunger you are talking about becomes some sort of a crisis. This is also the way to link all the stories together because everybody is kind of in the same problem. When you talk about a city and when a city is functionalâŠnot having gas can show how dysfunctional the city can be and on a bigger scale, it will show you how people can get greedy and fight for the same thing. (Hunger in society for gas could also be a hunger for change)</div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Belinda: </b></span><b>It has also been described as a âgory, fast-paced gangster movie that gives a unique insight into Kinshasaâs ruthless criminal underworld.â We know about war and the reign of terror dished out by rebels on innocent civilians but we often donât hear the narrative of violence within the scope of ongoing day-to-day life in Kinshasa. What was it about the violence and pain that we as human beings inflict on each other that you wanted to examine?</b></div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Djo:</b></span> In addition to the gas story, I wanted to explore the effects of capitalism and the violence that happens in Kinshasa and in the Congo. It is a violence which is directly driven by a greed for minerals. In the civil war, for example, like the uprising that you have seen in the Arab world, it is about internal and external forces fighting against the west. In that sense, what I wanted to say about Kinshasa in the story â my tone and intention was ultimately to say Congo has a negative image. It is time to make something different and tell a different story. I want to talk about reality. So what I did was to go to the peopleâs level and talk about them. People have a life in Congo, every aspect of life and the life goes on and they manage to survive. But also, the violence is a way to depict⊠I meanâŠif people think capitalism is good, go to Congo, go and see the effect.</div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Belinda: </b></span><b>What authenticity were you aiming to bring to the screen about ordinary life on the streets of Kinshasa?</b></div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Djo:</b></span> I wanted to emphasise how people manage top cope with everything. The film also has humour and you can see that people have desires and go about on a day to day basis and deal with all of that.</div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Belinda: </b></span><b>Now you also have one scene where an Angolan is looking down on a Congolese. Now this is one topic we as Africans are uncomfortable talking about. We will gladly talk about western colonisers but we donât talk about the fact that we also look down on each other. Why did you want to address that issue?</b></div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Djo:</b></span> Well, because we donât talk about it and we donât talk about ourselves and to be honest, it is very important to raise these issues. In my country where I see the UN mission, which also has many Africans, the attitude there and hierarchy is also questioning what it means to be a Pan-Africanist and be African. There is a racist attitude that we see elsewhere with white people and it is worse because they are Africans and I think all that is part of underdevelopment. The racism that we have among ourselves, the lack of empathy that we have among ourselves and the lack of everything. It is also a question of society. The film is not just about entertainment. It is also a mirror on what the society is.</div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Belinda: </b></span><b>Is it too early to say that with the work you are now doing on the ground that a cultural renaissance is on the horizon?</b></div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Djo:</b></span> Oh thatâs too early because it is currently on the individual level and to talk about a renaissance you need to have different elements that are coming together and people coming together and pushing it⊠but I would love to have a renaissance but letâs see realistically if that will happen.</div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Belinda: </b></span><b>When it comes to breaking barriers, especially on the issue of filming sex and sexuality in African cinema, how far did you want to push that boundary and why did you want to go there with one or two of the sex films in <i>Viva Riva!</i>?</b></div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Djo:</b></span> I wanted to push as far as possible and what you see in the film, we are not making a porn film. Look at most African films, there is a night life and sex is part of the life of peopleâŠwe have doctored ourselves for so long, it was important to me that we push and seeâŠfor example, we know that in Kinshasa, the problem of prostitution is quite huge and we have a city that is sexy in the sense that all the relationships between men and women and their sexuality is kind of rich. So, it was okay to say we must have this in the film but the point is not around that. It was not a point about being naĂŻve but about looking at Africa and saying this is now and today. And it is also a genre film and together, it worked well.</div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Belinda: </b></span><b>I understand you trained everyone involved in the film. Was this because there were no trained actors and crew members and what does this say about the current state of the Congolese film industry? Or was it a case whereby you wanted an organic end product?</b></div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Djo:</b></span> We have no film school or institutions, nothing. We have people who have talent but that talent is not enough. We needed to teach people how to use that talent for the camera and then it became an organic work. We had to train the actors, the technicians and thatâs the way things were across the film, <i>Viva Riva!</i></div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Belinda: </b></span><b>You show us a busy and bustling night life despite the fact that the news media would have us believe, people are locked away in their homes as a result of fear, the raping and looting we hear so much about in the news. What do you hope your film adds to the narratives of DRC and Africa as it is today?</b></div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Djo:</b></span> Well, when people ask and many people write to me and say we are really proud that you have made that film. It is also the fact that people question <i>Nollywood</i> and you have a lot of journalists saying this is what <i>Nollywood </i>should do. I think it is a sign that I brought something new. Maybe like a new direction and the fact that the film is a success and has opened in these different and many countries, US, UK, Australia and South Africa. It is also a sign that first, as an African director, we have something to say to the world and the world is ready to listen to it and Africans are also ready to listen to it. And people enjoy the film. And in terms of identity, we are building our confidence.</div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Belinda: </b></span><b>Letâs talk about Africaâs famous film industry, <i>Nollywood</i>, why do you think it has been so successful and what do you think, it will take to show African cinema beyond <i>Nollywood</i> because there are other film industries taking shape, from Ghana to Liberia?</b></div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Djo:</b></span> <i>Nollywood</i> has been successful in terms of its ability to respond to the need of African audiences to have their own imagery on screen. That was I believe, the moment when people dreamt of Africans in the scripts even if the stories were not good, at least it was some kind of their imagery, which if you compare to certain cinema, certain art house cinema for example, they are well directed but people just donât follow. African cinema just didnât have that then, it was like they failed to represent the people and so <i>Nollywood</i> was an answer, in order to fill a void. At the same time, <i>Nollywood</i> is a reduced form of quality and in that sense that didnât work and thatâs why I think <i>Viva Riva!</i> did so well and to so many people, it was an answer in terms of telling an African story. It is telling a story with modern entertainment, quality and imagery. I think the film was answering to that.</div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Belinda: </b></span><b>The film has created a new narrative about Kinshasa. are you now under pressure for your next film to deliver?</b></div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Djo:</b></span> (Laughs) no, I feel more confident in terms of wanting to push further and I am more eager to do better and put more elements. But first I feel more pressure to raise the money and to be able to make the film. It is not because there is an interest that you do it. All the elements have to come together. I feel pressured to have all the elements together.</div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Belinda: </b></span><b>Will the lack of funding will be an issue for your filmmakers who will see what you have done and want to emulate you?</b></div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Djo:</b></span> Of course, it is terrible that African filmmakers have to go to western countries to find money. And that is a problem and a really big problem. And I hope that at some appoint, the government of the different African countries will be able to change the attitude to funding?</div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Belinda: </b></span><b>Are you working on anything at present and when should we expect another film from you?</b></div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Djo:</b></span> I am working on a Chinese/Congolese story, a gangster movie also set in Kinshasa and. It is also a look at what is Africa today?</div>
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</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-6506113032747521742012-05-03T16:37:00.000+01:002012-05-03T16:37:26.187+01:00Judy Kibinge: African Filmmakers Donât Have to Be Followers, We Can Be Leaders!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><b>Judy Kibinge </b>is an award-winning Kenya writer and filmmaker. With a background in advertising, Kibinge is the founder of Seven, a production outfit based in Nairobi. Her films include <b>The Aftermath </b>and <b>Dangerous A</b>ffair, which has been described as âone of the most important films in Kenyaâs film historyâ. She has also produced a number of documentaries, including <b>A Voice In The Dark</b> and <b>Bless This Land</b>. In our interview, Kibinge tells me why she thinks African filmmakers need to be leaders and not followers.</i></span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #993366;">Belinda: </span>How would you describe the current state of African cinema?</b></div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Judy Kibinge:</b></span> Like many African filmmakers, I make both documentary and narrative films, and whilst initially better known for my narrative work, thanks to films like <i>Dangerous Affair</i> in 2002, which really redefined for aspiring Kenyan filmmakers the kinds of stories, we were âfreeâ to tell. I have been recognised a lot in the last four or five years for films like <i>Peace Wanted Alive</i>, <i>Coming of Age and Headlines in History</i>, which are all documentary films. I find it difficult to generally talk about African Cinema because conditions are different in different countries. Whatâs happening in Nigeria isnât whatâs happening in South Africa, Egyptian Cinema is worlds away from Kenyan cinema, and to try and summarise it like that is to really simplify a fairly complex market. In Nigeria, I think what is beginning to happen may be the model for the future: Nollywood began as a frenzy of low budget videos, created by businessmen more than filmmakers, and now I feel that a very competitive market has begun to demand better quality and you see very well crafted and shot films beginning to emerge like Kunle Afolayanâs <i>The Figurine. </i>Producers are beginning to really understand the need to do better. The old Francophone begging bowl model is unsustainable even though the films that come from that region are beautiful, and artistic, whose eye and whose tastes do they pander from? Whoâs paying for those âhigh artâ Francophone films? Whoâs watching them? I think that filmmakers are beginning to really think about the stories they want to tell, how they are going to sustainably finance their creation, and so on. Iâd therefore beware of a forced generalisation but would say and see this stage of African as a period of TRUE AWAKENING. Or maybe Iâm just trying to sound romantic.</div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #993366;">Belinda: </span>And how you describe the current state of the film industry in Kenya?</b></div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Judy Kibinge:</b></span> Itâs very exciting. There are different kinds of filmmakers and different kinds of films are being made, which is great. Iâve begun to see a lot more people experimenting with shorts, more documentaries and more features. Ten years ago, we were lucky if one feature got made every four or five year. Now, there are a few each year, of varying production values. Riverwood, which is Kenyans answer to Nollywood is very vibrant and like Nollywood driven by the businessmen. They have pretty much cracked the distribution system for vernacular films in particular. They understand their market and have come up with methods to tackle piracy and somehow have their audiences understanding that they need to buy originals â and originals are available. These films are made for lower budgets and successful ones like <i>The Race</i> have had real and constant returns. On the other hand, there are the bigger budget films that the press writes about, films that do the festival rounds â <i>From a Whisper</i> by Wanuri Kahiu, <i>Soul Boy</i> by Hawa Essuman, <i>Togetherness Supreme</i> by Nathan Collette, <i>Ndoto za Elbidi</i> by Nick & <i>Kamau wa Ndungu.</i> These films aspire to be shown on the big screen, are shot more cinematically, have high production values, but the filmmakers really donât understand their markets or have a distribution systems they can plug into. I include myself in that bracket of filmmakers.</div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #993366;">Belinda: </span>Is the international film market/industry now more open to narratives from the continent by Africans and on their terms?</b></div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Judy Kibinge:</b></span> I think the international film market is always interested in new narratives be they from Africa, Asia, India, Korea, and Eastern Europe or wherever. I donât think Africa is a special case. Itâs the African filmmaker who has to start producing these films consistently so that we hit a critical mass of films that get our own local audiences used to buying and supporting and looking forward to our films. We canât build an industry by solely focusing on satisfying an international itch, as gratifying as receiving global recognition and accolades is. I felt <i>Viva Riva</i> was and is a great film in that it has made the west sit up and will probably allow the filmmaker greater ease in accessing his next funding, and its also woken up international interest in African film. But can <i>Viva Riva</i> make back its money in its own region or continent? That is the question that really matters. A great case in point is the Oscar Winning film <i>Tsotsi</i> that reputedly did not achieve high ticket sales in South Africa, whereas Ralph Zimmanâs <i>Jerusalema</i>, which didnât get an Oscar managed to cover the cost of its production within its own market. Kunle Afolyanâs <i>The</i> <i>Figurine</i> made half of its $400,000 budget back within its own market, Nigeria in just a few weeks. When such film go onto DVD, the filmmaker can realistically look forward to asking a few million dollars back, because Nigerians love their own movies AND have a huge population and in the diaspora that will buy the film.</div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #993366;">Belinda: </span>Funding and distribution are still two very challenging areas for African filmmakers, why and how can this be corrected?</b></div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Judy Kibinge:</b></span> Riverwood handling it very well, but larger budget films struggle, caught between the dream of cinema audiences and dwindling audiences, and the price competition when they go straight to DVD. Funding, South Africa has shown us all how a strong film commission is vital to the health of a strong film industry. Their mandate includes funding and training and South African filmmakers have multiple opportunities open to them thanks to a commission and industry that has lobbied government and I believe also private sector banks to look at films as investments with possibilities of huge returns. When you watch award winning independent features and shorts from Europe, America and Canada you are immediately aware of how many funds are available to filmmakers in their own countries, even those countries with vibrant industries. So government without a doubt has a role to play and will do that more once they realise what a huge economic opportunity a vibrant film sector is for the country and exchequer too. When we DO receive film funds they arenât exclusive to our own countries, we are competing with the world for them. For instance, we applied to and didnât get funding from last yearâs Jan Vrieman documentary fund, with what we felt was an incredibly strong treatment, one which recently won the East African ZIFF documentary pitch. But when they wrote back explaining that only six percent of all applications manage to get selected, you realise that it might not be your skills as a filmmaker, but the opportunities for funding available to you. But letâs also examine ourselves and what WE can do. We too, as filmmakers have a role to play by joining and supporting our film associations and thus having strong bodies with which to advocate for the kinds of support we need. Our governments here in Africa are changing from the sleepy bearcats to occasionally open-minded ones. We need to take advantage too of the huge IT leaps being made in Africa and draw confidence from these huge leaps and realise we donât have to always be followers, we can be leaders too. Maybe the answer to distribution will come from mobile phone content providers. After all, this continent uses its phones in the most innovative ways on the planet â Kenya invented the first mobile phone banking system, for instance, and that model is now being exported to the Western world. We just need and therefore use technology differently. So lets be open minded â the solutions are somewhere out there.</div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #993366;">Belinda: </span>How has setting up your own film company helped you to establish yourself as a filmmaker within Kenya and gain international recognition for your work?</b></div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Judy Kibinge:</b></span> I freelanced for six years and have run a film company for five. The first five years were spent in a complete daze, totally traumatised by new terms like audited accounts and balance sheets and company secretary and all the things that you donât have to deal with either as an employee or a freelancer. After the fourth year, you emerge, dazed, feel your hands, face, body to make sure your limbs have not been wrenched off you in the spiral through the 1000 days it takes to determine whether a business will sink or swim. I kid you not: itâs hard to be a filmmaker AND run your own production company; there are bills, rent, salaries and expenses. But on the other hand you are able to begin to build a credible brand and also begin to own your own work, shape your own projects and products. I think you can do this as a freelancer too, but having an office allows you to be able to bring in some of the corporate jobs that keep you going when you are not working on a creative film â which sadly, is most of the time. I am not sure if having a film company enables dreams or erects obstacles in front of them. The jury is out on that one! I think to be truly successful, my company would need to be home to a larger, but still select group of producerâs directors and editors who call it home and within it find a space to innovate and grow in, and also contribute to company overheads. Having a film company hasnât helped, aided or prevented international recognition, but itâs been a place to get up and go to dream and plan and work from everyday and that canât be a bad thing. I think sometimes, freelance filmmakers can waste a lot of time dreaming because thereâs no fear of survival keeping them going. When you have a company, you have to justify your existence and so you keep producing so not a year goes by, ever, without having something to show for that year. You also feel a sense of pride that the thing you are building is something slightly larger than yourself. But I think you can achieve just as much far more even, without a company. In the end it all boils down to the films you make.</div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #993366;">Belinda: </span>What more can African filmmakers do to up their game?</b></div>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><b>Judy Kibinge:</b></span> We as African filmmakers arenât exposed to enough wonderful global independent films. They are hard to see or find. I have been very fortunate in last two years to have had some opportunity for the first time in my filmmaking career to see really see great art house films, and this will influence my next films I am certain. Sometimes thereâs snobbery amongst African filmmakers who feel âwe must find our own voice, we donât have to watch other peopleâs thingâ. I think thatâs bollocks. Some of the best read people in the world are writers and novelists, and as African filmmakers, maybe we need to form small friendly film clubs and exchange the few DVDs we have amongst us so we begin to enjoy talking to each other about films and global film trends, so we become part of a larger brotherhood and sisterhood of filmmakers. We need to read more too. I think that reading informs so many things â films, structure and so on. We also need to be more aware of the world around us, the uniqueness of our stories. I have been watching Eastern European films lately and for instance watched a short Polish film about Killing. The landscape and the characters, I was totally glued. No wonder it won so many awards. But in our own backyards we have stories and backdrops and characters that would enthral not only our home-grown audiences, but the world. We need to have confidence in or surroundings to up our game.</div>
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<i>Culled from http://belindaotas.com/?p=10557</i></div>
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<b><i>www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 802 201 6495, +234 803 403 0646
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</i></b></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-72124446776980084332012-05-03T14:07:00.005+01:002012-05-03T14:07:49.049+01:00ICS Hosts 2012 Africa World Documentary Film Festival<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The Institute of Cultural Studies, <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1336050324_0" style="color: #366388; cursor: pointer;">Obafemi Awolowo University</span> is hosting<br />this yearâs âAfrica World Documentary Festivalâ from 2nd to the 5th May,<br />2012. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The event will be formally declared open by the Vice Chancellor,<br />Prof. Bamitale Omole at 11:00 a. m on Wednesday 2nd of May at the Pit<br />Theatre. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Thereafter, the screening of films continue at the Pit Theatre</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">and Seminar Room of the Institute of Cultural Studies each day.<br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">In all, about 30 Documentary Films on different aspects of African life,<br />ancient and contemporary, have been listed for exhibition. The Festival<br />is being organized in collaboration with the Centre for International<br />Studies, University of Missouri, Saint Louis, U.S.A. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> Apart from its recreational and educational benefits to staff and students, it will</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">afford scholars and film makers in Nigeria an opportunity to reflect on<br />different issues of African existence and essence, being raised in the<br />films, ranging from politics to religion, environment, gender, arts,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">culture and so on.<br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The Institute is, therefore, soliciting for the participation of all and<br />sundry in this innovative programme.<br /><br /><br />Gbemisola Adeoti (Ph.D)<br />Ag. Director<br />Institute of Cultural Studies<br />Obafemi Awolowo University<br />Ile Ife.</span></div>
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<b><i>www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 802 201 6495, +234 803 403 0646
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</i></b></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-51605452319447724372012-04-27T17:18:00.000+01:002012-04-27T17:20:30.465+01:00IRONEATERS screens tomorrow at old Film unit, Lagos; 3pm. FREE Entry<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Pr3wib-nXV2WY9ZEGKt7Zp05taHC2illvGVToD39vnuYZ0z0IAp03yid-zFMy_nZ7uryRHlo86v6hsoKg3HQm3ORotjHxnWq3iS6L5io2TB15TRVPWeCEjtYFQLzqP_zr73MUlTBUnMz/s1600/IRON+EATERS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Pr3wib-nXV2WY9ZEGKt7Zp05taHC2illvGVToD39vnuYZ0z0IAp03yid-zFMy_nZ7uryRHlo86v6hsoKg3HQm3ORotjHxnWq3iS6L5io2TB15TRVPWeCEjtYFQLzqP_zr73MUlTBUnMz/s320/IRON+EATERS.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
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We cordially invite you to the Film-Club Screening of 'IRONEATERS', directed by Shaheen Dill-Riaz, 2009, Germany. Duration: 85 min (OV with English subtitles)</div>
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DATE: <strong style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">Saturday, April 28, 2012,</strong></div>
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TIME: <strong style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">3 pm</strong></div>
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VENUE: <strong style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">Nigerian Film Corporation Lagos Branch, Old Film Unit, opp. Ikoyi Cemetery, Ikoyi, Lagos</strong></div>
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<strong style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">Free entrance!</strong></div>
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It is the continuation of the Monthly Screening collaboration between the iREP Documentary Film Forum and Goethe Institut, Lagos.</div>
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<strong style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">About the Film:</strong></div>
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Every year, the ebb and flow of the Ganges floodplain leaves farmers in northern Bangladesh in need of employment to help them survive the yearly droughts. Many of them travel hundreds of miles south to the shores of Chittagong to labor in one of Bangladesh's most prosperous industries, dismantling colossal ships and tankers â the discards of the developed world â for scrap iron. Director Shaheen Dill-Riaz's documentary confronts us with an elaborate system of exploitation and dependence. Especially the ones that do the most dangerous and hardest work, got into a hopeless debt trap, that only few can escape.</div>
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We hope to see you there! </div>
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Kind regards, </div>
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<em style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"><strong style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">Kim Docter </strong></em></div>
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<em style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"><strong style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">Intern Programme Department</strong></em></div>
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<em style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"><strong style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">Goethe-Institut NigeriaGerman Cultural Centre Lagos</strong></em></div>
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<em style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"><strong style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">City Hall, Catholic Mission Street opposite Holy Cross Cathedral</strong></em></div>
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<em style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"><strong style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">Lagos IslandLagos</strong></em></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<em style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"><strong style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">+234 (0)1 7746888Mobile: +234(0)8026618287 </strong></em></div>
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<em style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"><strong style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">Email: intern@lagos.goethe.org </strong></em></div>
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<em style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"><strong style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">www.goethe.de/nigeria </strong></em></div>
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<strong style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"><em style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">Lanre OluponaIREP13, Oguntona Street, Gbagada Phase 11, Lagos</em></strong></div>
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<strong style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"><em style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">08051702004 (sms only)</em></strong></div>
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<strong style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"><em style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">lanreolupona@hotmail.com</em></strong></div>
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<strong style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"><em style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">www.irepfilmfestival.com</em></strong></div>
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www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 802 201 6495, +234 803 403 0646
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-14344182189932732692012-04-14T04:57:00.000+01:002012-04-14T05:02:39.294+01:00Unveiling IREP 2012: Short reviews of all the films and activities<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: 10pt; text-transform: uppercase;">THE GUARDIAN on SUNDAY, 01 APRIL 2012 00:00 <b>EDITOR </b><a href="http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=16&layout=blog&Itemid=475"><span style="color: #145077; text-decoration: none;">SUNDAY MAGAZINE </span></a>- <a href="http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=180:arts&layout=blog&Itemid=707"><span style="color: #145077; text-decoration: none;">ARTS</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><img alt="Freedom" border="0" height="192" src="file:///C:\Users\jahman\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_8" width="200" /> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">The
2012 edition of the annual iREPRESENT International Documentary Film Festival
ended its four-day run in Lagos last Sunday. It had 18 international visitors
and over 300 local participants every day of its proceedings. One of the
remarkable fruits from the festival was the birth of The iREP Report (TiR), an
initiative of the journalist, DERIN AJAO and a few of her colleagues including
Amarachukwu Iwuala and Titi Olurin with the support of the Goethe Institut.
From the second day of the festival, Friday, March 23, the TiR issued a daily
review of films shown the previous night. And this contributed to the high
intellectual content as well as quality of discourse at the festival. Some of
the reviews published by two editions of the Report are hereby excerpted.</span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">THE keynote address at this
yearâs IREP international film festival was delivered by Prof. Jean-Paul
Colleyn. In his paper, captioned, âAfrican Cinemas and the Frontiers of
Documentary,â the anthropologist, filmmaker remarked that there is a
fictional dimension to documentary films because for every documentary there
are thousands of choices open to the filmmaker. Conversely, he noted that there
is a documentary content in fictional films because there is a limit to a
filmmakerâs imagination since such stems from socio-cultural experiences.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Colleyn stated that documentary is
a personal treatment of reality and that Nollywood films are not as naĂŻve as
many people think they are. This is obvious in Nollywoodâs reference to the
negative influences of wealth and power on societyâs otherwise humane
individuals. He rounded off by asserting that fictional films are not opposed
to truth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Acclaimed filmmaker Tunde Kelani,
who was one of the panelists that discussed Prof. Colleynâs paper, believes
that Nollywood has the capacity to engage documentary in the development of the
industry. Sandra Obiago, another panellist, called for more resources and
interest in the production of documentaries, observing that the format provide
basis for the younger generation to embark on research on subjects of interest.
Director, Producer Teco Benson agreed with Prof. Colleyn that many fictional
films are embellished documentaries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Earlier in his welcome address,
the Executive Director of iREP, Femi Odugbemi, emphasised the capability of the
documentary film to deepen socio-political experiences. Following the address,
four individuals were inducted into the iREP Hall of Fame in recognition of
their contributions to the development of documentaries in Nigeria. They
include Sandra Mbanefo-Obiago, founding Executive Director of Communicating for
Change, whose organisation has produced great documentaries and Cyril Okonkwo,
who retired from the Nigerian Television Authority a few years ago after
producing critically-acclaimed documentaries. Also honoured were Amb.r Mamman
Yusuf, who produced news documentaries that define some of our political
landmarks and Francis Olatunji Oladele of Calpeny Films, who is a legendary
filmmaker and director of âKongiâs Harvestâ and âThings Fall Apart.â<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">â
Amarachukwu Iwuala</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">A
Different African Election</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"> Directed and Produced
by Jareth and Kevin Merz, An African Election trails the events leading up to
the Ghanaian Presidential Election of 2008. John Atta Mills and Nana Akufa-Addo
represent the leftist National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the conservative
New Patriotic Party (NPP), both men are the top contenders in the race leaving
in their trail a number of cameo candidates whose following only matters when
the elections land in an inconclusive knot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">The documentary, which opened the
list of films screening at iREP 2012, profiles the two leading contestants and
all the tactics applied in ensuring the 50 per cent plus one vote necessary to
claim victory at the polls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">The title of the documentary
hardly needs explaining. Elections in many African countries are plagued by
rigging and outright ballot box theft. The Ghanaians however were aiming for an
exemplary election that would change the face of what is perceived to be âan
African election.â<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Like some other documentaries
screening at the festival, Merz as well employs no voice-over but incorporates
short typed messages and commentary from journalists, activists and artists in
the documentaryâs unfolding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">A brief history of Ghana pre- and
post- independence also give a defining background to the documentary, a point
echoed by one of the commentators that governance in Ghana is built largely on
the countryâs history.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">As the Ghanaians prepare for the
polls, the sense of anger was high plus a general outcry for change, making the
election of John Kuffourâs replacement a heated assignment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">The Electoral Chair Kwadwo
Afari-Gyan is the documentaryâs unlikely hero. Former President Jerry Rawlings
could have stolen the show, but Afari-Gyanâs role in stemming the erupting
political tension saves the day after a gruelling first round of elections that
lands in a run-off. When some strange numbers appear after the run-off, it is
the electoral chair, who again resolves the impasse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">An interesting angle to the
documentary is the focus on two friends, Kwabena Agyepong and Rojo Mettle. Both
support different parties and when the numbers appear to have been tampered with,
the vociferous Rojo loudly proclaims that, âKwabena Agyepong walks into the
room and funny things start happening.â<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">In the ensuing altercations
protesting the obvious rigging, someone pointedly states that âThis is not
Nigeria?!â<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Indeed it isnât and as the
Ghanaians finally chose a new president in January of 2008, they had set an
example of what influence the voter holds in protecting his vote. To borrow the
words of Jerry Rawlings on Atta Millsâ campaign trail, âProtect your ballot
boxes the way you would protect and defend your mother!â<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">If there is no other lesson to be
learnt from An African Election, this surely is one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><b> <i>â
Aderinsola Ajao</i></b><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"> <b>Meeting
Freedom Park</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Watching a documentary about
Freedom Park in Freedom Park never really seemed a possibility. But with the
former colonial prison yard coming full circle to being an event hotspot, this
idea no longer seemed out of the ordinary and it came to pass on the opening
day of iREP 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">At the screening of Femi
Odugbemiâs âAnd the Chain Was Not⊠â it was time to appreciate the splendour
and the history of what is now Freedom Park. The documentary about the building
was not just voice-over and talking heads. An enthralling spoken word
performance by Crown Troupeâs Segun Adefila gave life to the struggle of the
many former prisoners in what was known as Her Majestyâs Prison.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Swaying and gyrating to the
indigenous sounds of the shekere, the omele, the bata and the gangan, as
dictated by words from poems by Adefila himself and Oyindamola Olofinlua, the
overall production is a wonder to see. Especially considering it is
beyond the story of a transformation from captivity to liberation, but another
of the struggle itself and how the bonds are broken for true freedom to be
achieved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">According to the film, the prison
was initially constructed in 1872 to hold 20 inmates. Made with the best
quality building materials imported from Britain, the budget for the prison
apparently cost more than the colonial governmentâs budget for education. While
the prison stood, it counted on its inmate list, the likes of Obafemi Awolowo,
Herbert Macaulay, labour leader Michael Imoudu and Esther Johnson, who was
accused of murdering her lover. The prison even gets worthy mention in
Awolowoâs memoirs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Freedom Park was until some
decades ago, one of the least popular historical sites in Lagos. The idea for
renovating the former prison ground for recreational purposes was conceived by
Theo Lawson, an architect. Now in its newfound glory, the former prison is home
to all, but a home most especially for cultural purposes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">In Lawsonâs words, the former
prison kitchen is now the food court; its execution stand is now a stage for
unfettered expression and the former cells themselves are represented across
the Park in the flower beds and the pagoda cells. Most interesting however, is
the Prison Museum which holds artefacts excavated from the former prison.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">And the Chain Was Not is a story
of survival and a historical record, however subtle of an aspect of colonialism
in Nigeria, particularly the prison system and its subjugation of the rights of
local âtroublemakers.â That the chains are broken at the end of the documentary
and that Freedom Park itself stands today, is testament to what strong will can
achieve despite dominating oppression. This is what the director achieves in
sharing this story now and for posterityâs sake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">â
Aderinsola Ajao</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Everybody
Gets An Education</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Branwen Okpakoâs biographic
portrait of a friend and fellow filmmaker is the story of another Obama doing
great things. The film was the star screening on Day 1 of the 2012 IREP
International Documentary Film Festival.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">The Education of Auma Obama, is
the story of a half-sister to the current President of the United States of
America. The story is by itself an intriguing one and Auma is revealed as an
intelligent student, mother, youth mentor and social activist. Even before it
became fashionable to speak out against foreign aid, the documentary shows her
as a strong voice opposing the West over-aiding Africa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Aumaâs story is by extension the
story of President Barack Obama. The father they both share comes across as a
strong influence on his children, and is himself immortalised in the strides of
these two children borne to him by different women.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">The film is shot in the run-up to
the 2008 US Presidential Elections when much attention is on the trailblazing
American Barack Obama and his heritage. One unmissable influence in President
Obamaâs life becomes obvious: his father. It is the same with Auma. Though she
reveals that her parents are not necessarily the best any child can hope for,
there is no missing her fatherâs impact on her life. Her father, a Kenyan
public servant was himself the son of a cook, who worked with a family of
British settlers. But the older Obama made sure his son received an education
that would set him above his peers. Barack soon got a scholarship to study in
Harvard; a reward of the cookâs hopes for his son.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">In Aumaâs family though, the
scholarship might not have been a good thing in itself. Barack does not return
home alone after completing his study. He comes back with Ruth, an American
woman whom he gives the task of looking after his children. Kezia, Aumaâs
mother is promptly given her marching orders. This is a turning point for the
once-outgoing Auma as she dives into her shell and stays there till she herself
leaves Kenya to study in Germany.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">In portraying the making of Auma
Obama, Okpako â herself a female filmmaker â employs many female narrators;
perhaps also in a nod to women as oral conveyors of family history. Aumaâs
female relatives and friends all play prominent roles in analysing and
retelling their experiences with Auma.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">It is impossible to separate the
people in Aumaâs life from the making of Auma herself. Okpako draws on excerpts
from interviews with former teachers and colleagues as well and as we follow
the characters through the 90 minutes, the audience itself receives an
education based on Aumaâs education.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Okpakoâs approach to the story is
hardly conventional. She gives the meanings of the names of the different
dramatis personae. She employs no voice-over in the narration, leaving the
audience to unravel the story and navigate it by itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">The interesting angle with the
names hits home hardest when we find out that Aumaâs birth name is actually
Rita, which means Pearl. Her motherâs name Kesia means âsweet-smelling scentâ,
highly ironic considering her husband finds her repulsive when he returns with
his new wife Ruth, whose name is translated as âfriendâ. The name Barack itself
means âBlessingâ and Hussein is translated as âHandsome Man.â<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">The Education of Auma Obama is a
well-researched effort that should not be watched in a hurry. What Okpako
achieves with it is not another Obama Campaign flick but a story of true grit
overcoming the biggest challenges and how our ancestry plays a role in who we
are and who we might become.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">â
Aderinsola Ajao</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">After
Occupy Nigeria, What Next?</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Cultural activist, Ben Tomoloju
chaired the panel that discussed Democracy, Development and Demonstrations on
Day 2 of the IREP Festival. The panellists were filmmakers Charles Novia,
Mahmood Ali-Balogun, Musa Abdulahi Sufi, Branwen Okpako and Amb. Mamman Yusuf.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Amb. Yusuf corrected the
impression that the pro-fuel subsidy protests roundly tagged âOccupy Nigeriaâ
were the first major protests in the country as was being bandied about during
the weeks of te mass actions in January. He reminded the audience of the
June 12 crisis, which he noted was one conflict that threatened the continued
existence of Nigeria in a magnitude that is only surpassed by the 1967-70 Civil
War. He said it was regretful that because the civil society organisations involved
in Occupy Nigeria were an incoherent group, the Federal Government used Labour
to hijack the protests.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Abdullahi Sufi was glad that
Nigerians set aside their religious and ethnic differences to come together and
oppose an unacceptable policy by the government. He recalled how Christians
gathered to protect Muslims and vice versa (as they prayed) â from
attack during the protests Sufi called for public education to achieve
greater success in case such a situation arises in future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Novia explained that social media
were a source of worry to the ruling class during the protests, saying that
government will be careful in its future dealings with the populace. He rounded
off by describing the current national situation as the calm before the storm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Ali-Balogun was of the opinion
that the fact that the protests were not broadcast on international media was a
major setback to the struggle. He blamed those who control international media,
who also have vested interests in Nigeria, as being responsible for this
seeming blackout. He also expressed dismay over the tribalism, nepotism and
other primordial sentiments that hampered the protests.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">He reiterated Amb. Yusufâs
opinion, while recalling the late Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Moremi and the Aba
Womenâs riots as ground-shaking symbols of activism that should never be
forgotten.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Okpako was displeased that in
Germany, for instance, people were more aware of the Boko Haram terrorists than
the protests that were ongoing at the time. She advised the audience and by
extension, Nigerians to identify what they want to make topical at any point in
time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">The session ended with Tomoloju
calling for the documentation of information for posterityâs sake, hence the
necessity of documentaries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">â
Amarachukwu Iwuala</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"> <b>Building
The Nation</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">In line with the festivalâs theme
of Africa in Self Conversation: Democracy and Culture, the 2nd IREP festival
screened Headlines in History, a documentary about the first 50 years of the
Nation Media Group, publishers of East Africaâs most widely-read publication,
The Daily Nation. The film recalls how the publishing outfit sustained its
ethical journalism and managed to expand its operations across the sub-region
despite frustration from government forces and occasional public discontent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Borne out of a need to provide
Kenyaâs indigenous population with their own voice in the face of overwhelming
colonial censorship, the story of The Nation is itself the story of African
independence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">The paper made its debut in 1959
thanks to a chance encounter between a preacher and an activist. A community
paper Taifa Leo was acquired and became the Daily Nation. As the years went by,
the Daily Nation proved that it was here to stay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">The documentary shows how the
newspaper placed itself at the top of news coverage by constantly breaking news
ahead of everyone else and having exclusive images of events that heavily
influenced Kenyan life and government policy. These included the murders of Tom
Mboya and J.M Kariuki, the death of Jomo Kenyatta, Daniel Arap Moiâs swearing-in
as president and the Saba Saba protests that ended the one-party system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">In the course of doing their work,
staff of the paper suffered multiple arrests and numerous attempts by Moiâs
government especially, to silence or weaken this voice of the East African
majority. Undeterred, the Nation Media Group spread its wings into Uganda and
Tanzania acquiring the Daily Monitor and Mwananchi respectively. They also
established a broadcast and media division, diversifying into TV and radio. In
1994, the group also began publishing The East African.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">The Nationâs biggest task came
however in 2007 during Kenyaâs post-election crisis involving President Mwai
Kibakiâs supporters and the opposition. Buoyed by its responsibility to its
readers, and conscious of the mediaâs role in society, the Nation joined its
voice to brokering peace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Ending on this note, Headlines in
History, is not just the 50-year anniversary of an important publication but a
celebration of the important role the press can play in sustaining effective
governance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Echoing this theme was a panel
titled âMedia and Nation Building.â The panel comprised president of the
Nigerian Guild of Editors Gbenga Adefaye; former Managing Editor at NEXT,
Kadaria Ahmed; writer Tolu Ogunlesi; performer, culture activist and ex-Deputy
Editor of The Guardian, Ben Tomoloju and Denrele Niyi, Arts Editor of the
National Mirror. Lanre Idowu, publisher of Media Review was the moderator.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Tomoloju described the process of
nation building as a partnership between the media and the nationalists. This
partnership however broke down when the press wanted to properly carry out its
duty. He stressed the importance for the media to understand its role and
to do it well, that if a nation is in crisis, the press itself risks becoming
an enemy of the people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">For Ogunlesi, the pressâ role is a
double-edged sword that apart from nation building, also involves some âpulling
down.â This call for high ethical standards was a motif in the discussion.
Another constant point was the call for innovative approaches to journalism.
Emphasised by Ahmed, she said training, improved wages and embracing new media
would aid quality journalism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Ogunlesi raised the issue of how
much of his/her proclivities a journalist can bring to their profession at a
time of crisis. Other issues that came up at the panel included whether or not
the motivation for newspaper ownership is ego-driven or not. Government policy
and regulatory laws were also discussed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">According to Adefaye, in recent
times, owning a newspaper was motivated by a desire to claim the public space.
Ahmed said the influence of the proprietors is itself sometimes unhelpful in
the practice of healthy journalism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Idowu then asked if the advent of
social media plays a possible role in this mission and whether the press was to
be feared or respected. For Tomoloju, respect is desirable especially regarding
being a voice to the voiceless. Adefayeâs response was that, âWe should work
towards being respected by our readers and feared by the bad boys in our
system.â<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">As part of the self-examination
process, the panelists said it is important for the press itself to work within
the boundaries of the law, ensure they had their facts right before going to
press and develop an overall professional attitude to their work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">It was also an opportunity to
sound out their colleagues in the broadcast media to wake up to their
responsibility to the audience and try to catch up with the print arm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Tomoloju rounded off the
discussion with the words, âPractice should be in the best of national
interest.â<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">â
Aderinsola Ajao</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"> <b>Africaâs
Tech Map</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">The ICT revolution looming across
Africa is the highlight of Michael Grotenhoffâs Linking Africa. From Uganda to
Rwanda and then to Kenya, we see how these countries are evolving from largely
commodities-based economies to information technology powerhouses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Mobile Money, a telephone payment
option is the sweeping innovation in Uganda, embraced by many but still shunned
by some; the software is gradually paying its way into most small and big
businesses in the country. Next was Rwanda. Stuck between Uganda and Congo, the
agrarian state is on a mission to transform into the regionâs biggest ICT
pioneer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">A technical partner is South
Korea, a country with a similar experience as Rwanda. According to the
documentary, Rwanda seeks to establish itself as a link between Uganda, the
financial sector and Congo, the home of raw materials.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">As the benefits of technological
development take root, the running of a fibre optic cable from Kigali through
Africa and into Europe sounds like a huge step for the African country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">The film lands finally in Kenya
and we meet the inventors of Ushahidi, the now global software that is a
consequence of the countryâs post election crisis. The software is now widely
used as a reporting tool for news and up-to-date sharing of information across
global communities. Also in Kenya, we discover the Makerere Universityâs
Computer Science Faculty is churning out thousands of young ICT experts that
are ready-made to dominate the sector.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Linking Africa does not show just
the major technological strides in these three countries. It follows a Swiss
retiree, who restores old computers for the training of youth in Ugandan
suburbs. In the absence of constant electricity, he installs a solar-power
system for these computers to function.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">TRACnet is a medical software
developed by a virologist in an AIDS Hospital in Rwanda. This helps him share
his patientsâ records with hospitals in neighbouring towns and countries. He is
also involved in developing techniques that have helped reduce mother to child
transmission of the virus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">There is little doubt that all
these are not baby steps. Linking Africa shows that the coming years will see
Africa as an important global ICT player. To back this point, the documentary
featured a female software developer and lecturer at Kenyaâs Makerere
University, who got a job in an international ICT firm even before the
documentary finished shooting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">With the iHub in Kenya poised to
be another bright spot on Africaâs tech map, the link between the continent and
the world gets stronger with each passing day. Youâll definitely believe this
after watching Linking Africa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"> <i><b>â
Aderinsola Ajao</b></i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"> <b>...The
iREP Workshops</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">On the second and third days of
the film festival, trainings were organised for up-and-coming documentary
filmmakers. The facilitators included: Barbel Mauch, a producer from Germany;
Alhaji Gboyega Arulogun, documentary filmmaker and TV manager; Cyril Okonkwo,
also a docu-mentary filmmaker; Amb. Mamman Yusuf, filmmaker and diplomat;
Thomas Plennart and Femi Odugbemi, who are equally documentary filmmakers. The
training programmed were: scriptwri-ting, radio documentary, camera work and
production.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">â
Amarachukwu Iwuala</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"> <b>Rhythms
Of Lagos</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">I donât want to jive you here
tonight. I want to present myself to you as an African...â Felaâs words begin
the documentary, âLagos... Notes of a Cityâ. It is indeed fitting as the
documentary parodies the everyday experiences of Africans in one of the most
populous cities in Africa, Lagos.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Directed by Jens Wenkel, the
documentary captures Lagos in its actual sense with its busy streets, heavy
traffic and magnetic energy that obviously attracts people from all tribes. It
is no wonder then that it is called, âno manâs landâ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">The vivid portrayal of popular
locations in the city and actual lives of people is a powerful aesthetic
feature of the film. Mariam, the hausa mother of two, who lives with HIV and
Joshua, the security guard, who is optimistic that he will âmake itâ in Lagos
represent throngs of people, who have migrated to this city.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">ââŠin Lagos, there is life,â Mariam
says of the city she has come to love, but she warns, âYou have to be smart or
a two-year old boy will do away with you. That is why they donât say âwelcomeâ,
they say, âThis is Lagosâ.â Her experience in Lagos, she says, has made her
bolder than she was in the North where she migrated from. Abimbola Philips
agrees that life in Lagos is animated. âThereâs a lot of energy that is locked
up and people want to explore that energy.â She however finds the animation to
be âobnoxiously loud and annoying.â<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Of interest to the audience is the
constant juxtaposition of ideas. Both the charm and the repul-sion of Lagos are
well depicted. There is a parallel between the poor and handicapped on the ever
boisterous streets of Lagos and the quick switch to the quiet life of Adebanjo,
the rich stock broker. Also worthy of note is the sharp contrast between the
African shrine and the church scene shown immediately afterwards. This alludes
to the general way of life in Lagos.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">
â Titilayo Olurin</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"> <b>Remarkable
January 25</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Remarkable January 25â, one of the
films screened at the iREP Festival, is a raw 40-minute film that documents the
Egyptian revolution. As its title suggests, the film captures the January 25,
2011 revolution that erupted in Egypt. That day marked a momentous point in the
countryâs history as people came out in their thousands to protest President
Hosni Mubarakâs 30 year autocratic government. Pertinent to the peopleâs clamor
for a change in government is the fact that Mubarakâs government is seen as
something so detestable that it is compared to that of a notorious Romanian
dictator. âThe rule of Mubarak is like the rule of Ceausceascu in Romania,â
someone says. The gripping documentary vividly paints a picture of relentless
and passionate protesters, who want a change.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">As they throng to the Tahrir
Square where they call for the resignation of the president, shouts of
âfreedomâ from âoppressionâ and âcorruptionâ can be heard. âWe want freedom,
fraternity and equality,â the passion in this protesterâs voice is not hard to
decipher. One thing is clear from the passion of the protesters; they are
unyielding and are prepared to die for their cause. We hear a woman proudly
say, âI am a mother of a martyr.â<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">This is one fascinating feature of
the film that we cannot help but notice as it points to the fact that women
also join in the struggle. In fact, on one occasion, we see a woman actually
lead a protest march.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">The protests, which started out as
non violent, soon become volatile as the demonstrators are met with hostility
from the gov-ernment and even armed forces. Still, they press forward until
Mubarak is ousted from power.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">However, with the military
replacing Mubarak, the January revolution seems only half successful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">The essence of the film though is
not to tell us about the success or failure of the revolution but the tenacity
behind it. It can therefore be said that the film has the ability to inspire
other revolutions for change. The film succeeds in depicting some of the events
leading to the revolution through typed messages on the screen. But it could
still have done more by giving detailed ac-counts of the events that stirred up
the revo-lution.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">â Titilayo Olurin</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<i><b>www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 802 201 6495, +234 803 403 0646
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</b></i></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-7756679867612494572012-04-14T04:51:00.001+01:002012-04-14T04:54:25.959+01:00Nollywood Videofilms, Cinema And The Frontiers Of Documentary<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #145077; font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: 10pt; text-transform: uppercase;">THE GUARDIAN on SUNDAY, 25 MARCH 2012 00:00 <b>PROF
JEAN-PAUL COLLYEN </b><a href="http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=16&layout=blog&Itemid=475"><span style="color: #145077;">SUNDAY MAGAZINE</span><span style="color: #145077; text-decoration: none;"> </span></a>- <a href="http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=180:arts&layout=blog&Itemid=707"><span style="color: #145077;">ARTS</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><img alt="prof-jean-paul-colleyn" border="0" height="200" src="file:///C:\Users\jahman\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_8" width="133" /></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">(Being
Keynote delivered by PROF JEAN-PAUL COLLYEN, director of the Centre For African
Studies, Paris, at the formal opening of the iREP International Documentary
Film Festival)</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">TALKING of Nollywood, I shall only
deal here of English speaking (Igbo) Videofilms. I shall not speak about
Yoruba or Hausa videofilms, which, of course are also very important. I
got interested in these works through an experience I had in Accra. I was
staying in Manthia Diawaraâs house with another filmmaker coming from Senegal,
Ben Dioganbey. Manthia, who is a famous Malian writer and moviemaker, was, at
the time, teaching in the New York University center in Accra. I gave, myself,
some classes, there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">As, in Accra, at the time,
the temperature was very high, we could not really go to bed early and we were
watching Africa cable, A South African TV channel that was broadcasting
Nigerian films endlessly. Some of those films were of poor quality, but others
were really interesting and we ended by knowing the names of the directors and
of the actors. We started to develop a real taste for the genre. I shall
advocate the idea today that Nollywood films tell a lot about social life in
Lagos, about Nigeria, about Africa and about humanity in general. But first, I
would like to make a point on the terms âfictionâ and âdocumentaryâ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">What is fiction? The word has two
meanings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">In the first sense, a fiction can
be defined as the result of a fabrication. A fiction is a story that has been
forged. In this sense, any film is a fiction and documentaries are fiction as
well. Why? Because a documentary is necessarily made by an author. âCamera do
not take pictureâ, as somebody said. Even if the author â the director â makes
a special effort to be neutral, there is nothing like real objectivity in the
course of the exercise. The documentary film will always reflect not the
reality itself, but the real as it is seen by the filmmaker. Documentary
shooting and editing is a creative process that require hundreds of
choices. So a documentary is unavoidably also a fiction in this first
sense of the word.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">But the word âfictionâ has a
second meaning that is more frequent. A fiction is a story that is the âpureâ
product of imagination. The facts never happened historically. But the problem
is that there is no âpureâ imagination. An author or a fiction film director
finds his imagination in the real world. He is always borrowing the facts from
the social life, from the outside world. In that sense, fiction films are also
documentaries. Nowadays, as very few people are as naĂŻve as to know exactly
what is the ârealâ and as many people know that part of the real is not
visible, more and more artists are playing with the two meanings of fiction and
exploit the blurring of the boundaries. The strength of Nollywood
videofilms rests on the fact that they are very close to what people think,
live or dream of, so that they convey a lot of information and have a documentary
dimension.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">The nineties was the time of
Nigerian videographers in a context characterized by the failure of State
policy and of development programs orchestrated by international institutions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Private producers emerge, most of
the time not coming from film schools. They wanted to sell a product that they
could sell and ended by producing cheap VCD that many people could by and see
at home. In their desire to offer to the people want they want, they have
overtaken the paternalist cinema of the colonial and postcolonial time.
Nigerian videos are entirely produced and distributed outside international,
the pan-African the state institutions that are shaping most of the African
celluloid cinema. Rapidly, the popular VCD found a public and created a still
larger audience; an audience that had grown up saturated by American and
European culture industry through TV spectatorship. The Western series,
already paid and refunded several times on the Western market, used to make a
second life through a sort of dumping in the Third World. So, the success of
videofilms was not guaranteed: they had serious competitors but they won.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">The Nigerian Videofilms are an
example of popular culture, in contrast to mass culture produced by large scale
industries, mainly in the West. They are not keyed to political or cultural
preoccupations of European or American commissioners. They offer an image of
Africa from within. Nevertheless, they are not local; they also reflect the
effects of globalization, showing many people travelling in the world. They
also illustrate eloquently what Karl Marx called the commodification fetishism,
exhibiting object of desire such as prestigious cars, luxurious mansion, draped
curtains, large screen TV sets, Western outfits, and a lot of prestigious
international labels.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">The consumerist desire of African
audience â a majority of poor people â is literally devoured by the
products and symbols offered by a borderless capitalism. As you know ultra
modernity today in economy is to produce goods in China with very low wages
guaranteed by a repressive communist party, to sell first on the rich markets
in developed countries, the surplus going to the countries of the so-called
Third World; a very lucrative triangular trade system. But Nollywood videos broke
the rules: instead of seeing buying Chinese karate films, Indian melodramas or
Dallas or Dynasty TV series, they started selling very well in the local
markets of Nigerian and Ghanaian cities as in the diaspora.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">The reason of this success rests
on the fact that this video small scale industry draws inspiration from the
social life and feeds the urban imaginaire.The videofilms dive in on the
desires and anxieties of ordinary people, so that producers, directors
and actors can certainly be seen as mediators of popular views.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">This industry is now part of the
public sphere which emerged in the 1990 years, after the liberalization and the
commercialization of the medias, in a context of State institutions failure.
Nollywood videos are often accused to alienate a passive mass audience in the
frame of what has been called escapism. I shall try to show here that is not so
simple and that those videos make people think and brings information about the
real world. On this new artistic stage, new figures emerged. First the
prosperous business men, successful in liberal economy and global trade, often
act at the edge of illegality. But this new figure is as criticized as it is
praised. Vidofilms are not only a sort of glass case for icons of pride like
fenced mansion in residential areas, elegant African and Western outfits, and
Mercedes Benz or Four-Wheel-Drive cars. Power and success are often presented
as being achieved by violence, meanness and engagement with occult powers. Many
films depict how people get power and money through a pact with occult powers
and ritual murders. They are sometimes looked down by the elite as âjuju
filmsâ, but they indeed tell something about popular psychology. Most of the
films convey a complex or even ambiguous message. Of course, they show a way of
life made of success and luxury, but most of the time the good Christian
businessman ends being corrupted by his own power and his own money. There is
always a hard struggle between ethical qualities and the temptations of a
corrupted world. Films about occult forces problematize the immoral acquisition
of money and power. The spectra of ultimate selfishness which belongs to a
particular occult economy in which human life is perversely used for making
money equates symbolically a political critique of the hegemonic power of
finance in a time where liberal economy has kicked out of the horizon, the
single idea of humanity and solidarity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Another genre is the family drama.
Family dramas focus on the seductions following high social status. Here again
power and money seem to be hailed, but most of the time the scenario is based
on a rise and fall pattern. An important point is raised: how to attain this
high status by correct means and not to lose it through lack of self-control.
Here another figure comes in: the Pentecostal pastor. He also is driving a
Mercedes, but he gives an example of the Prosperity Gospel preached by the
increasingly popular Pentecostal-charismatic churches. God will bless with
prosperity for those who believe in him and keep on praying. Pentecostalism
demonizes ethnic traditions and preaches for a complete break with the past. It
is at least what they pretend because by affirming that God is stronger than
Satan, they perpetuate the beliefs in Satan. To exist, they need the beliefs in
the Power of Darkness. Many videofilm producers have adopted Pentecostal forms
of representation, which are indeed very popular. Taking up the views and
concerns of Pentecostal-charismatic churches, the videofilm industry
contributes to the emergence of a new public culture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Another topic exploited by the
videofilms is the gender question, as the majority of the audience is composed
by women. Here again, many critiques have presented the videofilms as being
male chauvinist. Some are, but the generalization is unfair. Some women a
portrayed as very powerful and not so much submitted to the arbitrary and
brutal power of their husbands. Female strong characters are praised, but
excesses are also denounced, like, for instance, loose girls searching for
quick money. Those girls or women make use of witchcraft or âlove magicâ
obtained through an alliance with âtraditional priest from the bushâ. The
gender relations are also marked by problems of filiation, pregnancy and
abortion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">A recurrent theme is the problem
of reproduction â a problem the mother-in-law boldly attributes to the wife
without any medical evidence. Many times, the husband ends up sleeping with the
wrong woman (a witch). The wife, by contrast, attends a Pentecostal church and
gets spiritual support from her pastor and prayer group. Sometimes, the
redemption takes the form of a baby.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">The figure of the mother who
controls her married son and renders the young wife impossible is more than
often satirized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Let us take another example where
the way a problem is presented help people to think about it: the emergence of
squads which have been called the Bakassi boys, self defense squads against
armed robbers. Those boys are not simply represented â at least in some
videos - as super heroes. Of course the films sympathize with the despair of
many citizens to be attacked by armed robbers and to be deprived of any police
protection. But several films show also how volunteers of those squads take
advantage of their new position and become corrupt and abusive themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Another critique against Nollywood
films addresses the cinematic language. Of course many videos are of pour
quality, but this quality is improving as people are using a try and fail
process. Directors, editors and actors learn their job on the spot although
they try to keep the production cost low in order to sell at an acceptable
price for a mass audience. Of course the cinematic language is not the one that
is taught in sophisticated film schools: the narration (the story) is blended
with a fragmentation of images propounded by clips, advertising and TV. One
day, I asked to a producer why in his film the sound quality was so bad that I
thought people would not understand part of the speeches. He abruptly answered
that as far as he knew people understood enough. I do not know who was right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">I HOPE that through the few
examples that I have presented, you understand the relations between Nollywood
videos and documentary. Being in the center of many discussions in town, these
videofilms could be regarded as ways to talk about things, and to generate more
talk. They offer a particular discourse to address matters of concern in
everyday life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">You could argue that they are not
realist, not even plausible. Let us consider the visualization of the supposed
invisible powers, Mami Wata or evil spirits. Nigerian films transgress the
codes of realism, making concrete suggestion about the nexus of occultism and
crime. Some anthropologists have studied this symbolic pattern at the level of
the state power. I think about Comaroff in South Africa, Joseph Tonda in Congo,
Peter Geshiere and Jean-Pierre Warnier in Cameroon. The fact is that evil
powers are in the very center of modernity, not in the margins as traces of a
timeless African heritage. The popular beliefs as they are represented in
videofilms get close to the left critique of the perverse effect of
globalization.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Globalization not so much entails
sharing in humanism: it is woven into world system of oppression and social
destruction. It would be exaggerated to credit videofilms of a political
agenda, but they certainly play an important role in the ongoing public debates
about the (im) morality and legitimacy of power, good governance and
citizenship. Important because they use an expression very different from
the obsolete Marxist ideology or from the disenchanted language of social
sciences.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">That brings me to my
second argument that will also be my conclusion. I think that in this country
there is a huge potential for a new style of documentary. I think that using
the tools of Nollywood, very interesting documentaries (there probably exist
some that I do not know) could be made by young filmmaker committed to the idea
of democracy and interested in social issue. This potential as a dramatic
dimension as many people in Lagos live in their live the most dramatic
scenario. If cheap video documentaries were good enough to touch a large
audience, a brilliant future would be open for a new generation of documentarists.
Even if you want ultimately to make fiction film, you can be acknowledged
through an interesting documentary. Many famous filmmaker were known because
they sent their first film to a festival or a public screening somewhere and
were noticed by other professional. It needs some efforts, but a documentary is
not so expensive to produce as fiction part and if it does not make money, the
loss is not so big. In order to achieve this project, young directors need to
use the same intelligence as Nollywood directors: to use their friends, their
relatives, their social connections and think first of all to be as closed as
possible to the people they want to reach. Another opportunity is to mix the
two different genres: building scenario from the real lives, then shoot the
film as a Nollywood film.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
<br />
<br />
www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 802 201 6495, +234 803 403 0646
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-87844317933089860122012-04-14T04:46:00.002+01:002012-04-14T04:46:36.881+01:00Africa Needs To Deeply Engage Documentary Format In Telling Its Story<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #145077; font-size: x-small;">THE GUARDIAN on </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999; font-size: 13px; text-transform: uppercase;">SUNDAY, 25 MARCH 2012 00:00 <b>FEMI ODUGBEMI </b><a href="http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=16&layout=blog&Itemid=475"><span style="color: #145077;">SUNDAY MAGAZINE</span></a>- <span style="color: #145077;"><a href="http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=180:arts&layout=blog&Itemid=707">ARTS</a></span></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(Being
the welcome address by FEMI ODUGBEMI, Executive Director of the
iREPRESENT Documentary Film Festival, 2012 at the opening of the festival at
the on Thursday March 22, 2012 Terra Kulture, VI, Lagos)</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">WELCOME to the second
edition of the IREPRESENT INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL, aka </span><i>iREP
DOCU-FEST.</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> We are dedicated to promoting awareness about the power of
documentary films to deepen our shared experiences, especially in the areas of
social and cultural education and as well as give voice to the African
experience globally.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;">Itâs been an interesting
experience since our maiden edition. Since last year, we have tried to sustain
the energy with our monthly film screening programme in partnership with
Freedom Park and Goethe Institut and the Nigerian Film Corporation. We have
also since then held a very successful training programme on Scriptwriting for
Non-Fiction and Fictional films in partnership with the Public Affairs section
of the US Embassy. We believe we are beginning to build a critical mass of
viewers and filmmakers who are finding that the power to understand and define
their personal journeys as Africans, as Nigerians can find expression in this
artform.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">This year, the festival is based
on the framework: </span><i>Africa In Self-Conversation</i> </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;">and it would explore the theme:
</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><i>Democracy and Culture â The Documentary Film Intervention.</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;">It is a theme inspired by our
experience in Nigeria in January this year when the issue of the removal of oil
subsidy snowballed into an important âself-conversationâ about integrity in
government and about the value of our participatory democracy. The vehicle for
that self-conversation was driven by the mass exchange of information and
perspectives via documentary videos on Youtube and the social media platforms
on the Internet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;">The conversations were intense and
defining, especially in its interrogations of the value of democracy to
development. The political culture of Africa and the world is rapidly changing
and African filmmakers have a unique opportunity to define its impact through
the power of their images. Today documentary filmmaking is more important than
ever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;">The scope of the Festival would
cover such areas as Democracy and Demonstrations, New media technology and
participatory democracy, and the potentials of the Nigerian film industry
âNollywoodâ to understand the value and meaning of their images in the context
of the fictional stories told. Culture is no longer a sub-theme in the politics
of the global information order. It is the basis of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">We have this sub-theme asking the
provocative question: </span><i>âIs Nollywood Documentary?â</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> It is for a specific reason.
It is meant to interrogate an important proposition which averses that an
African filmmaker has unusual responsibility in his imagery, beyond mere entertainment;
he has the responsibility of the âcultural representationâ in his work â
irrespective of whether that film is fiction or non-fiction, because the
representation of the African experience has always suffered from the fact that
it has been subjected to interpretations by people outside of the experience.
It has become imperative for African filmmakers to understand that the images
in their narrative have much more power than that of entertainment. Nollywood
is powerful today â it has become much more than a film industry for
entertainment, it has become more or less the representation of the African
experience in many parts of the world and it is becoming the image template for
defining what Africa looks like, how we speak, dress and the values that we
uphold. So we feel Filmmakers in Nigeria especially in Nollywood need that
conversation and that understanding that we allow them to begin to take that
responsibility seriously.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal;">For us, it is not about iREP
trying to recruit <i>Nollywood </i>filmmakers to do Documentaries, though we feel with
better understanding more of that will happen, it is about creating a timely
conversation on how powerful images are in a world that is globalised. If we
say we want to change the narrative of Africa, if we say we want Africa to be
empowered economically and politically, it is critical for us to begin to
manage the images of Africa that subsist in the global information order, from
that of poverty and pain and disease and war to one that begins to speak and
showcase inspirational breakthroughs, inspirational people and achievements.
Africa has a lot to teach the world. The values of Africa are important
to the world, in spirituality, in community, values of integrity and honesty
that are embedded in our culture. The only way we can do that, our biggest
weapon FOR this contribution is film.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;">We are very happy to welcome to
this conversation very exciting thinkers and filmmakers who we know will make
this festival memorable. Thank you for coming Professor Jean Paul Colleyn, Director
of Institute of African Studies, Paris. He is an Anthropologist, Filmmaker and
Scholar and a wonderful gentleman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;">I want to say a special Welcome to
our friends from AG DOK â Association of Independent Producers in Germany, and
APIC â Association of Independent Filmmakers, Cameroun. Our partnership
with the Goethe Institut is forging a collaborative conversation. Later today
in a Producersâ Roundtable that we hope will enlarge and enrich the
possibilities of filmmaker-to-filmmaker cooperations. A special welcome home to
our âsonâ of the soil Branwen Okpako. And to Katarina Hedren of Democratic
Network Africa; thank you for staying back from MOKOLO to contribute to IREP.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;">And welcome our brothers from the
Northern arm of our film industry â Mikail, Nasiru and Musa. Specially,
we thank the Director of the Goethe Institut, Kano, Frank Roger for
facilitating the participation of our brothers from Kannywood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;">We specially welcome the
recipients of this yearâs iREP Hall of FAME AWARD â Cyril, Sandra, Yussuf and
Francis. You richly deserve more than the modest applause we are giving you
today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;">I want to say a special thank you
and well done to Marc-Andre and to Barbel for making it possible to screen some
the very exciting films we have lined up. Thank you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;">We hope hat this relationship will
be mutually beneficial to us all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;">We hope all our visitors
will enjoy the interaction with our local industry and their âencounterâ with
our beautiful city of Lagos. And we hope at the end of the 4-day event we all
would have moved even further to a fuller understanding of Documentaries as an
important artform to defining our selfs, our culture, our aspiration as a
community and our place in the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
<b><i>www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 802 201 6495, +234 803 403 0646
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</i></b></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-15430715095188564292012-04-01T17:24:00.000+01:002012-04-01T17:24:42.782+01:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
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<a class="contentpagetitle" href="http://www.blogger.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=81783:unveiling-irep-2012&catid=180:arts&Itemid=707" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #145077; font-size: 27px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Unveiling IREP 2012</a></h2>
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<span class="createdate" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">SUNDAY, 01 APRIL 2012 00:00<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span class="createby" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; 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background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #145077; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;">SUNDAY MAGAZINE<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></a>-<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span class="article-section" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; 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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px;">The 2012 edition of the annual iREPRESENT International Documentary Film Festival ended its four-day run in Lagos last Sunday. It had 18 international visitors and over 300 local participants every day of its proceedings. One of the remarkable fruits from the festival was the birth of The iREP Report (TiR), an initiative of the journalist, DERIN?AJAO and a few of her colleagues including Amarachukwu Iwuala and Titi Olurin with the support of the Goethe Institut. From the second day of the festival, Friday, March 23, the TiR issued a daily review of films shown the previous night. And this contributed to the high intellectual content as well as quality of discourse at the festival. Some of the reviews published by two editions of the Report are hereby excerpted.</strong></div>
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THE keynote address at this yearâs IREP international film festival was delivered by Prof. Jean-Paul Colleyn. In his paper, captioned, âAfrican Cinemas and the Frontiers of Documentary,â the anthropologist, filmmaker remarked that there is a fictional dimension to documentary films because for every documentary there are thousands of choices open to the filmmaker. Conversely, he noted that there is a documentary content in fictional films because there is a limit to a filmmakerâs imagination since such stems from socio-cultural experiences.</div>
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Colleyn stated that documentary is a personal treatment of reality and that Nollywood films are not as naĂŻve as many people think they are. This is obvious in Nollywoodâs reference to the negative influences of wealth and power on societyâs otherwise humane individuals. He rounded off by asserting that fictional films are not opposed to truth.</div>
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Acclaimed filmmaker Tunde Kelani, who was one of the panelists that discussed Prof. Colleynâs paper, believes that Nollywood has the capacity to engage documentary in the development of the industry. Sandra Obiago, another panellist, called for more resources and interest in the production of documentaries, observing that the format provide basis for the younger generation to embark on research on subjects of interest. Director, Producer Teco Benson agreed with Prof. Colleyn that many fictional films are embellished documentaries.</div>
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Earlier in his welcome address, the Executive Director of iREP, Femi Odugbemi, emphasised the capability of the documentary film to deepen socio-political experiences. Following the address, four individuals were inducted into the iREP Hall of Fame in recognition of their contributions to the development of documentaries in Nigeria. They include Sandra Mbanefo-Obiago, founding Executive Director of Communicating for Change, whose organisation has produced great documentaries and Cyril Okonkwo, who retired from the Nigerian Television Authority a few years ago after producing critically-acclaimed documentaries. Also honoured were Amb.r Mamman Yusuf, who produced news documentaries that define some of our political landmarks and Francis Olatunji Oladele of Calpeny Films, who is a legendary filmmaker and director of âKongiâs Harvestâ and âThings Fall Apart.â</div>
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<em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">â Amarachukwu Iwuala</strong></em></div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">A Different African Election</strong></div>
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Directed and Produced by Jareth and Kevin Merz, An African Election trails the events leading up to the Ghanaian Presidential Election of 2008. John Atta Mills and Nana Akufa-Addo represent the leftist National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the conservative New Patriotic Party (NPP), both men are the top contenders in the race leaving in their trail a number of cameo candidates whose following only matters when the elections land in an inconclusive knot.</div>
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The documentary, which opened the list of films screening at iREP 2012, profiles the two leading contestants and all the tactics applied in ensuring the 50 per cent plus one vote necessary to claim victory at the polls.</div>
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The title of the documentary hardly needs explaining. Elections in many African countries are plagued by rigging and outright ballot box theft. The Ghanaians however were aiming for an exemplary election that would change the face of what is perceived to be âan African election.â</div>
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Like some other documentaries screening at the festival, Merz as well employs no voice-over but incorporates short typed messages and commentary from journalists, activists and artists in the documentaryâs unfolding.</div>
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A brief history of Ghana pre- and post- independence also give a defining background to the documentary, a point echoed by one of the commentators that governance in Ghana is built largely on the countryâs history.</div>
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As the Ghanaians prepare for the polls, the sense of anger was high plus a general outcry for change, making the election of John Kuffourâs replacement a heated assignment.</div>
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The Electoral Chair Kwadwo Afari-Gyan is the documentaryâs unlikely hero. Former President Jerry Rawlings could have stolen the show, but Afari-Gyanâs role in stemming the erupting political tension saves the day after a gruelling first round of elections that lands in a run-off. When some strange numbers appear after the run-off, it is the electoral chair, who again resolves the impasse.</div>
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An interesting angle to the documentary is the focus on two friends, Kwabena Agyepong and Rojo Mettle. Both support different parties and when the numbers appear to have been tampered with, the vociferous Rojo loudly proclaims that, âKwabena Agyepong walks into the room and funny things start happening.â</div>
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In the ensuing altercations protesting the obvious rigging, someone pointedly states that âThis is not Nigeria?!â</div>
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Indeed it isnât and as the Ghanaians finally chose a new president in January of 2008, they had set an example of what influence the voter holds in protecting his vote. To borrow the words of Jerry Rawlings on Atta Millsâ campaign trail, âProtect your ballot boxes the way you would protect and defend your mother!â</div>
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If there is no other lesson to be learnt from An African Election, this surely is one.</div>
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<em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">â Aderinsola Ajao</em></div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Meeting Freedom Park</strong></div>
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Watching a documentary about Freedom Park in Freedom Park never really seemed a possibility. But with the former colonial prison yard coming full circle to being an event hotspot, this idea no longer seemed out of the ordinary and it came to pass on the opening day of iREP 2012.</div>
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At the screening of Femi Odugbemiâs âAnd the Chain Was Not⊠â it was time to appreciate the splendour and the history of what is now Freedom Park. The documentary about the building was not just voice-over and talking heads. An enthralling spoken word performance by Crown Troupeâs Segun Adefila gave life to the struggle of the many former prisoners in what was known as Her Majestyâs Prison.</div>
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Swaying and gyrating to the indigenous sounds of the shekere, the omele, the bata and the gangan, as dictated by words from poems by Adefila himself and Oyindamola Olofinlua, the overall production is a wonder to see. Especially considering it is beyond the story of a transformation from captivity to liberation, but another of the struggle itself and how the bonds are broken for true freedom to be achieved.</div>
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According to the film, the prison was initially constructed in 1872 to hold 20 inmates. Made with the best quality building materials imported from Britain, the budget for the prison apparently cost more than the colonial governmentâs budget for education. While the prison stood, it counted on its inmate list, the likes of Obafemi Awolowo, Herbert Macaulay, labour leader Michael Imoudu and Esther Johnson, who was accused of murdering her lover. The prison even gets worthy mention in Awolowoâs memoirs.</div>
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Freedom Park was until some decades ago, one of the least popular historical sites in Lagos. The idea for renovating the former prison ground for recreational purposes was conceived by Theo Lawson, an architect. Now in its newfound glory, the former prison is home to all, but a home most especially for cultural purposes.</div>
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In Lawsonâs words, the former prison kitchen is now the food court; its execution stand is now a stage for unfettered expression and the former cells themselves are represented across the Park in the flower beds and the pagoda cells. Most interesting however, is the Prison Museum which holds artefacts excavated from the former prison.</div>
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And the Chain Was Not is a story of survival and a historical record, however subtle of an aspect of colonialism in Nigeria, particularly the prison system and its subjugation of the rights of local âtroublemakers.â That the chains are broken at the end of the documentary and that Freedom Park itself stands today, is testament to what strong will can achieve despite dominating oppression. This is what the director achieves in sharing this story now and for posterityâs sake.</div>
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<em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">â Aderinsola Ajao</strong></em></div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Everybody Gets An Education</strong></div>
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Branwen Okpakoâs biographic portrait of a friend and fellow filmmaker is the story of another Obama doing great things. The film was the star screening on Day 1 of the 2012 IREP International Documentary Film Festival.</div>
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The Education of Auma Obama, is the story of a half-sister to the current President of the United States of America. The story is by itself an intriguing one and Auma is revealed as an intelligent student, mother, youth mentor and social activist. Even before it became fashionable to speak out against foreign aid, the documentary shows her as a strong voice opposing the West over-aiding Africa.</div>
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Aumaâs story is by extension the story of President Barack Obama. The father they both share comes across as a strong influence on his children, and is himself immortalised in the strides of these two children borne to him by different women.</div>
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The film is shot in the run-up to the 2008 US Presidential Elections when much attention is on the trailblazing American Barack Obama and his heritage. One unmissable influence in President Obamaâs life becomes obvious: his father. It is the same with Auma. Though she reveals that her parents are not necessarily the best any child can hope for, there is no missing her fatherâs impact on her life. Her father, a Kenyan public servant was himself the son of a cook, who worked with a family of British settlers. But the older Obama made sure his son received an education that would set him above his peers. Barack soon got a scholarship to study in Harvard; a reward of the cookâs hopes for his son.</div>
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In Aumaâs family though, the scholarship might not have been a good thing in itself. Barack does not return home alone after completing his study. He comes back with Ruth, an American woman whom he gives the task of looking after his children. Kezia, Aumaâs mother is promptly given her marching orders. This is a turning point for the once-outgoing Auma as she dives into her shell and stays there till she herself leaves Kenya to study in Germany.</div>
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In portraying the making of Auma Obama, Okpako â herself a female filmmaker â employs many female narrators; perhaps also in a nod to women as oral conveyors of family history. Aumaâs female relatives and friends all play prominent roles in analysing and retelling their experiences with Auma.</div>
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It is impossible to separate the people in Aumaâs life from the making of Auma herself. Okpako draws on excerpts from interviews with former teachers and colleagues as well and as we follow the characters through the 90 minutes, the audience itself receives an education based on Aumaâs education.</div>
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Okpakoâs approach to the story is hardly conventional. She gives the meanings of the names of the different dramatis personae. She employs no voice-over in the narration, leaving the audience to unravel the story and navigate it by itself.</div>
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The interesting angle with the names hits home hardest when we find out that Aumaâs birth name is actually Rita, which means Pearl. Her motherâs name Kesia means âsweet-smelling scentâ, highly ironic considering her husband finds her repulsive when he returns with his new wife Ruth, whose name is translated as âfriendâ. The name Barack itself means âBlessingâ and Hussein is translated as âHandsome Man.â</div>
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The Education of Auma Obama is a well-researched effort that should not be watched in a hurry. What Okpako achieves with it is not another Obama Campaign flick but a story of true grit overcoming the biggest challenges and how our ancestry plays a role in who we are and who we might become.</div>
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<em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">â Aderinsola Ajao</strong></em></div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">After Occupy Nigeria, What Next?</strong></div>
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Cultural activist, Ben Tomoloju chaired the panel that discussed Democracy, Development and Demonstrations on Day 2 of the IREP Festival. The panellists were filmmakers Charles Novia, Mahmood Ali-Balogun, Musa Abdulahi Sufi, Branwen Okpako and Amb. Mamman Yusuf.</div>
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Amb. Yusuf corrected the impression that the pro-fuel subsidy protests roundly tagged âOccupy Nigeriaâ were the first major protests in the country as was being bandied about during the weeks of te mass actions in January. He reminded the audience of the June 12 crisis, which he noted was one conflict that threatened the continued existence of Nigeria in a magnitude that is only surpassed by the 1967-70 Civil War. He said it was regretful that because the civil society organisations involved in Occupy Nigeria were an incoherent group, the Federal Government used Labour to hijack the protests.</div>
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Abdullahi Sufi was glad that Nigerians set aside their religious and ethnic differences to come together and oppose an unacceptable policy by the government. He recalled how Christians gathered to protect Muslims and vice versa (as they prayed) â from attack during the protests Sufi called for public education to achieve greater success in case such a situation arises in future.</div>
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Novia explained that social media were a source of worry to the ruling class during the protests, saying that government will be careful in its future dealings with the populace. He rounded off by describing the current national situation as the calm before the storm.</div>
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Ali-Balogun was of the opinion that the fact that the protests were not broadcast on international media was a major setback to the struggle. He blamed those who control international media, who also have vested interests in Nigeria, as being responsible for this seeming blackout. He also expressed dismay over the tribalism, nepotism and other primordial sentiments that hampered the protests.</div>
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He reiterated Amb. Yusufâs opinion, while recalling the late Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Moremi and the Aba Womenâs riots as ground-shaking symbols of activism that should never be forgotten.</div>
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Okpako was displeased that in Germany, for instance, people were more aware of the Boko Haram terrorists than the protests that were ongoing at the time. She advised the audience and by extension, Nigerians to identify what they want to make topical at any point in time.</div>
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The session ended with Tomoloju calling for the documentation of information for posterityâs sake, hence the necessity of documentaries.</div>
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<em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">â Amarachukwu Iwuala</strong></em></div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Building The Nation</strong></div>
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In line with the festivalâs theme of Africa in Self Conversation: Democracy and Culture, the 2nd IREP festival screened Headlines in History, a documentary about the first 50 years of the Nation Media Group, publishers of East Africaâs most widely-read publication, The Daily Nation. The film recalls how the publishing outfit sustained its ethical journalism and managed to expand its operations across the sub-region despite frustration from government forces and occasional public discontent.</div>
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Borne out of a need to provide Kenyaâs indigenous population with their own voice in the face of overwhelming colonial censorship, the story of The Nation is itself the story of African independence.</div>
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The paper made its debut in 1959 thanks to a chance encounter between a preacher and an activist. A community paper Taifa Leo was acquired and became the Daily Nation. As the years went by, the Daily Nation proved that it was here to stay.</div>
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The documentary shows how the newspaper placed itself at the top of news coverage by constantly breaking news ahead of everyone else and having exclusive images of events that heavily influenced Kenyan life and government policy. These included the murders of Tom Mboya and J.M Kariuki, the death of Jomo Kenyatta, Daniel Arap Moiâs swearing-in as president and the Saba Saba protests that ended the one-party system.</div>
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In the course of doing their work, staff of the paper suffered multiple arrests and numerous attempts by Moiâs government especially, to silence or weaken this voice of the East African majority. Undeterred, the Nation Media Group spread its wings into Uganda and Tanzania acquiring the Daily Monitor and Mwananchi respectively. They also established a broadcast and media division, diversifying into TV and radio. In 1994, the group also began publishing The East African.</div>
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The Nationâs biggest task came however in 2007 during Kenyaâs post-election crisis involving President Mwai Kibakiâs supporters and the opposition. Buoyed by its responsibility to its readers, and conscious of the mediaâs role in society, the Nation joined its voice to brokering peace.</div>
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Ending on this note, Headlines in History, is not just the 50-year anniversary of an important publication but a celebration of the important role the press can play in sustaining effective governance.</div>
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Echoing this theme was a panel titled âMedia and Nation Building.â The panel comprised president of the Nigerian Guild of Editors Gbenga Adefaye; former Managing Editor at NEXT, Kadaria Ahmed; writer Tolu Ogunlesi; performer, culture activist and ex-Deputy Editor of The Guardian, Ben Tomoloju and Denrele Niyi, Arts Editor of the National Mirror. Lanre Idowu, publisher of Media Review was the moderator.</div>
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Tomoloju described the process of nation building as a partnership between the media and the nationalists. This partnership however broke down when the press wanted to properly carry out its duty. He stressed the importance for the media to understand its role and to do it well, that if a nation is in crisis, the press itself risks becoming an enemy of the people.</div>
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For Ogunlesi, the pressâ role is a double-edged sword that apart from nation building, also involves some âpulling down.â This call for high ethical standards was a motif in the discussion. Another constant point was the call for innovative approaches to journalism. Emphasised by Ahmed, she said training, improved wages and embracing new media would aid quality journalism.</div>
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Ogunlesi raised the issue of how much of his/her proclivities a journalist can bring to their profession at a time of crisis. Other issues that came up at the panel included whether or not the motivation for newspaper ownership is ego-driven or not. Government policy and regulatory laws were also discussed.</div>
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According to Adefaye, in recent times, owning a newspaper was motivated by a desire to claim the public space. Ahmed said the influence of the proprietors is itself sometimes unhelpful in the practice of healthy journalism.</div>
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Idowu then asked if the advent of social media plays a possible role in this mission and whether the press was to be feared or respected. For Tomoloju, respect is desirable especially regarding being a voice to the voiceless. Adefayeâs response was that, âWe should work towards being respected by our readers and feared by the bad boys in our system.â</div>
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As part of the self-examination process, the panelists said it is important for the press itself to work within the boundaries of the law, ensure they had their facts right before going to press and develop an overall professional attitude to their work.</div>
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It was also an opportunity to sound out their colleagues in the broadcast media to wake up to their responsibility to the audience and try to catch up with the print arm.</div>
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Tomoloju rounded off the discussion with the words, âPractice should be in the best of national interest.â</div>
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<em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">â Aderinsola Ajao</strong></em></div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Africaâs Tech Map</strong></div>
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The ICT revolution looming across Africa is the highlight of Michael Grotenhoffâs Linking Africa. From Uganda to Rwanda and then to Kenya, we see how these countries are evolving from largely commodities-based economies to information technology powerhouses.</div>
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Mobile Money, a telephone payment option is the sweeping innovation in Uganda, embraced by many but still shunned by some; the software is gradually paying its way into most small and big businesses in the country. Next was Rwanda. Stuck between Uganda and Congo, the agrarian state is on a mission to transform into the regionâs biggest ICT pioneer.</div>
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A technical partner is South Korea, a country with a similar experience as Rwanda. According to the documentary, Rwanda seeks to establish itself as a link between Uganda, the financial sector and Congo, the home of raw materials.</div>
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As the benefits of technological development take root, the running of a fibre optic cable from Kigali through Africa and into Europe sounds like a huge step for the African country.</div>
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The film lands finally in Kenya and we meet the inventors of Ushahidi, the now global software that is a consequence of the countryâs post election crisis. The software is now widely used as a reporting tool for news and up-to-date sharing of information across global communities. Also in Kenya, we discover the Makerere Universityâs Computer Science Faculty is churning out thousands of young ICT experts that are ready-made to dominate the sector.</div>
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Linking Africa does not show just the major technological strides in these three countries. It follows a Swiss retiree, who restores old computers for the training of youth in Ugandan suburbs. In the absence of constant electricity, he installs a solar-power system for these computers to function.</div>
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TRACnet is a medical software developed by a virologist in an AIDS Hospital in Rwanda. This helps him share his patientsâ records with hospitals in neighbouring towns and countries. He is also involved in developing techniques that have helped reduce mother to child transmission of the virus.</div>
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There is little doubt that all these are not baby steps. Linking Africa shows that the coming years will see Africa as an important global ICT player. To back this point, the documentary featured a female software developer and lecturer at Kenyaâs Makerere University, who got a job in an international ICT firm even before the documentary finished shooting.</div>
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With the iHub in Kenya poised to be another bright spot on Africaâs tech map, the link between the continent and the world gets stronger with each passing day. Youâll definitely believe this after watching Linking Africa.</div>
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<em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">â Aderinsola Ajao</em></div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">...The iREP Workshops</strong></div>
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On the second and third days of the film festival, trainings were organised for up-and-coming documentary filmmakers. The facilitators included: Barbel Mauch, a producer from Germany; Alhaji Gboyega Arulogun, documentary filmmaker and TV manager; Cyril Okonkwo, also a docu-mentary filmmaker; Amb. Mamman Yusuf, filmmaker and diplomat; Thomas Plennart and Femi Odugbemi, who are equally documentary filmmakers. The training programmed were: scriptwri-ting, radio documentary, camera work and production.</div>
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<em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">â Amarachukwu Iwuala</strong></em></div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Rhythms Of Lagos</strong></div>
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I donât want to jive you here tonight. I want to present myself to you as an African...â Felaâs words begin the documentary, âLagos... Notes of a Cityâ. It is indeed fitting as the documentary parodies the everyday experiences of Africans in one of the most populous cities in Africa, Lagos.</div>
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Directed by Jens Wenkel, the documentary captures Lagos in its actual sense with its busy streets, heavy traffic and magnetic energy that obviously attracts people from all tribes. It is no wonder then that it is called, âno manâs landâ.</div>
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The vivid portrayal of popular locations in the city and actual lives of people is a powerful aesthetic feature of the film. Mariam, the hausa mother of two, who lives with HIV and Joshua, the security guard, who is optimistic that he will âmake itâ in Lagos represent throngs of people, who have migrated to this city.</div>
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ââŠin Lagos, there is life,â Mariam says of the city she has come to love, but she warns, âYou have to be smart or a two-year old boy will do away with you. That is why they donât say âwelcomeâ, they say, âThis is Lagosâ.â Her experience in Lagos, she says, has made her bolder than she was in the North where she migrated from. Abimbola Philips agrees that life in Lagos is animated. âThereâs a lot of energy that is locked up and people want to explore that energy.â She however finds the animation to be âobnoxiously loud and annoying.â</div>
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Of interest to the audience is the constant juxtaposition of ideas. Both the charm and the repul-sion of Lagos are well depicted. There is a parallel between the poor and handicapped on the ever boisterous streets of Lagos and the quick switch to the quiet life of Adebanjo, the rich stock broker. Also worthy of note is the sharp contrast between the African shrine and the church scene shown immediately afterwards. This alludes to the general way of life in Lagos. </div>
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<em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> â Titilayo Olurin</strong></em></div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Remarkable January 25</strong></div>
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Remarkable January 25â, one of the films screened at the iREP Festival, is a raw 40-minute film that documents the Egyptian revolution. As its title suggests, the film captures the January 25, 2011 revolution that erupted in Egypt. That day marked a momentous point in the countryâs history as people came out in their thousands to protest President Hosni Mubarakâs 30 year autocratic government. Pertinent to the peopleâs clamor for a change in government is the fact that Mubarakâs government is seen as something so detestable that it is compared to that of a notorious Romanian dictator. âThe rule of Mubarak is like the rule of Ceausceascu in Romania,â someone says. The gripping documentary vividly paints a picture of relentless and passionate protesters, who want a change.</div>
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As they throng to the Tahrir Square where they call for the resignation of the president, shouts of âfreedomâ from âoppressionâ and âcorruptionâ can be heard. âWe want freedom, fraternity and equality,â the passion in this protesterâs voice is not hard to decipher. One thing is clear from the passion of the protesters; they are unyielding and are prepared to die for their cause. We hear a woman proudly say, âI am a mother of a martyr.â</div>
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This is one fascinating feature of the film that we cannot help but notice as it points to the fact that women also join in the struggle. In fact, on one occasion, we see a woman actually lead a protest march.</div>
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The protests, which started out as non violent, soon become volatile as the demonstrators are met with hostility from the gov-ernment and even armed forces. Still, they press forward until Mubarak is ousted from power.</div>
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However, with the military replacing Mubarak, the January revolution seems only half successful.</div>
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The essence of the film though is not to tell us about the success or failure of the revolution but the tenacity behind it. It can therefore be said that the film has the ability to inspire other revolutions for change. The film succeeds in depicting some of the events leading to the revolution through typed messages on the screen. But it could still have done more by giving detailed ac-counts of the events that stirred up the revo-lution.</div>
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<em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">â Titilayo Olurin</strong></em></div>
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<i><b> </b></i><br />
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<i><b>www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 802 201 6495, +234 803 403 0646
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</b></i></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-7197857282777728532012-03-26T17:07:00.004+01:002012-03-26T17:09:19.324+01:00African Cinema And the Frontiers Of Documentary<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><i><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">(Being Keynote delivered by PROF
JEAN-PAUL COLLYEN, director of the Centre For African Studies, Paris, at the
formal opening of the iREP International Documentary Film Festival) </span></i></b><br />
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">Nollywood videofilms, cinema and
the frontiers of documentaryâ<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">Talking of Nollywood, I shall only
deal here of English speaking (Igbo) Videofilms. I shall not speak about
Yoruba or Hausa videofilms, which, of course are also very important. I
got interested in these works through an experience I had in Accra. I was staying
in Manthia Diawaraâs house with another filmmaker coming from Senegal, Ben
Dioganbey. Manthia, who is a famous Malian writer and moviemaker, was, at the
time, teaching in the New York University center in Accra. I gave, myself, some
classes, there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">As, in Accra, at the time,
the temperature was very high, we could not really go to bed early and we were
watching Africa cable, A South African TV channel that was broadcasting
Nigerian films endlessly. Some of those films were of poor quality, but others
were really interesting and we ended by knowing the names of the directors and
of the actors. We started to develop a real taste for the genre. I shall
advocate the idea today that Nollywood films tell a lot about social life in
Lagos, about Nigeria, about Africa and about humanity in general. But first, I
would like to make a point on the terms âfictionâ and âdocumentaryâ. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">What is fiction? The word has two
meanings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">In the first sense, a fiction can
be defined as the result of a fabrication. A fiction is a story that has been
forged. In this sense, any film is a fiction and documentaries are fiction as
well. Why? Because a documentary is necessarily made by an author. âCamera do
not take pictureâ, as somebody said. Even if the author â the director â makes
a special effort to be neutral, there is nothing like real objectivity in the
course of the exercise. The documentary film will always reflect not the
reality itself, but the real <i>as it is seen by the filmmaker. </i>Documentary
shooting and editing is a creative process that require hundreds of
choices. So a documentary is unavoidably also a fiction in this first
sense of the word. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">But the word âfictionâ has a second
meaning that is more frequent. A fiction is a story that is the âpureâ product
of imagination. The facts never happened historically. But the problem is that
there is no âpureâ imagination. An author or a fiction film director finds his
imagination in the real world. He is always borrowing the facts from the social
life, from the outside world. In that sense, fiction films are also
documentaries. Nowadays, as very few people are as naĂŻve as to know exactly
what is the ârealâ and as many people know that part of the real is not
visible, more and more artists are playing with the two meanings of fiction and
exploit the blurring of the boundaries. The strength of Nollywood
videofilms rests on the fact that they are very close to what people think,
live or dream of, so that they convey a lot of information and have a
documentary dimension. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">The nineties was the time of
Nigerian videographers in a context characterized by the failure of State
policy and of development programs orchestrated by international institutions.
Private producers emerge, most of the time not coming from film schools. They
wanted to sell a product that they could sell and ended by producing cheap VCD
that many people could by and see at home. In their desire to offer to the
people want they want, they have overtaken the paternalist cinema of the
colonial and postcolonial time. Nigerian videos are entirely produced and
distributed outside international, the pan-African the state institutions that
are shaping most of the African celluloid cinema. Rapidly, the popular VCD
found a public and created a still larger audience; an audience that had grown
up saturated by American and European culture industry through TV
spectatorship. The Western series, already paid and refunded several
times on the Western market, used to make a second life through a sort of
dumping in the Third World. So, the success of videofilms was not guaranteed:
they had serious competitors but they won. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">The Nigerian Videofilms are an
example of popular culture, in contrast to mass culture produced by large scale
industries, mainly in the West. They are not keyed to political or cultural
preoccupations of European or American commissioners. They offer an image of
Africa from within. Nevertheless, they are not local; they also reflect the
effects of globalization, showing many people travelling in the world. They
also illustrate eloquently what Karl Marx called the commodification fetishism,
exhibiting object of desire such as prestigious cars, luxurious mansion, draped
curtains, large screen TV sets, Western outfits, and a lot of prestigious
international labels. The consumerist desire of African audience â a
majority of poor people - is literally devoured by the products and symbols
offered by a borderless capitalism. As you know ultra modernity today in
economy is to produce goods in China with very low wages guaranteed by a
repressive communist party, to sell first on the rich markets in developed
countries, the surplus going to the countries of the so-called Third World; a
very lucrative triangular trade system. But Nollywood videos broke the rules:
instead of seeing buying Chinese karate films, Indian melodramas or Dallas or
Dynasty TV series, they started selling very well in the local markets of
Nigerian and Ghanaian cities as in the diaspora. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">The reason of this success rests on
the fact that this video small scale industry draws inspiration from the social
life and feeds the urban imaginaire.The videofilms dive in on the desires and
anxieties of ordinary people, so that producers, directors and actors can
certainly be seen as mediators of popular views.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">This industry is now part of the
public sphere which emerged in the 1990 years, after the liberalization and the
commercialization of the medias, in a context of State institutions failure.
Nollywood videos are often accused to alienate a passive mass audience in the
frame of what has been called <i>escapism</i>. I shall try to show here that is
not so simple and that those videos make people think and brings information
about the real world. On this new artistic stage, new figures emerged. First
the prosperous business men, successful in liberal economy and global trade,
often act at the edge of illegality. But this new figure is as criticized as it
is praised. Vidofilms are not only a sort of glass case for icons of pride like
fenced mansion in residential areas, elegant African and Western outfits, and
Mercedes Benz or Four-Wheel-Drive cars. Power and success are often presented
as being achieved by violence, meanness and engagement with occult powers. Many
films depict how people get power and money through a pact with occult powers
and ritual murders. They are sometimes looked down by the elite as âjuju
filmsâ, but they indeed tell something about popular psychology. Most of the
films convey a complex or even ambiguous message. Of course, they show a way of
life made of success and luxury, but most of the time the good Christian
businessman ends being corrupted by his own power and his own money. There is
always a hard struggle between ethical qualities and the temptations of a
corrupted world. Films about occult forces problematize the immoral acquisition
of money and power. The spectra of ultimate selfishness which belongs to a
particular occult economy in which human life is perversely used for making
money equates symbolically a political critique of the hegemonic power of
finance in a time where liberal economy has kicked out of the horizon, the
single idea of humanity and solidarity. Another genre is the family drama.
Family dramas focus on the seductions following high social status. Here again
power and money seem to be hailed, but most of the time the scenario is based
on a rise and fall pattern. An important point is raised: how to attain this
high status by correct means and not to lose it through lack of self-control.
Here another figure comes in: the Pentecostal pastor. He also is driving a
Mercedes, but he gives an example of the Prosperity Gospel preached by the
increasingly popular Pentecostal-charismatic churches. God will bless with
prosperity for those who believe in him and keep on praying. Pentecostalism
demonizes ethnic traditions and preaches for a complete break with the past. It
is at least what they pretend because by affirming that God is stronger than
Satan, they perpetuate the beliefs in Satan. To exist, they need the beliefs in
the Power of Darkness. Many videofilm producers have adopted Pentecostal forms
of representation, which are indeed very popular. Taking up the views and
concerns of Pentecostal-charismatic churches, the videofilm industry
contributes to the emergence of a new public culture. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">Another topic exploited by the
videofilms is the gender question, as the majority of the audience is composed
by women. Here again, many critiques have presented the videofilms as being
male chauvinist. Some are, but the generalization is unfair. Some women a
portrayed as very powerful and not so much submitted to the arbitrary and
brutal power of their husbands. Female strong characters are praised, but
excesses are also denounced, like, for instance, loose girls searching for
quick money. Those girls or women make use of witchcraft or âlove magicâ
obtained through an alliance with âtraditional priest from the bushâ. The
gender relations are also marked by problems of filiation, pregnancy and
abortion. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">A recurrent theme is the problem of
reproduction â a problem the mother-in-law boldly attributes to the wife
without any medical evidence. Many times, the husband ends up sleeping with the
wrong woman (a witch). The wife, by contrast, attends a Pentecostal church and
gets spiritual support from her pastor and prayer group. Sometimes, the
redemption takes the form of a baby.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">The figure of the mother who
controls her married son and renders the young wife impossible is more than
often satirized. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">Let us take another example where
the way a problem is presented help people to think about it: the emergence of
squads which have been called the Bakassi boys, self defense squads against
armed robbers. Those boys are not simply represented â at least in some
videos - as super heroes. Of course the films sympathize with the despair of
many citizens to be attacked by armed robbers and to be deprived of any police
protection. But several films show also how volunteers of those squads take
advantage of their new position and become corrupt and abusive themselves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">Another critique against Nollywood
films addresses the cinematic language. Of course many videos are of pour
quality, but this quality is improving as people are using a try and fail
process. Directors, editors and actors learn their job on the spot although
they try to keep the production cost low in order to sell at an acceptable
price for a mass audience. Of course the cinematic language is not the one that
is taught in sophisticated film schools: the narration (the story) is blended
with a fragmentation of images propounded by clips, advertising and TV. One
day, I asked to a producer why in his film the sound quality was so bad that I
thought people would not understand part of the speeches. He abruptly answered
that as far as he knew people understood enough. I do not know who was
right. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">I hope that through the few
examples that I have presented, you understand the relations between Nollywood
videos and documentary. Being in the center of many discussions in town, these
videofilms could be regarded as ways to talk about things, and to generate more
talk. They offer a particular discourse to address matters of concern in
everyday life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">You could argue that they are not
realist, not even plausible. Let us consider the visualization of the supposed invisible
powers, Mami Wata or evil spirits. Nigerian films transgress the codes of
realism, making concrete suggestion about the nexus of occultism and crime.
Some anthropologists have studied this symbolic pattern at the level of the
state power. I think about Comaroff in South Africa, Joseph Tonda in Congo,
Peter Geshiere and Jean-Pierre Warnier in Cameroon. The fact is that evil
powers are in the very center of modernity, not in the margins as traces of a
timeless African heritage. The popular beliefs as they are represented in
videofilms get close to the left critique of the perverse effect of
globalization. Globalization not so much entails sharing in humanism: it is
woven into world system of oppression and social destruction. It would be
exaggerated to credit videofilms of a political agenda, but they certainly play
an important role in the ongoing public debates about the (im) morality and
legitimacy of power, good governance and citizenship. Important because
they use an expression very different from the obsolete Marxist ideology or
from the disenchanted language of social sciences. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt;">That brings me to my second
argument that will also be my conclusion. I think that in this country there is
a huge potential for a new style of documentary. I think that using the tools
and of Nollywood, very interesting documentaries (there probably exist some
that I do not know) could be made by young filmmaker committed to the idea of
democracy and interested in social issue. This potential as a dramatic
dimension as many people in Lagos live in their live the most dramatic
scenario. If cheap video documentaries were good enough to touch a large
audience, a brilliant future would be open for a new generation of
documentarists. Even if you want ultimately to make fiction film, you can be
acknowledged through an interesting documentary. Many famous filmmaker were
known because they sent their first film to a festival or a public screening
somewhere and were noticed by other professional. It needs some efforts, but a
documentary is not so expensive to produce as fiction part and if it does not
make money, the loss is not so big. In order to achieve this project, young
directors need to use the same intelligence as Nollywood directors: to use
their friends, their relatives, their social connections and think first of all
to be as closed as possible to the people they want to reach. Another
opportunity is to mix the two different genres: building scenario from the real
lives, then shoot the film as a Nollywood film. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><b>www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 802 201 6495, +234 803 403 0646
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</b></i></div>
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-61175435559492144352012-03-26T17:06:00.000+01:002012-03-26T17:06:04.768+01:00WELCOME TO iREP FESTIVAL 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: Tahoma;"><b><i><b>(Being the welcome address by FEMI ODUGBEMI, Executive Director of the IREPREPRESNT Documentary Film Festival, 2012 at the opening of the festival at the on Thursday March 22, 2012 Terra Kulture, VI, Lagos)</b></i></b></span></div>
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<b>WELCOME</b> to the second edition of the IREPRESENT INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL, aka <i>iREP DOCU-FEST.</i> We are dedicated to promoting awareness about the power of documentary films to deepen our shared experiences, especially in the areas of social and cultural education and as well as give voice to the African experience globally.</div>
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Itâs been an interesting experience since our maiden edition. Since last year, we have tried to sustain the energy with our monthly film screening programme in partnership with Freedom Park and Goethe Institut and the Nigerian Film Corporation. We have also since then held a very successful training programme on Scriptwriting for Non-Fiction and Fictional films in partnership with the Public Affairs section of the US Embassy. We believe we are beginning to build a critical mass of viewers and filmmakers who are finding that the power to understand and define their personal journeys as Africans, as Nigerians can find expression in this artform.</div>
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This year, the festival is based on the framework: <b>AFRICA IN SELF CONVERSATION </b>and it would explore the theme: <b>DEMOCRACY AND CULTURE - THE DOCUMENTARY FILM INTERVENTION.</b></div>
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<b> </b>It is a theme inspired by our experience in Nigeria in January this year when the issue of the removal of oil subsidy snowballed into an important âself-conversationâ about integrity in government and about the value of our participatory democracy. The vehicle for that self-conversation was driven by the mass exchange of information and perspectives via documentary videos on <i>Youtube </i>and the social media platforms on the Internet.</div>
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The conversations were intense and defining, especially in its interrogations of the value of democracy to development. The political culture of Africa and the world is rapidly changing and African filmmakers have a unique opportunity to define its impact through the power of their images. Today documentary filmmaking is more important than ever.</div>
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The scope of the Festival would cover such areas as <i>Democracy and Demonstrations, New media technology</i> and participatory democracy, and the potentials of the Nigerian film industry âNOLLYWOODâ to understand the value and meaning of their images in the context of the fictional stories told. Culture is no longer a sub-theme in the politics of the global information order. It is the basis of it.</div>
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We have this sub-theme asking the provocative question: <b><i>âIS NOLLYWOOD DOCUMENTARY?â</i></b> It is for a specific reason. It is meant to interrogate an important proposition which averses that an African filmmaker has unusual responsibility in his imagery, beyond mere entertainment; he has the responsibility of the âcultural representationâ in his work â irrespective of whether that film is fiction or non-fiction, because the representation of the African experience has always suffered from the fact that it has been subjected to interpretations by people outside of the experience. It has become imperative for African filmmakers to understand that the images in their narrative have much more power than that of entertainment. <i>Nollywood</i> is powerful today â it has become much more than a film industry for entertainment, it has become more or less the representation of the African experience in many parts of the world and it is becoming the image template for defining what Africa looks like, how we speak, dress and the values that we uphold. So we feel Filmmakers in Nigeria especially in <i>Nollywood</i> need that conversation and that understanding that we allow them to begin to take that responsibility seriously.</div>
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For us, it is not about iREP trying to recruit <i>Nollywood</i> filmmakers to do Documentaries, though we feel with better understanding more of that will happen, it is about creating a timely conversation on how powerful images are in a world that is globalised. If we say we want to change the narrative of Africa, if we say we want Africa to be empowered economically and politically, it is critical for us to begin to manage the images of Africa that subsist in the global information order, from that of poverty and pain and disease and war to one that begins to speak and showcase inspirational breakthroughs, inspirational people and achievements. Africa has a lot to teach the world. The values of Africa are important to the world, in spirituality, in community, values of integrity and honesty that are embedded in our culture. The only way we can do that, our biggest weapon FOR this contribution is film.</div>
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We are very happy to welcome to this conversation very exciting thinkers and filmmakers who we know will make this festival memorable. Thank you for coming Professor<b> </b>Jean Paul Colleyn, Director of Institute of African Studies, Paris. He<b> </b>is an Anthropologist, Filmmaker and Scholar and a wonderful gentleman.</div>
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I want to say a special Welcome to our friends from AG DOK -- Association of Independent Producers in Germany, and APIC -- Association of Independent Filmmakers, Cameroun. Our partnership with the Goethe Institut is forging a collaborative conversation. Later today in a Producersâ Roundtable that we hope will enlarge and enrich the possibilities of filmmaker-to-filmmaker cooperations. A special welcome home to our âsonâ of the soil Branwen Okpako. And to Katarina Hedren of Democratic Network Africa; thank you for staying back from MOKOLO to contribute to IREP.</div>
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And welcome our brothers from the Northern arm of our film industry â Mikail, Nasiru and Musa. Specially, we thank the Director of the Goethe Institut, Kano, Frank Roger for facilitating the participation of our brothers from <i>Kannywood.</i></div>
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We specially welcome the recipients of this yearâs iREP Hall of FAME AWARD â Cyril, Sandra, Yussuf and Francis. You richly deserve more than the modest applause we are giving you today.</div>
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I want to say a special thank you and well done to Marc-Andre and to Barbel for making it possible to screen some the very exciting films we have lined up. Thank you.</div>
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We hope hat this relationship will be mutually beneficial to us all.</div>
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We hope all our visitors will enjoy the interaction with our local industry and their âencounterâ with our beautiful city of Lagos. And we hope at the end of the 4-day event we all would have moved even further to a fuller understanding of Documentaries as an important artform to defining our selfs, our culture, our aspiration as a community and our place in the world.</div>
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<i><b>www.irepfilmfestival.com 3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere. T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 802 201 6495, +234 803 403 0646 E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</b></i></div>
</i></b></span><br />
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-52359816965509831532012-03-12T21:06:00.001+01:002012-04-14T04:49:38.532+01:00I-REPRESENT INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL HOLDS MARCH 22-25, 2012 AT TERRA KULTURE & FREEDOM PARK LAGOS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSjyu4rd5b9VwsomWZiXdwFTShCP4hPUw7UUhB66j03OAap6GNJaJkq35K4Wfg71VCZmDprRNKfWJ-hfbYMClLWPT35w4mcwXQ6hILr-stei1B6iAUrCgRjxrirnP4dFqmLQRsZDbplJre/s1600/420505_360978473933024_161706773860196_1139727_1497185523_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSjyu4rd5b9VwsomWZiXdwFTShCP4hPUw7UUhB66j03OAap6GNJaJkq35K4Wfg71VCZmDprRNKfWJ-hfbYMClLWPT35w4mcwXQ6hILr-stei1B6iAUrCgRjxrirnP4dFqmLQRsZDbplJre/s320/420505_360978473933024_161706773860196_1139727_1497185523_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;"> The
highly acclaimed I-Represent International Documentary Film Festival which
debuted last year holds its second edition from Thursday 22nd to Sunday 25th of
March, 2012, at Terra-Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos, and Freedom Park, Broad
Street, Lagos, Nigeria. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">The
festival is holding this year in partnership with Goethe Institut and AG DokumentarFilm (German Association of
independent producers), which jointly are facilitating the participation of a host
of international Filmmakers who would be presenting films as well as conducting
Training Workshops.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">iREP
2012 will feature screenings and discussions at Terra Kulture each day from
10am-5pm Thursday-Saturday; and screenings from 7pm-11pm Thursday-Saturday and
from 10am-10pm on Sunday at Freedom Parkâs outdoor theatre. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">KEYNOTE/CONFERENCE</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">The
festival is conceptualized on the framework: AFRICA IN SELF CONVERSATION, and
it would explore the theme: DEMOCRACY AND CULTURE - THE DOCUMENTARY FILM
INTERVENTION.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">As
would be deduced from the unprecedented and sporadic people's mass action that
attended the January 1, 2012 removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government,
a new sense of participation in governance is evolving on the African
continent. It is thus increasingly becoming important to explore opportunities
open to African filmmakers to bring better understanding and approaches to
participatory democracy as a part of African political culture through the
medium of documentary films.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">The
scope of the Festival would cover such areas as Democracy and Demonstrations,
New media technology and participatory democracy, and the potentials of the
Nigerian films to explore and exploit the documentary format in its production
values.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">A
key subtheme in the 2012 iREP Documentary Film Festival is: IS NOLLYWOOD
DOCUMENTARY? This will feature a conversation among filmmakers and their
publics on the potentials of Nollywood films to embrace the Documentary ethics
in its operation and outputs. A key area of discourse would be the need to
explore the production and distribution potentials and schemes of Nollywood
towards achieving documentary objectives. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">We
have the pleasure of Professor Jean-Paul Colleyn (a world renowned filmmaker,
film scholar and anthropologist) to deliver the Keynote at the Festival opening
ceremony on Thursday March 22 at 10am. Jean
Paul-Colleyn is an Anthropologist, Filmmaker and Professor at the Ecole des
Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (Center of African Studies at EHESS (school
for high studies in social sciences) in Paris, France. He has conducted
extensive fieldwork research in West Africa; and currently engaged in a
research project in Mali. He was a producer at Arte TV channel (1988-98); visiting
professor at New York University (1998-2001); Commissioned Editor of the series
'The Art of the Myth' (Arte, 2009-2010); Director of over 30 Documentary films
and author of over 14 books and many scholarly essays on documentary films, Art
and African Studies and Culture.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">Also
speaking at the Festival are luminaries with vast knowledge and relevant
experience in filmmaking and the media. They include famous broadcaster,
award-winning journalist and Chairman of CHANNELS Television Mr. John Momoh;
Director-General of the National Film and Video Censors Board and a renowned
authority on New Media channels for content management and distribution, Mr.
Emeka Mba. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">TRAINING/WORKSHOP</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">The
Training Workshop of the festival which last year was attended by over 100
young Nigerian Filmmakers will be holding once again at the Freedom Park Venue
on Friday and Saturday and it will feature Facilitators such as versatile
producer of African films, Barbel Mauch from Germany; veteran documentarist and
TV manager, Alhaji Adegboyega Arulogun; TV documentarist, Cyril Okonkwo; ffilmmaker, diplomat Amb. Yussuf Mamman; film
and photo documentarist, Tam Fiofori; and Festival Executive Director Femi
Odugbemi.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">GUESTS</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">Notable
amongst international professionals participating are Nigerian/German Filmmaker
Branwen Okpako who will be screening her acclaimed film âThe Re-education of Aowa
Obama;" German Director Jens Wenkel, who has worked extensively on
Nigerian/African themes; Kathrin Springer (Producer, South Africa); Ulla
Wessler (DokFEst Munich) and BĂ€rbel Mauch (producer, Berlin). </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">The
festival will be screening over 20 films at both Terra Kulture during the day
and from 7pm-11pm at Freedom Park each night. Notable films on the schedule
include âLAGOS: Notes of a Cityâ by Jens Wenkel, âLinking Africaâ by Michael
Grotenhoff, âRedHot Nigeriaâ by Sandra Obiago, âEspoir Voyageâ by Michel Zongo,
âAnd the Chain was Notâ by Femi Odugbemi, âAn African Electionâ by Jarreth
Merz, âDuniya Juyi juyiâ by Abdullahi Yahaya Saâad and âThe Guantanamo Trapâ by
Thomas Wallner.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">MEETINGS/NETWORKING</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">An
important feature of this festival is a PRODUCERSâ ROUNDTABLE CONFERENCE
featuring conversation on Strategies For International Co-Production to be
attended by Documentary filmmakers from Cameroon, Germany, Ghana and Nigeria. Ms.
Katarina Hedren, a key promoter of the Documentary Network Africa (DNA) initiative
will moderate it. Ms. Hendren is the former chair of the Swedish based film
festival, CinemAfrica, and she works as a translator/interpreter, as well as
discussion and workshop moderator/facilitator/designer, film programmer, film
critic, and writer with South African producers and directors as well as
organisations such as Tri-Continental Film Festival, People to People
Conference, Encounters International Documentary Festival, The Goethe-Institut
and FESPACO. She is the coordinator of the Mokolo project â an initiative that
aims to create a virtual platform for web content relating to African
audiovisual industries, thus improving the accessibility and visibility of
African audiovisual content and professionals. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">AWARD</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">The
festival award ceremony will also be staged during which a few well-appointed
veteran professionals would be inducted into the iREP/West Africa Documentary
Film Forum's Hall of Fame in recognotion of the selfless service they have
rendered to the vocation in their individual career journey.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">ABOUT
iREP FESTIVAL</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">i-Represent
International Documentary Film Festival is an annual festival dedicated to
promoting awareness about the power of documentary films to serve as a means of
deepening and sharing social and cultural education as well as encouraging
participatory democracy in our societies. The maiden edition held in January
2011, in Lagos, brought together a pool of veteran filmmakers, film scholars,
critics, Arts enthusiasts, and students from different parts of the world.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">We
believe strongly that the 2012 Festival would provide completely invaluable
opportunities for all participants to discuss cogent issues that are germane to
the future of filmmaking in Africa, and indeed, the World. Activities at the
conference have been carefully designed to cover a wide spectrum of knowledge
areas and interest, and would include Paper presentations, Training and
Workshops, Interactive panel discussions, film screenings, and Networking.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">We
look forward to the pleasure of having your presence at the festival</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">Thank
you.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">More
details at www.irepfilmfestival.com</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;"><img alt="2" height="78" src="file:///Users/guest1/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0/clip_image002.gif" width="254" /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">Femi
Odugbemi </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">Executive
Director</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">For
IREP FILM FORUM</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 9pt;">9TH
MARCH 2012.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5512438083994541688" name="_GoBack"></a></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><b>www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 802 201 6495, +234 803 403 0646
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</b></i></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-48239407349817170442012-02-22T17:59:00.003+01:002012-02-22T18:02:29.751+01:00Resonance and SilenceâšSynesthetic aspects of film and video<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Resonance and SilenceâšSynesthetic aspects of film and
videoâšGoetz Collection at Haus der Kunstâš13.04.2012 - 09.09.2012âšPress Viewing
Hour on Thursday, April 12, 2012, 11 am<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">For the third exhibition of the cooperation between The Goetz
Collection and Haus der Kunst, film and video works were selected in which
acoustic aspects are as important as visual ones. Thereby the relationship
between sound and image constitutes a broad range. These two elements are
linked most closely in silence, in the still or silent image, which
approximates other media such as painting and photography.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Resonance<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The fascination with combining image and sound has a long
tradition. The term "synesthesia", from the Greek words meaning
"together" and "sensation", came into use in the
mid-nineteenth century and describes the ability to hear colors and see sounds.
This tradition continues in various ways in contemporary film and video art.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In "Sabbath 2008" (2008), Nira Pereg shows
preparations for the Jewish Saturday in an orthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem.
The streets are being blocked off with metal barriers, which make a loud
screeching sound as they are pulled across the road. This sound is isolated and
becomes a kind of commentary in its overexaggeration.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In a manner that is both systematic and humorous, in his work
"Telephones" (1995; presented in 1999 at the Venice Biennale),
Christian Marclay combines film scenes with famous actors in a way that it
looks as if they were calling each other. In combination, the different ringing
sounds, the sounds from the cradle and of the rotary dial and the bits and
pieces of conversation, become a new composition of film and video art.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In "El Gringo" (2003), Francis AlĂżs depicts his
confrontation with a group of dogs on a street from the first-person
perspective. The dogs bark aggressively at him as he tries to pass them; they
finally bite his arm and at the camera. The camera is left on the ground at
last. The viewer remains alone with it, like a severed sensory organ, and has
to endure the sight of the dogs sniffing and edging at the camera until the
image turns black.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Gary Hill's "Blind Spot" (2003) shows a 30-second shot
filmed with a hand-held camera in a street in Marseille. The scene is
increasingly slowed down until the elongation produces unpleasant sounds, and
is segmented with black and silent sequences. Teresa Hubbard and Alexander
Birchler also work with interruptions in the image flow in "Gregor's Room
II" (1998/99). From a constant height, a camera circles a room in which a
man is packing things into boxes. Through the openings - doors and windows -
the view expands, only to be blocked by black segments a moment later.
Proximity and distance to the event is alternately established and eliminated.
The film is shown in a soundless version.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In the aesthetics of a documentary, Tacita Dean makes film
images of old monuments that have long since lost their function. In her 16mm
film installation "Sound Mirrors" (1999), one sees buildings made of
poured concrete along the British coast of Kent. These constructions should
serve as a military early warning system by amplifying the sound of approaching
airplanes. In Dean's work, however, the sounds from the surrounding natural
environment, rather than from airplanes, are superimposed with the sounds of
the projector. What usually creates the acoustic background now enters the
foreground and is charged with meaning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Silence<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The absence of acoustic stimuli can trigger acoustic memories
and establish links to other media. In "Ruurlo, Bocurloscheweg, 1910"
(1997), David Claerbout makes use of this possibility. In a black and white
photograph of the village - whose name is the same as the work's title - he
shows a tree gently moving in the wind, while everything else remains static.
The absence of sounds initially gives the impression that we are looking at a
photograph; the viewer only slowly registers the movement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Hans Op de Beeck uses the absence of sound to establish a
connection between the medium of film with that of painting. In
"Colours" (1999), he places people in a rigid stance against various
monochromatic backgrounds, in the manner of the Old Masters. The images also
reveal Op de Beeck's exploration of the topos of the living image. In
"Uomoduomo" (2000), Anri Sala also offers a possibility of a portrait
in film through the absence of sound. The rigid shots, made with a hand-held
camera, show an old man. Placed in the center of the picture, his face can't be
seen and there is virtually no information related to his identity. He is
slumped over and asleep in a church pew; his body repeatedly threatens to fall
over, but he catches himself each time. This "in-between" state
between falling over and maintaining balance is typical of Anri Sala's work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Music<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Six of the selected works focus on music without making the
visual elements of the work seem illustrated. In Tim Lee's work "The
Goldberg Variations" (2007), one can hear the eponymous work by Johann
Sebastian Bach. Lee refers here to Glenn Gould, who recorded the variations and
the aria separately in his ideal conception and then combined them in a single
track. Lee translates this piece of montage in individual black and white
close-ups of his right and left hand playing piano, with the hands shown on two
separated displays. Using hard film cuts, the shots of his hands are joined. An
irritating sequence accompanies a continuous melodic flow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Wolfgang Tillmans' first video work "Lights (Body)"
(2000-2002), relates to his early photographs of techno clubs. The close-up images
of the disco lighting, which moves to the rhythm of a remix of "Don't Be
Light" by Air, is reminiscent of a typical club night in the 1980s or
1990s. "Light" can mean both "light" (i.e. the noun) and
"light" (i.e. the adjective). With respect to this dual meaning, the
rhythmic movements of the lights can be regarded as both physical liberation
from gravity through dance, as well as a reference to the volatility of life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In Rodney Graham's "A Little Thought" (2000), shots of
an idyllic summer day are accompanied by a song of the same name which was
composed and sung by the artist. The images of a swan on a lake, blooming
cherry trees and the harmonic sounds, are in discord with the text of the song,
which is about a fatal car crash caused by a driver's failure to pay attention.
Only when seen from the perspective of the camera panning above a street is a
connection to the lyrics established.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In Guido van der Werve's "Nummer drie.take step fall"
(2004) passages accompanied by classical music, and silent sequences alternate
with one another, as does rest with movement. Like a sonata, the work is
structured in three parts: A dance company and an Asian fast food restaurant in
the same building, a street at night and a dancing ballerina in a park. The
grimly portrayed everyday scenes are repeatedly interrupted by seemingly random
sequences.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In Christoph Brech's video "The Wind that shakes the
Barley" (2008), we see nameless tombstones of deceased, unbaptized
children surrounded by grass blowing, sometimes more intensely, sometimes less,
in the wind. Although the ambient sounds are missing, one has the impression of
being able to hear the hissing of the wind. The suddenly introduced Irish folk
song transmits a melancholic sentiment and appears irritating as it is simultaneously
played forwards, and more softly, backwards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The exhibited works were selected by LeĂłn Krempel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">With works by Francis AlĂżs, Hans Op de Beeck, Christoph Brech,
David Claerbout, Tacita Dean, Rodney Graham, Gary Hill, Teresa Hubbard &
Alexander Birchler, Tim Lee, Christian Marclay, Nira Pereg, Anri Sala, Wolfgang
Tillmans and Guido van der Werve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">A catalogue will be published by Hatje Cantz; with texts by
Patrizia Dander, Okwui Enwezor, Ingvild Goetz, Sarah Haugeneder, Nina Holm,
Leon Krempel, Karsten Löckemann, Julienne Lorz, Carla Schulz-Hoffmann, Rainald
Schumacher, Susanne Touw, Katharina Vossenkuhl, Eva Wattolik, and Ulrich
Wilmes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">For images please visit our download area
www.hausderkunst.de/presse/info.htm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact
us:âšElena Heitsch and Jacqueline Falk<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: CourierCE; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">âšâšHaus der KunstâšPrinzregentenstraĂe 1âš80538 MĂŒnchenâš+49 89 211
27-115âš+49 89 211 27-157
Faxâšpresse@hausderkunst.deâšwww.hausderkunst.deâšâšHandelsregister MĂŒnchenâšHRB
100018âšUSt-IdNr. DE 811612530</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i>__</i></b><br />
<b><i>www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 802 201 6495, +234 803 403 0646
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</i></b><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-57370447001382423682012-02-04T08:41:00.000+01:002012-02-07T07:49:29.492+01:002ND iREP DOC U FILM FESTIVAL; MARCH 22-25; LAGOS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAhh9I669LWF3e99Ae9xYfZX6Hlb-DcPpIylUu1zYIHOL2jB31Kk7LTORTc9JB1nSMRIc20r2CZ5Re5Vj0t561jxF_9GI3svasewsKbzNby3Bbl9r5P5ju0z30zM_XNQv6PLebor_El16T/s1600/irep+poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAhh9I669LWF3e99Ae9xYfZX6Hlb-DcPpIylUu1zYIHOL2jB31Kk7LTORTc9JB1nSMRIc20r2CZ5Re5Vj0t561jxF_9GI3svasewsKbzNby3Bbl9r5P5ju0z30zM_XNQv6PLebor_El16T/s320/irep+poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dear Friend in film,</span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We formally extend invitation to you to <b>participate </b>in
the <b><i><u>2012 iREP Documentary Film Festival</u></i>,</b> slated
for <b>March 22-25, 2012. </b>We invite you to propose any of
your films<b> </b>that you deem related to the theme of the festival<b>, <i>Democracy
and Culture: The Documentary Intervention </i></b>for screening during the
festival (see attached poster).</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Conversation during the festival will also be focussed on
this broad theme; and we request that you participate as <b>a
speaker/discussant.</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Prof. Jean-Paul Colleyn</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, director of Institute of
African studies, Paris, has agreed to give the KEYNOTE as well as conduct a
MASTER WORKSHOP during the Festival.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Workshop session and a segment of
the Conference will, however, consider the potentials of the Nigerian films as
presently constituted to -- in their production scheme -- explore and exploit
the documentary format in its production virtues; hence the workshop is
schematised under the generic theme, <b>IS NOLLYWOOD DOCUMENTARY?</b> The
idea is also to explore the potentials and possibilities of the<i>Nollywood</i> movies
to spur the vocation of documentary film making in Nigeria.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The unfortunate situation in the Nigeria
polity has<b> grossly undermined the economic prospects </b>of the
country and consequentially<b> frustrated our ability to raise fund </b>for
the purpose of the festival, but we are resolved to proceed with our<b> </b>plans
even as we continue to strive to get the<b> support of potential
supporters </b>for the project.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Kindly let us know if you would be available to participate at
the festival on the mentioned dates.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sgnd: <b>FEMI ODUGBEMI</b></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;">
<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Executive Director, IREP</span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
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<b><u><span style="color: #454545; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">THEMATIC FRAMEWORK<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: #454545; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">DEMOCRACY AND CULTURE â THE DOCUMENTARY FILM INTERVENTION<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Emerging realities on the African continent indicate a shift in
the information order and definition of governance. The conversation is fast
becoming a dialogue on the experiences that had brought us here and how the
future can be shaped. A new sense of involvement and pro active participation,
on the part of the people, are becoming the indices of our democracy. How
documentary filmmaking can effectively contribute to this new development is a
critical point of discourse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">It is undeniable that this new sensibility is in large part,
made possible by a new generation of Africans who are finding new voices in the
possibilities that technology provides. Equipped with a new media device, new
voices are springing up with fresh perspectives to known issues, and impulsively
curating a reference for the future in ways that are completely participatory.</span><span style="color: #454545; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">participatory democracy</span><span style="color: #454545; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> must become a part of our
culture, it must be deliberately cultivated, and film as a popular art provides
a veritable medium with which this new energy can be given a clear direction.
How well is the African filmmaker conscientious to his/her role in creating a
wholesome understanding of these sporadic emerging realities? Can documentary
films help us find a pattern that can become a reference for the future?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Africa is taking a flight into new horizon. A never-before
charted path into a future that is characterized by good governance,
accountability, rule of law, justice, equity, true democracy, and responsible
leadership. Documentary filmmaking can help to midwife this process.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">By Olanrewaju Olupona</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Festival Project Director<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;">
<i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36
Surulere. T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 802 201 6495, +234 803 403 0646 E:
info@irepfilmfestival.com; www.irepfilmfestival.com</span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="color: #454545; font-size: 21px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-39012288640854090272012-01-27T15:39:00.000+01:002012-01-27T15:39:14.091+01:00'Unhinged: Surviving Jo'burg' for February edition of iREP-GOETHE Monthly Screening<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMTmehk0PtjXyPhM9Ubx3RX4-xI4LG8bBKYL6quJ0x8o-fa5ZljEtKsJxgFySSUJkBPfZYFyYnZZ9H-QxROvZjxwXN4K0-drCn5VGzLHis4vGPVvYA8CBOIrONGZAoDiKP6FOT3Ha_n7bh/s1600/unhinged.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMTmehk0PtjXyPhM9Ubx3RX4-xI4LG8bBKYL6quJ0x8o-fa5ZljEtKsJxgFySSUJkBPfZYFyYnZZ9H-QxROvZjxwXN4K0-drCn5VGzLHis4vGPVvYA8CBOIrONGZAoDiKP6FOT3Ha_n7bh/s400/unhinged.jpg" width="266" /></a><span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;"><i></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold;">
<i><span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;"><b><i>The Film will be screened fro 2pm on Saturday February 25 at the Nigerian Film Corporation Lagos Liaison Office, Obalende, Ikoyi Lagos (by Radio Nigeria). Gate: FREE</i></b></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: 800;"><br /></span></i></div>
<i><b>Unhinged:
Surviving Joâburg </b></i>is an honest, quirky and sometimes <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">frenzied
documentary about Johannesburg, South Africaâs biggest city</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">and the
worldâs gateway to Southern Africa. With rapid narrative, dry </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">humour,
trivial factoids, insightful observations and a highly </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">enjoyable
soundtrack, the film tells a slice-of-city-life story. Itâs </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">a personal
video snapshot of todayâs city, providing a unique</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">opportunity
for viewers to get a glimpse inside a place that the world</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">has a very
fuzzy sense of.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">The film
aims to give the audience a small taste of Johannesburg,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">using the
city itself as the principle character. Adrian Loveland, an </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">entrepreneur
who was born and raised in Joâburg, is the slightly</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">eccentric
tour guide. Insights are provided through a selection of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">conversations
with an engaging group of Joâburgers, including Robbie </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">Brozin (CEO
of Nandos), Ferial Haffajee (editor of the City Press),</span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">Justice
Malala (political analyst) and Victor Kgomoeswana (MoneyBiz </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">founder).</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">Johannesburg
has often been portrayed in the worldâs media as a death<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">trap, or
marketed as the ultimate place of gold and opportunity. In<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">reality the
city lies somewhere in between and, although Unhinged<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">doesnât dish
up all the answers, it gives a representation that<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">enables
viewers to get closer to the truth of what Johannesburg really<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: center 216.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">is.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">In some
parts the film feels like a documentary and in others a<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">travelogue.
There are also segments, such as when Loveland delivers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">his
impressions of wild animal calls, which are pure comic relief.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">Johannesburg
itself is somewhat unhinged and so is this movie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">Unhinged
acknowledges the scary aspects of Johannesburg, yet it leaves<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">the viewer
feeling extremely positive and excited by the obvious<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">energy and
potential of a city that has a lot of work ahead. In the<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">words of
Robbie Brozin, one of the most charismatic of the interview<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">subjects:
âYou feel like, youâre here, so letâs, like, fix this place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">You canât
fix Paris, you canât fix London, you canât fix Sydney, but<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">you can fix
Joâburgâ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">Writer/Director:
Adrian Loveland<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">Producers:
Adrian Loveland and Pascal Schmitz<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">-- <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">FEMI
ODUGBEMI, rpa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">Managing
Director/CEO,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">DVWorx
Studios & Zuri24 Media,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.dvworxstudios.com/"><span style="color: #193376; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">www.dvworxstudios.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">+234.8034251963<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;">@femiodugbemi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 802 201 6495, +234 803 403 0646
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-30930195399499203782012-01-08T22:07:00.001+01:002012-01-08T22:07:18.030+01:00POSTPONEMENT OF JANUARY CONFERENCE-WORKSHOP OF THE iREP<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b8b8b8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f2f2f2; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding-left: 120px;">
<span style="color: #b8b8b8;"><br /></span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #b8b8b8;">Dear Friends</span></strong></div>
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<strong><em><span style="color: #b8b8b8;">Fraternal Greetings from the iREP Collective,</span></em></strong></div>
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<span style="color: #b8b8b8;">Like most Nigerians and indeed peoples of the world, we woke up on January 1 to the shock of about 150 per cent increment in the cost of gasoline, which has since thrown the entire country into a tailspin of instability marked by wild street protests, pockets of violence all around the country; and the threat of an indefinite National Strike that is scheduled to start January 11 â five days to the commencement of our pre-iREP DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL Conference and Workshop slated for January 17-20, 2012.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #b8b8b8;">From past experiences of similar scenario, once Labour declared a National strike, the countryâs social and economic activities become totally paralysed, and it could take nearly two to three weeks before order and stability are restored; even if Labour were to call off the strike few days after its declaration.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #b8b8b8;">As it is, the entire national mood is gripped by tension and most businesses are closing shops. In fact, managers of our choice venue and partner on the project, the Terra Kulture Art Centre in the elite Victoria Island part of Lagos, have indicated that from this weekend, they would close shop as their workers would be joining the national strike. They also want to avoid falling victims of the vandalism and violence that usually trailed such National Strike/Protests.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #b8b8b8;">Also many of the would-be participants in the Conference and the Master-class have started returning regrets. Especially students of the various Films, TV and Broadcasting schools whom we expect to be the beneficiaries of the Master-class and Workshop (slated as part of the Conference) would be proceeding on break due to the call for national strike.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #b8b8b8;">From our study of the situation, there are serious and complicate issues of not just inauspiciousness of the time and logistics but also Safety and Security involved.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #b8b8b8;">It is on account of these various factors that we REGRET to inform you of the POSTPONEMENT of the said CONFERENCE to March as part of the 2nd<span> </span>iREP International Documentary Film Festival.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #b8b8b8;">We are aware of the sacrifice that you have made -- out of your busy schedule and calendar â in reserving the earlier date â January 17-20 -- to honour our invitation but in the extant circumstance that we find ourselves in Nigeria, we have no other options than to shift the Conference ahead.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #b8b8b8;">Our proposal however, is to still request your esteemed person to consider being part of the main festival in March. Details will be sent to you in due course.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #b8b8b8;">Again, while we appreciate your enthusiastic response to our earlier invitation, we regret the inconvenience that this change of date would cause your personal programmes. We however request that you kindly consider our new proposal.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #b8b8b8;">Regards</span></div>
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<span style="color: #b8b8b8;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.irepfilmfestival.com/images/femi_small.jpg" /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b8b8b8;">Femi Odugbemi</span></div>
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<span style="color: #b8b8b8;">Executive Director</span></div>
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<span style="color: #b8b8b8;">iREP INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #b8b8b8;"><a href="mailto:femi@irepfilmfestival.com">femi@irepfilmfestival.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b8b8b8;"><a href="http://www.irepfilmfestival.com/" target="_blank">www.irepfilmfestival.com</a></span></div>
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<br />
<br />
<br />
www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 802 201 6495, +234 803 403 0646
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-30953334308450710612011-12-06T18:47:00.001+01:002011-12-21T15:35:51.990+01:00PINA, award winning film in 3D, screens on Saturday, DEC.10; SIlverbird Cinema, Lagos; 3pm. FREE entry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGAEvib9yICbpjrrllnZcqZni94sRRc1Ak7rB30-_lX4G7bwa56wJH-dyva0CUFakcoTQHcqkynfoI9s6bweKVMOVpCRhHMprXACqZhksYJIPo3z4PZBumgBXsJBYkCXZK_VbJivOo5sF/s1600/PINA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGAEvib9yICbpjrrllnZcqZni94sRRc1Ak7rB30-_lX4G7bwa56wJH-dyva0CUFakcoTQHcqkynfoI9s6bweKVMOVpCRhHMprXACqZhksYJIPo3z4PZBumgBXsJBYkCXZK_VbJivOo5sF/s320/PINA.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
Goethe-Institut Nigeria in cooperation with iRep Documentary<br>
Film Forum (iREP) and the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) cordially invites you to the December edition of the Monthly Film Screening.<br>
<br>
The choice film for the month is PINA, a feature-length dance film in 3D, <br>
based on the life and works of Pina Bausch, directed by acclaimed<br>
German director Wim Wenders (Buena Vista Social Club). It features the<br>
unique and inspiring art of the great German choreographer who died in<br>
summer 2009. <br>
Together with the ensemble of the Tanztheater Wuppertal,<br>
Wenders takes the audience on a sensual, visually stunning journey of<br>
discovery into a new dimension: straight onto the stage with the<br>
legendary Tanztheater Wuppertal ensembleâ the place which for 35<br>
years, was the home and centre for Pina Bauschâs creativity.<br>
<a href="http://irepfilmfestival.blogspot.com/2011/12/pina-award-winning-film-in-3d-screens.html#more">Read more »</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-30063219010787436442011-10-29T20:32:00.001+01:002011-12-21T15:37:52.220+01:00FUND AND GRANTS OPPORTUNITIES FOR FILMMAKERS<b>Funds and Grants</b><br>
<br>
<b>Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Society Foundation<i></i></b><br>
<br>
<i>http://www.gottliebfoundation.org/</i><br>
Provides funding for visual artists who incorporate video and film into their work.<br>
<br>
<b>Ann Arbor Film Festival</b><br>
<i>http://aafilmfest.org/</i><br>
Gives out $20,000 via various awards to each yearâs winners.<br>
<br>
<b>Austin (Texas) Film Festival Competition</b><br>
<i>http://www.austinfilmfestival.com/</i><br>
The Austin Film Festival offers numerous awards, but a registration fee is required for the various competitions.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>Center for Asian American Media<br>
Media Fund</b><br>
<i>http://mediafund.asianamericanmedia.org/</i><br>
The Center for Asian American Media provides funding and support for provocative and engaging Asian American film and media projects from independent producers. CAAM awards production and completion funds for projects intended for public television broadcast. Since 1990, more than $3 million has been granted to over 150 projects. Funding is made possible with support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Open Door Completion Funds are available up to $20,000 and Production Funds, $20,000 to $50,000 on average.<br>
<a href="http://irepfilmfestival.blogspot.com/2011/10/fund-and-grants-opportunities-for.html#more">Read more »</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512438083994541688.post-44415465613338392592011-09-14T20:12:00.000+01:002011-12-21T15:36:36.691+01:00iREP- GOETHE COLLABORATION TAKES OFF SEPT 17, WITH SCREENING OF VIVA RIVAOn Saturday September 17, the iREPRESENT Documentary Film Forum (iREP) and the Goethe Institut Lagos will formally begin a comprehensive relationship that will see the two organisations collaborating on a number of projects in the area of films. The projects will include a Monthly Film Screening session; Training and Capacity Building programmes; Festivals and others.<br>
The core objective of the collaboration is to facilitate relationship between the German and the Nigerian film Industries through sharing of ideas and products; networking of personnel as well as exposure to the intricacies of each of the film cultures. The overall objective of the collaboration, however, is to help quicken the development of the nascent Nigerian film industry.<br>
<br>
MONTHLY FILM SCREENING<br>
In particular, the Monthly Screening and Discussion session is conceptualized to facilitate elevation of film language and understanding of the artistic narratives of cinema in a way that empowers storytellers to explore more their intrinsic artistic voices. The screenings are being curated to push the boundaries of the Nigeria film industryâs appreciation for narratives that underscore the interconnectivity of the human experience even in a globalised culture.<br>
The film screening which will consist of short and long films will be introduced by experts and the public will get the chance to discuss with film professionals after each session. Thesession will encourage a discussion on the film screened between professionals and the public.<br>
The choice film for the September 17 edition, is âVIVA RIVA!â, (98 min, DR Congo), directed by Djo Munga, with Patsha Bay, Manie Malone. It tells the story of Riva, an operator, a man with charm and ambition in equal measure who resides in Kinshasa. With petrol in short supply in DRC's capital, Riva and his sidekick pursue a plot to get hold of a secret cache â barrels of fuel they can sell for a huge profit. Of course they're not the only ones who want the stuffâŠ<br>
Screening starts at 3pm, and will be followed by Discussions among fil experts and the general audience. There will also be refreshment and light entrtainment.<br>
<a href="http://irepfilmfestival.blogspot.com/2011/09/irep-goethe-collaboration-takes-off.html#more">Read more »</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.irepfilmfestival.com
3 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Phase 1, Lagos Nigeria. P.O. Box 36 Surulere.
T: +234 803 425 1963, +234 807 633 9009
E: info@irepfilmfestival.com</div>Jahman Anikulapohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265522517044900802noreply@blogger.com0