POSTPONEMENT OF JANUARY CONFERENCE-WORKSHOP OF THE iREP

Dear Friends

Fraternal Greetings from the iREP Collective,

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 – five days to the commencement of our pre-iREP DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL Conference and Workshop slated for January 17-20, 2012.

From past experiences of similar scenario, once Labour declared a National strike, the country’s 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.

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.

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.

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.

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  iREP International Documentary Film Festival.

We are aware of the sacrifice that you have made -- out of your busy schedule and calendar – in reserving the earlier date – 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.

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.

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.

Regards

Femi Odugbemi

Executive Director

iREP INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL,

femi@irepfilmfestival.com

www.irepfilmfestival.com

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

PINA, award winning film in 3D, screens on Saturday, DEC.10; SIlverbird Cinema, Lagos; 3pm. FREE entry

Goethe-Institut Nigeria in cooperation with iRep Documentary
Film Forum (iREP) and the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) cordially invites you to the December edition of the Monthly Film Screening.

The choice film for the month is PINA, a feature-length dance film in 3D,
based on the life and works of Pina Bausch, directed by acclaimed
German director Wim Wenders (Buena Vista Social Club). It features the
unique and inspiring art of the great German choreographer who died in
summer 2009.
Together with the ensemble of the Tanztheater Wuppertal,
Wenders takes the audience on a sensual, visually stunning journey of
discovery into a new dimension: straight onto the stage with the
legendary Tanztheater Wuppertal ensemble– the place which for 35
years, was the home and centre for Pina Bausch’s creativity.

FUND AND GRANTS OPPORTUNITIES FOR FILMMAKERS

Funds and Grants

Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Society Foundation

http://www.gottliebfoundation.org/
Provides funding for visual artists who incorporate video and film into their work.

Ann Arbor Film Festival
http://aafilmfest.org/
Gives out $20,000 via various awards to each year’s winners.

Austin (Texas) Film Festival Competition
http://www.austinfilmfestival.com/
The Austin Film Festival offers numerous awards, but a registration fee is required for the various competitions.



Center for Asian American Media
Media Fund
http://mediafund.asianamericanmedia.org/
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.

iREP- GOETHE COLLABORATION TAKES OFF SEPT 17, WITH SCREENING OF VIVA RIVA

On 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.
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.

MONTHLY FILM SCREENING
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 industry’s appreciation for narratives that underscore the interconnectivity of the human experience even in a globalised culture.
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.
The choice film for the September 17 edition, is ‘VIVA RIVA!’, (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 — barrels of fuel they can sell for a huge profit. Of course they're not the only ones who want the stuff…
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.

WORKSHOP ON STORYTELLING, SCRIPTING & CONTENT MANAGEMENT

iREPRESENT International Documentary Film Forum (iREP) in colaboration with the Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the United Consulates Lagos presents the:
2011 WORKSHOP ON STORY TELLING, SCRIPTING AND CONTENT MANAGEMENT, an industry clinic targeted at professionals within the various disciplines of film making.

The workshop will specifically focus on scripting, storytelling and content management.

About 30 participants, whose vocations have to do with scripting and content management have been drawn from the various guilds and associations to participate in the workshop, which will cover both Fiction and non-Fiction storytelling and scripting. The participants were nominated by their various Guilds.

The Instructor of the workshop is MICHAEL GOZZARD, a multiple-award winning scripter and content manager of international repute fropm the USA, who has traversed the major centres of film production and discourse around the world instructing similar workshops and clinics.

Who is a Culture Minister

Who Is A Culture Minister?


By Segun Ojewuyi

TRUST me, the premise is simple. Artists are fueled by a burning passion to create art — expressive and qualitative art that conveys the ennobling power of deep thought and penetrating insight, balanced with beauty. Artists — Nigerian artists not excempted — also want to make a dignified living, the kind that respects and provides the sanctity necessary for creativity to flourish. Where there is talent, good training and tenacity of purpose, such a combination of critical artistic and commercial success, should not be hard to find. Often the artist just wants to be able to keep the creative work unhindered, maintain a responsible family life and foster good citizenship.

Opulence is not a requirement, but also not anathema. The artistic life is a cause not a curse, it is one of service not servitude, nobility not futility. It is a life that is just as worthy of every breath, every second and minutia of creativity and labour that the artist puts in, as well as every accolade and Naira that the recipient cohesive civic community invests. There are models of such partnerships and success stories in the developed world. Making art is and must be vital to the well-being of society, community and country, just as the sustenance of the artist is and must be embraced as a necessity for societal identity, prosperity and health.

The documentary's last stand

MARK LAWSON - Jun 10 2011

Is this a good time for factual film-
making? It depends on your definitions of fact and film.

There are executives and directors who complain that there are too few documentaries on television these days, despite having large and enthusiastic audiences when they are shown. The problem is that what traditionalists mean by documentary is quite different from the star vehicles and "constructed reality" shows that are now popular.

The past decade has also seen a big increase in the number of documentaries made for cinema. The success of Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine (2002) and Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me (2004) began a phenomenon in which a format (the reporter-director) and subject matter (gun control, fast food) that would once have been restricted to television played in multiplexes. Banksy's Exit Through the Gift Shop, James Marsh's Man on Wire and Sebastian Junger's Restrepo, which was co-directed by the late Tim Hetherington, have all been Oscar-nominated (Man on Wire won in 2009).

Does this mean documentary is now on an equal footing with mainstream, feature cinema? Or, given its largely indifferent box-office performance, is it simply flourishing in a soon-to-be-closed bolt hole -- a genre for which TV no longer has the time or money?