Films & Events
The fifth edition of Africa in Motion from 21 October to 5 November 2010 features more than 70 films from 28 African countries.
The festival opens in a celebratory manner with a sensual film by award-winning Chadian director Mahamat-Saleh Haroun: Sex, Okra and Salted Butter. The opening film will be followed by a reception with drinks and nibbles in the Filmhouse café.
The action-packed opening weekend will see the attendance of Jean-Marie Teno, one of Africa’s most talented documentary filmmakers, with two of his films screening and a masterclass led by the director. A poetry afternoon at the Scottish Poetry Library and films with a poetic feel will be complemented by the screening of Nigerian films and films celebrating the release of Nelson Mandela twenty years ago. Discussions with experts in the different fields will follow the films and audiences will get the chance to engage with the films in Q&A sessions.
The first week of the festival will see days themed around individual causes for celebration: independence, environment, music, beauty and design. The second week continues our optimistic view on the African continent and its films with focuses on the amazing Francophone creativity, more music and dance, and – of course – African sports!
During the two-week festival several events will highlight the theme of celebrations running throughout the whole of the festival. A painting on film workshop, a dance masterclass, a children’s day with films made by and for children, a storytelling event and an animation workshop, as well as a fashion show, are all intended to spoil our audiences with exciting new experiences.
For the third time, we present our Short Film Competition supporting emerging talent from Africa, where the winner of the £500 prize money will be announced.
Please use the Sort by filters above to browse through the programme.
You can download the full programme from the links on the left.
Most screenings take place at Filmhouse Cinema, unless otherwise indicated. The afternoons of documentary screenings at the Edinburgh College of Art are free and non-ticketed.
Tickets can be booked in person at Filmhouse box office, or on the phone: 0131 228 2688 (open from 12 noon – 9.00pm daily), or online at www.filmhousecinema.com (no booking fees!)
Ticket prices:
Matinees (Mon to Thu) (Performances starting before 5.00pm): Full price £5.40, concessions £3.50
Friday Bargain Matinees: Full price £4.00, concessions £2.50
Evening Screenings & Sat/Sun Matinees (Performances starting 5.00pm or later): Full price £6.90, concessions £5.20
Ticket deals:
See any three (or more) films in the festival and get 15% off, see any six (or more) films and get 25% off, see any nine (or more) films and get 35% off. Tickets must all be bought at the same time.
AiM wants to reward its loyal audience members and has a very special offer in store. The first twenty people to book three films for the festival in one go at the box office will receive a free Africa in Motion bag stuffed with surprise goodies. Book your ticket in person and don’t delay – there is only a limited amount of goodie bags available.
Venue: Filmhouse
This delightful, light-hearted satire is somewhat of a thematic departure for Chadian director Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, whose previous work (Abouna and Darrat, both shown at previous AiM festivals) dealt with much heavier subject matters. This year Haroun's extraordinary filmmaking talent was internationally rewarded through receiving the Jury Prize at Cannes for his latest film Un homme qui crie (A Screaming Man). Sex, Okra and Salted Butter is, as the title suggests, a provocative and endlessly entertaining film, touching upon serious issues of modern African identity and social roles under its smooth and seductive veneer.
Africa in Motion 2010 will be opened by the festival directors. All audience members are invited to a reception in the Filmhouse café bar after the screening, featuring South African wine, Scottish snacks and Afro-Scottish entertainment. Our thanks to Scotland Food & Drink for generously sponsoring the canapés for the reception. Entertainment by ‘Zawadi Express’, Pan-African choir, percussion and dance, plus D.J. Tribbaz from Zimbabwe.
Venue: Filmhouse
In a daring free style construction, Africa, I Will Fleece You mixes past and present, establishing a link between yesterday's colonial experience and today's violence and corruption in Cameroon, the only African country colonised by three European powers. Afrique, I Will Fleece You provides a devastating overview of 100 years of cultural genocide in Africa.
We are delighted to have Jean-Marie Teno in attendance to talk to the audience after the screening. Teno is also presenting a Masterclass in Documentary Filmmaking at the Edinburgh College of Art on Fri afternoon, 22 Oct, and we will be screening another of his Documentaries on Sat 23 Oct.
Venue: Filmhouse
In essence, this film is a story of metamorphosis, the metamorphosis of a beautiful woman and her relationship to the world that surrounds her. Ramata’s story echoes the philosophy and the poetry of president-poet Léopold Sédar Senghor, independent Senegal’s first president. Instead of the stereotypically African backgrounds, director Léandre-Alain Baker, from Congo-Brazzaville, has chosen to set the film in a very sombre light, reflecting the dark mystery of its characters and their situations. The role of Ramata is played by stunning Guinean-born model Katoucha Niane, an outspoken activist against female genital mutilation, who tragically drowned in the Seine River in February 2008, just after the film’s completion.
Venue: Filmhouse
Venue: Filmhouse
To link with the screening of Reflections of Ethiopia, Edinburgh’s Fairtrade outlet One World Shop (at St John’s Church, Princes St) is inviting audience members for a free cup of Fairtrade Ethiopian coffee and nibbles, whilst browsing their wide selection of African food and gifts. Come along to One World Shop after the poetry readings and before the screening, between 4.30pm and 5.30pm.
Venue: Filmhouse
The City Breath project is a groundbreaking initiative that has initiated and developed new collaborations in the areas of the video poem, screen dance and experimental film in South Africa.
For further information about this film, see here.
Venue: Filmhouse
Through the lives of three characters: Jules Cesar, the djembé maker and player, Bouba, the video-club manager of a neighbourhood movie salon that also serves as a praying place, and Abbo, a 50 year-old senior technician who decided to become a public letter writer, Teno skilfully lays out his rich, complex and profound observations on the many paradoxes of today's Africa. One of the many contradictions the director displays is the absence of African films in African distribution at a time of remarkable technological advances.
Sacred Places brings into view things that are personal, sacred and close to Teno's heart: identity in times of globalisation, the state of African cinema and the complicated relationship between art, popular culture and business. Honouring African traditions of oral culture, the director allows the richness of everyday conversations to place the film's weight on the words that are at the origin of any meaningful action.
We are delighted to have Jean-Marie Teno in attendance to talk to the audience after the screening. Teno is also presenting a masterclass in documentary filmmaking at the Edinburgh College of Art on Fri afternoon, 22 Oct, and we will be screening another of his documentaries the same evening.
Teco Benson is one of the most productive Nollywood directors. The film is unique for its collaboration between a Nollywood film director and a UK-based child rights NGO, Stepping Stones Nigeria. It fearlessly deals with the controversial subject of child witches. It particularly focuses on the legal consequences for the perpetrators of child rights abuse in order to encourage families and communities to question their beliefs. The film is also an action-packed thriller that examines the role of religion and the church in Nigerian society today. The Fake Prophet is filled with suspense, drama and intrigue: viewers will be on the edge of their seats from beginning to end.
Stepping Stones Nigeria was conceived by Gary Foxcroft in 2003 and is now one of the most effective international child rights charities working in the Niger Delta. The charity is dedicated to supporting the rights of vulnerable and exploited children such as the so-called child ‘witches’ and ‘wizards’ of the Niger Delta. By working in partnership with local community organisations, the charity delivers education, refuge, healthcare and hope for a brighter future to over 2,000 Nigerian children.
Gary Foxcroft will be present after the screening to talk to audiences about the work of Stepping Stones Nigeria and the issues touched upon in the film.
For further information about the film, see here.
Venue: Filmhouse
A panel of experts on the Nigerian entertainment industry will host a discussion with the audience after the screening.
Femi Folorunso is a Programme Development Officer at Creative Scotland. Femi lectured in Drama and Cultural Studies at universities in Nigeria and the UK before joining the Scottish Arts Council (Creative Scotland since 1 July 2010). Femi continues to retain a strong academic interest in drama and cultural theory as well as in cultural policy development. He is an occasional visiting lecturer in postcolonial literature at the University of Dundee. His current research interests include disenfranchisement of immigrants under the neoliberal reconstruction of citizenship.
Oludolapo Ojediran is a research student in the Drama and Creative Industries Department at Queen Margaret University. She is a graduate of Performing Arts, University of Ilorin, Nigeria, where she also obtained a Master of Arts degree in the same field and specialises in Dramatic Criticism.
Award-winning South African photographer Jurgen Schadeberg and the BBC joined forces with the team behind Voices from Robben Island, to create this definitive documentary on possibly the most infamous island in 20th century world history. In an age in which the freedom of the individual has arisen, this island has become symbolic of the many struggles that continue to take place. The film looks at the Island’s 400-year history through the eyes of people incarcerated there. From those lepers and lunatics that were first locked up in the 17th century to its most (in)famous inmates Mandela, Sisulu, Mbeki, Kathrada, Mlangeni – the freedom fighters against apartheid South Africa.
Voices of Robben Island reveals the great courage of some of its prisoners through the personal accounts of individuals such as Mandela and Mbeki. The result is not simply a moving character-led film, but a piece of history in itself.
Venue: Filmhouse
Kamel is a hired killer, who receives his orders on the internet. He usually calls Souad to make love after his hits and, each time, Kenza answers the phone. She directs the traffic in the mornings around the city’s largest traffic island. Kamel soon finds himself falling in love with her voice. The city dances and taunts, the characters tiptoe around each other and bump into each other at the most unexpected instances. WWW is a film with a big and pounding heart that, despite its unexpected twists and turns, lands on its feet.
This screening is kindly sponsored by Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Edinburgh.
Venue: Filmhouse
Ousmane is from West Africa, an immigrant in France, and Mrs Sommers lives a quiet life in the Channel Islands. Their chance meeting, as they search for their student children in London, results in a most unlikely bond. Their mutual humanity and compassion is heart-warming. Due to their similar predicament, they give each other the strength to continue the search, putting aside their cultural differences and learning that the difference between them is not actually that big.
London River features the famous Burkinabe actor Sotigui Kouyaté (also in Genesis) who died in April this year, and whose life we are celebrating during the festival.
French-Algerian film director Rachid Bouchareb is famous for his films Indigènes (Days of Glory, 2006) and Hors-la-Loi (Outside the Law, 2010), both controversial in France as they breach the taboo surrounding the relationship between France and Algeria.
Venue: Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place, Room O17
This short film has a message of hope in times of great pollution. Accra in Ghana is groaning under the weight of the plastic trash amassed on dumping grounds. Trashy Bags, a local initiative by Stuart Gold, has found an innovative and playful way to deal with the amount of plastic trash: they have become designers of highly original and fashionable bags of all shapes and sizes.
A representative of Trashy Bags from London will be present and available to speak to audiences after the screening. You might get the opportunity to buy your own trashy bag!
Venue: Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place, Room O17
Baallow is a proud and educated Hadza, one of the last tribes of hunter-gatherers in Africa. The survival of his people has become a matter of great urgency to him after the Tanzanian government's latest ploy to try and lease their ancient land for sports hunting. The film follows Baallow, a powerful figure and a charismatic self-appointed leader of the Hadza, as he travels long distances on his motorbike across unspoilt tribal territory in Central Tanzania, to drum up support for a change.
World Sales/Distribution: JMT Films Distribution Contact: Michael Treves [email protected] (20 Bialik st. 63324 Tel Aviv Israel) (+972-3-525 4782 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +972-3-525 4782 end_of_the_skype_highlighting)
Web site: http://www.jmtfilms.com/document.htm#thisland
Venue: Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place, Room O17
This visually stunning documentary traces a journey over seven years into the memory and landscape of the nomadic Himba people of arid Northern Namibia. Guided by their oral history and rich ancestral tradition they resist the development of a dam scheme that will destroy their world forever. Confronted with the wholeness of their existence, the film poses questions about first world development and our own fragmented modern world.
The Dancing Forest seeks out the group of women who supported Séda from its beginnings 25 years ago, and details their unlikely triumph. Disseminating new methods of sustainable agriculture anchored on the ways of their forefathers, they resurrected an entire village.
This award-winning documentary offers a rare and intimate encounter with the fascinating women and men who fight the fights of daily persistence. Bursting with West Africa’s vibrant sights and sounds, The Dancing Forest goes beyond the usual African story of desolation and poverty to unveil a world of dignity and hope – a world where forests can dance.
Filmmaker Brice Lainé will be present to talk to audiences after the screening.
For further information about the film, see here.
This is one of two Scottish-produced films that will be used by schools across Scotland to teach about global citizenship and sustainable development.
A representative of the JANEEMO project will be present to talk to the audience after the screening.
Venue: Filmhouse
The Fezeka High School Choir may be the national champion, but their school sits in one of the most deprived areas in South Africa. Gugulethu Township, like most ghettos within South Africa, is infected by many of the hardships brought on by extreme poverty. The film follows Phumi and three of his most talented singers as they, along with the rest of the choir, gear up for the trip of a lifetime: an invitation to perform in England as part of the Salisbury International Arts Festival, the children's first time outside of South Africa. It is a magical time for Fezeka's choir as they begin to understand what it is to feel wanted, accepted and proud.
Director Holly Lubbock will be in attendance to talk to the audience after the screening. Over the past ten years, Holly has been working in the British television industry as a successful editor with some of the UK’s top production companies. Having co-produced and co-edited the award-winning documentary Rave Against The Machine about the effect of civil war on pop culture in Bosnia, in 2004, she has become committed to giving life to documentaries with humanity as a central theme. Fezeka’s Voice is Holly’s first feature-length documentary as director.
Having spent a year off and on filming in Gugulethu, it became clear to Holly that whilst ambition and talent was plentiful at Fezeka High School, money was not and thus The Fezeka Project was born. This project is an alignment between Ciel Productions and the Fezeka Scholarship Fund, a registered UK charity created by those in Salisbury who had invited the choir to perform in England and who wanted to give back to the children who had brought them so much joy.
Phumi’s love and encouragement may be enough to get these kids to the doors of universities, but it is not enough to secure their tuition which is why support of the Fezeka Scholarship Fund is crucial to ensuring children from all over Gugulethu township are supported in whatever they hope to achieve.
Donations to The Fezeka Project will be split 70/30 with 70% going directly to the Fezkea Scholarship Fund and 30% used to help the filmmakers continue screening Fezeka’s Voice as far and wide as possible. For more information and details of how to donate please visit www.fezeka.com/howtohelp.
For further information about the film, see here.
Venue: Filmhouse
A shortlist of eight films was compiled from all the entries, with a focus on films that are well made, stylistically innovative and original, with interesting and captivating subject matters and storylines.
The winner, who receives £500 in cash, is selected by our high-profile jury, chaired by the winner of last year’s short film competition, Paul Emmanuel (3SAI: A Rite of Passage). The winner will be announced directly after the screenings, with the audience also getting an opportunity to vote for their favourite, announced at the closing screening of the festival on 5 Nov.
Our thanks to The Africa Channel and African Movie Channel for sponsoring the prize for the short film competition.
The Shortlisted films are:
To watch the trailer, click here.
For further information about the film, see here.
Venue: Filmhouse
The Absence is an intimate and brutal thriller by Vietnamese/Guinean filmmaker Mama Keïta and deservedly won the award for best screenplay at the 2009 FESPACO film festival.
The screening of The Absence is kindly sponsored by the Society for Francophone Postcolonial Studies.
Venue: Filmhouse
To set up our evening of East African films, audience members are invited to Edinburgh’s Fairtrade outlet, One World Shop (at St John’s Church, Princes St) for free Fairtrade Ugandan coffee and Kenyan tea with nibbles before the screenings. Come along from 4.30pm to 5.30pm to browse Edinburgh’s best selection of ethical African crafts, food and gifts.
iMANi provides a refreshing look at Uganda post Idi Amin and post LRA (Lords Resistance Army). In the course of just one day, we venture into the lives of three characters within the diverse landscape of contemporary Uganda. A young new talent, director Caroline Kamya gives us an intimate portrait of the lives of a child soldier, a maid and a hip-hop dancer living in contemporary Uganda.
iMANi is a visual feast of stunning worlds revealing the little known city of Kampala and the formerly war-torn region of Gulu. The blend of popular contemporary local language and hip-hop alongside traditional African beats carries the narratives. Skilfully woven together these form a tapestry of both rural and urban life in Uganda.
For further information about the film, see here.
Venue: Filmhouse
The storyline of the film is entirely based on real events and the people of Kibera, especially the children, have been at the centre of the filmmaking process. During the shooting, participants as well as bystanders informally discussed how the violence affected them and how re-enacting it affects them. It is the filmmakers’ hope that Togetherness Supreme will enable people to reflect on what happened, help bring healing and prevent further tribalist violence.
The screening of Togetherness Supreme is kindly sponsored by Global Concerns Trust , and will be preceded by an event in which Global Concerns Trust will introduce the story of a young boy from Kibera. Mkono came home one afternoon to find his family had disappeared and was forced to fend for himself from the age of five. He founded the Humble Generation project and now works tirelessly with children who are living on the street. Through film excerpts featuring Mkono, live traditional East African music and a live physical storytelling performance by Kenyan storyteller Mara Menzies, his story will be brought to life.
The screening will be followed by a live African music performance in the Filmhouse café bar: ‘Music for the Soul’ from Senegal with Sylvain Ayité and D.J. Jaffar, also from Senegal.
For further information about the film, see here.
Venue: Filmhouse
The Importance of Being Elegant is the story of one of the most unusual clubs in the world: La Sape. Its members, the Sapeurs, come from the Democratic Republic of Congo and have elevated fashion to the status of a religion. Despite extreme economic hardships the Sapeurs will only settle for ultra-expensive labels such as Roberto Cavalli, Versace, Issey Miyake and Burberry. How do they afford these luxury items? The film gently unravels the secrets of the flamboyant cult. Set to the soundtrack of Congo's extraordinary music, the film follows the Sapeurs’ spiritual leader, Papa Wemba, the world-famous musician known as “The King of La Sape”. The story opens with Wemba's release on bail in July 2003 from French prison after being charged with smuggling illegal immigrants into Europe for profit. Threatened with legal fees and an upcoming trial, he records a new album and prepares for an extravagant comeback concert in Paris.
The Importance of Being Elegant took two years to complete and received widespread critical acclaim. It was shortlisted for 2005’s Grierson Award and won Best Documentary at the Zanzibar International Film Festival.
For further information on Amponsah’s work, see: http://www.georgeamponsah.com/.
For further information about this film, see here.
Famous Tunisian director Nouri Bouzid wrote and directed this French-Tunisian drama. With such films as his acclaimed Man of Ashes and Golden Horseshoes he established himself early on as an a-typical Tunisian filmmaker, tackling taboos such as homosexuality and inter-religious tolerance. His most recent film, Making Of, which screened at AiM08, is a provocative deliberation on terrorism.
Venue: Filmhouse
Today is dedicated to our young audiences, with the day starting with screenings of a range of African films for and by children, followed by a storytelling event and an animation workshop in the afternoon, where children will create their own short animation film! Our children’s day is generously sponsored by the Commonwealth Foundation
Children’s programmes, longer animated films for cinema screenings and films made by children themselves are growing in number and popularity. AiM wants to offer Scottish children the opportunity to see on the big screen what African children watch at home. We will take you on a journey of colour and invention as well as show you some films made by children, showing that it is possible for kids to make wonderful films!
We will screen an action packed film made by young children in Accra, Ghana. The film was written, directed, produced, filmed and acted by the children of a school called Street Academy aged between 7 and 15 years, initiated by Akosia. Akosia is an organisation that creates and organises cultural projects for underprivileged children and in Accra they took 40 children who attend Street Academy on a creative filmmaking journey.
We will screen a number of animations, including one in which the figures are vegetables and fruit! Two shorts made by Eritrean immigrants in the UK explain to children how strange it is to live far away from home. A Tunisian film touchingly portrays a boy who is learning to live without his beautiful mother, and a range of animations by Alfred Muchilwa (who will assist children in making their own animation film in the afternoon) will bring colour and music to the morning
AiM has linked up with Lola Kenya Screen in Nairobi for some of the films in the programme. Lola Kenya Screen is an annual international audiovisual media festival, production workshop and market for children and youth in eastern Africa. It is their goal to encourage children from around the world to express themselves in film and other media, to learn new skills and have fun while doing this. We are pleased to screen a few children’s films chosen for us by the director of Lola Kenya Screen as they also celebrated their fifth anniversary this year.
For further information about Fish out of Water & Zebra (part of Children's Films), see here.
For further information about Africa Animated (part of Children's Films), see here.
Venue: Filmhouse
From thriving underground roots to sell-out festivals, I Love Hip Hop in Morocco deals frankly with threats to freedom of expression and the age old dilemma of youth trying to find a way of rebelling and conforming at the same time. With moments of comedy and introspection plus some technical hiccups along the way, this documentary is a triumphant paean to the power of creativity and the youthful energy and ambition of a gifted generation of musicians fighting to win a platform for their work.
For further information about the film, see here.
Venue: Filmhouse
In Western consciousness it is a country, seductive in its mystery, which has fuelled the imagination. It is a country full of jungles, wild animals and savage tribes giving rise to such comic or romantic depictions in film as Jungle Jim and Congo Bill, or even Carry on up the Congo, and more famously The Nun's Story and The African Queen. Livingstone and Stanley evoke tales of intrepid exploration. The ravages of King Leopold II of Belgium and the mad excesses of its own dictator, Mobuto Sese Seko make it the archetypal African country.
In the eastern part of the country especially, nature offers up its riches in abundance. It is elemental, almost primeval, with the beautiful Lake Kivu under which are bubbling beds of methane, lush vegetation growing from the rich, volcanic soil, with Mount Nyiragongo near Goma throwing out red hot lava every day. Its natural wealth has long been the cause of death and destruction. Mostly, it is a country that will always be known as the 'Heart of Darkness'. With such a tumultuous history, there seems to be very little to celebrate.
Our evening dedicated to the DRC, one of the countries commemorating 50 years of independence this year, will show the reality of life in this country stripped of myth and mystery.
In Congo in Four Acts, four young Congolese directors react to these projections by offering an insider’s view. Their cameras delve into different microcosms. The first film begins with the absurd everyday life of a run-down maternity ward. Many mothers cannot leave the hospital after giving birth because they cannot pay the bill and have to negotiate some sort of collateral with the long-suffering manager. The second film is a hard-hitting tour through the imploding infrastructure of the capital city Kinshasa. The third film focuses on rape as a weapon of war through the arrest of a group of youths who attack a woman returning from the shops. The fourth film focuses on Kipushi, one of thousands of mining towns keeping the elite of the DRC in extreme wealth, but for those who live in the shadow of its toxic fallout, it is a very difficult life.
Trained on the ground, the directors of these four short documentaries aim to rectify stereotypical images of the DRC. They examine the democratic state of the Congo: four filmmakers making their own personal film about their beloved country. Most films that have been made in the DRC are produced and directed by foreigners who parachute in for short periods of time and take a snapshot of society, mainly looking at the horrors of war and deprivation. Frustrated with this image of their country, they set out to make films that are about ordinary people and their struggle for existence and survival. These films celebrate the resilience of human beings and their dignity in the face of the toughest surroundings and the most unfortunate of circumstances. It is ultimately an uplifting experience.
The screenings will be followed by discussion.
Venue: Filmhouse
It is a deeply disturbing, enraging, distressing journey where Judith is faced with the harrowing stories of the women and the perpetrators. It shows that this is a problem that is both complex beyond our imaginings and yet as fundamental as can be - how ordinary people can be driven by a few to do unspeakable things to others just to survive another day.
Yet just when it seems that the deepest abyss of depravity has been reached, Judith finds a place where the extraordinary power of life and possibility, of hope and courage, of vitality and beauty – the cornerstones of Africa – is being created. Amidst the unimaginable statistics of rape, the undeniable resilience of woman and of the human spirit can truly be celebrated.
This documentary also celebrates the power of storytelling and by telling the stories, how change can be brought to bear. The telling of her own story allows Judith to tell the story of each woman she meets, who are the faces and voices of thousands of other stories. We can see and hear the real story of the country at the heart of the African continent. And every one of us can tell the stories. Storytelling can help the broken heart of Africa begin to heal. That is the African way.
The screening will also include readings, music and a slide-show of photographs from the DRC. We are delighted to have Judith Wanga in attendance, who will tell the audience more about her extraordinary journey in a discussion after the screening. Judith is a journalist, writer and campaigner for Human Rights focusing on the rights of women. After her experiences of travelling back to the DRC, Judith now campaigns to highlight the plight of women in the DRC. She currently lives in North London.
Our thanks to Moragh Reid for organising the DRC evening.
For further information about the film, see here.
Venue: Filmhouse
Venue: Filmhouse
The screenings of the three dance films will be followed by a discussion with African dance experts.
For further information about the film, see here.
Venue: Filmhouse
His bold, energetic and highly emotional work is inspired by both life and identity, including the heart-wrenching death of a beloved sister from AIDS. Backed by his own music, fusing African, raga and hip-hop, this deeply touching documentary covers Bawren's roller-coaster transition from one culture to another and his embrace of both. The film looks at the riches that Bawren's street culture has brought to contemporary dance and probes not only what it means to be African, but also what it is that Westerners find in Tavaziva's work that they may have lost.
We are delighted to have Bawren Tavaziva present at the festival to host a discussion with the audience after the screening. Bawren is also presenting a masterclass at Dance Base on Sunday morning, 31 Oct. Attending the masterclass earns you entry to the film screening at concession price, please enquire at Filmhouse box office.
Venue: Filmhouse
Senegalese artist, director, musician and writer Moussa Sene Absa has received many accolades for his work. Featuring music by famous West African musicians including Majoly, Serge Fiori and Mamadou Diabate, Madame Brouette features an extraordinary soundtrack and deservedly won a Best Film Music Award in Berlin.
Venue: Filmhouse
Director Dani Kouyaté is the son of famous Burkinabe actor Sotigui Kouyaté, who passed away in April this year and whose legacy AiM is celebrating through two films (London River and Genesis). The Kouyatés have served as griots (West African praise singers) for the Keita clan since the 13th century, and Dani is continuing this storytelling legacy through his filmmaking.
Ouaga Saga is a fast-paced comedy set in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. The story revolves around a group of unemployed boys making do as best they can. Though wracked by poverty, they continue to dream, each harbouring an unlikely ambition and always willing to take every opportunity that presents itself. When they manage to make some quick cash, the money brings complications and the one constant in the boys' lives - their loyalty to each other – begins to buckle under the burden of this newfound wealth. A freak piece of luck, however, could solve all their problems and save their now fragile friendship and maybe, just maybe allow them to finally realise their ambitions.
The screening of Ouaga Saga is kindly sponsored by School of Languages, Cultures and Religions at the University of Stirling.
Venue: Filmhouse
Unlike Hollywood's sanitised versions of the Bible, Genesis shows men driven as much by greed and anger as by devotion to God. Using the striking African landscape, acclaimed Malian director Cheick Oumar Sissoko creates a powerful story of hatred and revenge that resonates universally. The film stars famous Malian afro-pop musician Salif Keita, as well as the award-winning Burkinabe actor Sotigui Kouyaté (also in London River), who passed away in April this year and whose legacy AiM is honouring in this year's festival.
The screening of Genesis is kindly sponsored by School of Languages, Cultures and Religions at the University of Stirling.
Venue: Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place, Room O17
Amagagu: Dreaming the New explores the lives, works and aspirations of two very different South African artists, one a young visual “spontaneous” artist Nico Phooka, and the other, a mature playwright and dramatist Fatima Dike. We follow them through their artistic collaboration and observe how two very different art forms melt together and fuse to create new forms of expression, whether through poetry, drama, music or painting. Through the two fascinating protagonists the film explores their backgrounds, cultures, and belief systems and how they see themselves and their work in the greater society, while providing an insight and profound vision for the future of South Africa.
Venue: Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place, Room O17
This vibrant documentary focuses on the Senegalese sabar, a traditional drum played with one hand and one stick, originally used to communicate to other villages. The film centres on a famous family of griots (West African praise singers), the Fayes. In Kaay Fi, which literally means “come here”, the viewer is invited into the world of the sabar and the Faye family, with the film set mainly in Street 23, the home of this remarkable intergenerational family. The family's life revolves around the sabar: they must constantly maintain and tune it, invent new bakk (musical phrases) and dance steps, and of course, dance and play it at every possible opportunity.
Mwamba Ngoma
(Tune the Drum)Venue: Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place, Room O17
There was no music in pre-colonial Tanzania: there was Ngoma (drums). No matter the ceremony, whatever the cause, Ngoma set the beat. To this day, Ngoma is all about involvement, about joining rather than watching. Spectator and performer become one, and the drum beats on. Musiki was born of cultural exchanges with the outside world. Musiki brought a new musical dimension to Tanzania – music solely for entertainment, music that people came to hear. From there it grew into a thriving industry in a cosmopolitan nation. The filmmaker asks: where did these two concepts meet in Tanzania? The film is a panorama of Tanzanian music history and industry.
Venue: Filmhouse
Mahmoud Ben Mahmoud is a Tunisian documentary maker famous for his storytelling approach of moderation and tolerance. He knows how to express his attachment to the virtues of ethnic pluralism and cultural diversity. This film is a triumph as it promotes humility, tolerance and beauty – the Sufi cornerstones.
The prize is the Silver Fez, Holy Grail of Cape Town’s Islamic subculture. The campaign involves a cast of thousands and a staggering array of skills, the most sacred of which is the playing of ancient music that arrived in the Cape on slave ships. Tracing the roots of the music as well as the future of the bands playing it, this film offers a privileged insight into Cape Town’s Malay subculture.
Our day of wonderful music documentaries from all over the continent will conclude with a live African music performance in the Filmhouse café bar: Baobab Gateway, ‘Strings that Sing’, plus D.J. Gaoussou from Mali.
This is a spirited look at Ghana through the eyes of those fighting for their dreams.
For further information on Amponsah’s work, see: http://www.georgeamponsah.com/.
For further information about the film, see here.
For further information about the film, see here.
To watch the Making Of, click here.
Venue: Filmhouse
To conclude our day focused on sport in Africa, we bring you this wonderful tale of football, childhood, dreams and hope.
When our charming young protagonist, Bandian, realises that he would need to work 750 days to pay for a proper leather football, the doctor in charge of the humanitarian hospital of the area brings him back a football from one of her European trips. Obsessed with the fame of the Golden Ball football trophy, the children of the village decide to paint the football with gold paint.
This rags-to-riches tale depicts what must have been the youth of many a football legend who enchant the pitches of Europe every weekend and have their salaries and love lives scrutinised in the tabloids. The Golden Ball gives us hints as to where these football stars come from and shows the incredible obstacles the heroes of the beautiful game had to overcome to make it big.
All the sport films screened in the festival are kindly sponsored by Centre of African Studies, University of Edinburgh.
Venue: Filmhouse
Narrated by famous Egyptian actor Omar Sharif, Umm Kulthum: A Voice Like Egypt is the first documentary to bring Umm Kulthum to an international audience. The film puts her life in the context of the epic story of 20th century Egypt as it shook off colonialism and confronted modernity. The camera explores her astonishing connection with her audience, taking us into her village in the Nile Delta and into the cafes, markets and streets of Cairo where she lived and worked. From the Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz to a 12-year old girl in an outdoor restaurant, people speak about the role Umm Kulthum’s music has played in their lives and sing their favourite songs for the camera.
Marilyn Booth, Professor in Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Edinburgh, worked on this documentary as a translator and will be present at the screening to speak of her experiences and to share her insider’s knowledge on Umm Kulthum.
Venue: Filmhouse
This colourful documentary will get everyone’s feet tapping, and is brimming with the vibrancy and rhythms of the wonderful music of Cape Verde.
For further information about the film, see here.
Venue: Filmhouse
Winner of numerous awards at film festivals all over the world, talented South African director Minky Schlesinger's film has a superb script, which expertly draws out the timeless appeal of Shakespeare’s work. With editing that captures the breathless pace of the narrative, the result is a film that will speak to young and old.
Venue: Filmhouse
Touching upon important themes of independence, the relationship between Europe and its ex-colonies, displacement and belonging, and the search for an African identity, this beautiful and thought provoking film is a fitting conclusion to 16 days of celebrating African cultures and histories and interrogating what 50 years of independence means for Africa.
The film will be preceded by screenings of the winner of the short film competition and the audience choice award. After the screening we invite everyone to the Africa in Motion Closing Gala.
For further information about the film, see here.
ELATIM OO IMURAN – A MAASAI WEDDING CELEBRATION
A selection of stunning photographs by Fiona Macalister, taken at a Maasai wedding in the foothills of Mount Meru in Northern Tanzania.
Young Maasai women, bedecked in traditional, elaborate bead-work necklaces, decorative kangas and shúkà cloths, participate in rhythmic throat singing, accompanied by hypnotic, ululating neck movements. Wild circles of jumping Imuran, the proud young warriors, surround them, while the Mzes, their elders, officiate and look on with a critical eye.
Like a gathering of the clans, summoned by the greater kudu horn, this age-old celebration continued throughout the day, as groups competed for superiority in their daring antics, jumping and shrieking, their heels never touching the ground.
Originally from Kintyre, Fiona set up Heart Beat, promoting world music throughout Scotland, after attending a friend’s wedding in Bolivia. She was the Press & Publicity Officer for the Zanzibar International Film Festival, also known as The Festival of the Dhow Countries, where she worked with young Maasai filmmaker, Furaha Levilal. She returned for his wedding in December 2006, to participate in the spectacular two-day celebration, at Langijave, near Arusha and Furaha brought his documentary Mwalimu: the Legacy of Julius Nyerere to last year’s Africa in Motion Festival.
All proceeds from this exhibition will go towards buying a cow for Furaha’s family, all of whose cattle have perished during recent severe droughts.
FACES of AFRICA
All Moragh Reid's photographs capture the faces of the men, women and children - and even some animals – Moragh has encountered during her work and travels in Africa. They portray simple and spontaneous moments of everyday life – in ritual, in celebration, in joy, in sadness, but mostly just going about the ordinary business of their day.
All proceeds of this exhibition will be donated to the Genocide Memorial Centre, Kigali, Rwanda.
Venue: Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place, Main Lecture Theatre
We are delighted to welcome Jean-Marie Teno as our guest of honour at this year's festival. Teno will lead a masterclass at the Edinburgh College of Art on Fri, 22 Oct and will also introduce two of his documentaries to audiences, screened on Fri 22 Oct and Sat 23 Oct.
Born in Famleng, Cameroon, and with qualifications in communication, audio-visual techniques and media studies, Jean-Marie Teno has emerged as one of Africa's pre-eminent and most talented documentary filmmakers. Teno has been producing and directing films on the colonial and post-colonial history of Africa for over 20 years. In line with the celebrations of 50 years of independence of several African countries this year, AiM is focusing on some of Teno’s films that do exactly that: celebrate and interrogate the histories and vast riches of African countries and their independence and resilience in the face of horrific aspects of colonisation and post-colonialism.
Teno's films have been honoured at festivals worldwide, including Berlin, Toronto, San Francisco and London. He has been a guest of the Flaherty Seminar, an artist in residence at the Pacific Film Archive of the University of California, Berkeley, and has lectured at numerous universities.
Teno is best known for his film Afrique, je te plumerai (Africa, I will fleece you, 1992), screened on Fri 22 Oct. His latest films include: Lieux saints (Sacred Places, 2009), screened on Sat 23 Oct, Le Malentendu colonial (The Colonial Misunderstanding, 2004), Le Mariage d'Alex (Alex’s Wedding, 2002), and Vacances au pays (Trip to the Country, 2000). To learn more about Teno's work, visit www.jmteno.us.
Venue: Filmhouse Cinema
Africa in Motion & the Edinburgh Movie Production Society (EMPS) bring you the Edinburgh 24-hour film festival, where teams will write, film and edit together a 5-10 minute short film inspired by the phrase "Africa in Motion". The competition will be held from 11am on Sat 23 Oct to 11am on Sun 24 Oct and will include a packet that will be picked up at 11am at Filmhouse Cinema. Inside the packet will be two African-themed genres to choose from and a list of 15 objects or places (e.g. drum, Coca Cola bottle, St. Giles Cathedral) of which the teams must incorporate three into their film. Teams will disperse into the city of Edinburgh and will gain hands-on experience of the filmmaking process. No previous filmmaking experience is necessary, and camera equipment will be available. Mentors will be available to show you show to write your story, use a camera, and edit your films.
The following Wednesday, 27 Oct, EMPS will be hosting the screenings of all films and the films will also be available to view on the Africa in Motion online TV channel.
It will be a fast-paced, action-packed, thrilling 24-hours! Space is limited so RSVP today!
Email: [email protected] for further info and to register for the event.
Venue: Scottish Poetry Library, Crichton Close, just off the Royal Mile
To mark the auspicious occasion of Africa in Motion's fifth anniversary, we have organised an afternoon of poetry readings at the Scottish Poetry Library to showcase local aspiring poetic voices with links to Africa. Seven young African poets from around Scotland will offer poems written either by themselves or by their idols, dealing with the universal theme of HOME.
The poetry afternoon will be held on the bright mezzanine level of the Scottish Poetry Library. Entry is free, and there will be an opportunity to speak to the poets afterwards. AiM storyteller Mara Menzies will MC the event. If you are an aspiring poet yourself, bring your own work for a chance to read as well.
Later at Filmhouse we will screen African Poetry Films to mark this special poetry day.
To download the Poetry in Motion programme, click here.
Venue: Filmhouse Guild Room
Brand new stories share a space with old favourites from across Africa. Mara the storyteller is back with fantastic tales and incredible characters in an interactive and engaging storytelling session. Join in and let your imaginations run wild!
Venue: Filmhouse Guild Room
Red Kite Animation team up with animator Alfred Muchilwa from Kenya to give you the chance to create and film your own African inspired animation. Make a crazy hybrid beast from the African Tinga Tinga artwork and meet the great giant Jitu! Friend of foe, that’s up to you to decide.
Alfred Muchilwa is a Kenyan animator and comic book creator who began his animation career creating two films for the Africa Animated! series of workshops facilitated by UNESCO. His comics have been published in anthologies such as East Africa’s renowned literary journal Kwani?. His main focus has been on creating content with a strong African flavour that is accessible to a global audience, an endeavour that led him to his current designation as lead animator for Tiger Aspect’s Tinga Tinga Tales; East Africa’s first full animation production currently airing on CBeebies.
Jim Stirk is Red Kite’s workshop co-ordinator. He is an experienced workshop leader who believes children do better animation than big people.
This three-hour workshop costs £15 per child and is suitable for children between 9 and 12 years old. Places are limited, please book early! Children will be able to view their film afterwards on the Africa in Motion online TV channel.
For further information about Tinga Tinga Tales, see here.
Venue: Dance Base, Grassmarket
Our day dedicated to African dance kicks of with an energetic dance masterclass in collaboration with Dance Base , Scotland’s National Centre for Dance.
Tavaziva Dance invites you to be inspired, get creative and experience a new way of dancing. Catering for a wide range of abilities, this masterclass with Zimbabwean-born Bawren Tavaziva, founder and artistic director of Tavaziva Dance, will get the blood pumping, whilst challenging the body and mind to learn rhythmical patterns and imaginative dance moves. The class will consist of Bawren’s unique fusion of contemporary and traditional African techniques.
A documentary on Bawren entitled Dance Got Me will be screened at Filmhouse Cinema on Sunday evening 31 Oct. Attending the Masterclass earns you entry to the film screening at concession price – please enquire at Filmhouse box office
Venue: Filmhouse Guild Room
Africa in Motion is delighted to collaborate with Unravel, formed by recent graduates from the Royal College of Art in London and funded by the Deutsche Bank Award for Art 2010. Unravel is a collective of five artists who work primarily as film- and video-makers and deal with film in its material form. Their aim is to create a hand-painted film that will correlate in length with the 874 miles between Land’s End and John O'Groats, at a ratio of one frame of 16mm film for every one meter of the distance.
Through a touring workshop collaborating with more than 20 film festivals and institutions this Autumn, an epic 16 hour long film will be amassed, linking and being created by local communities throughout Britain. The project aims to turn the viewer into the maker of the work in a literally “hands-on” way.
The Unravel workshop at Africa in Motion is taking place in the Filmhouse Guild Room throughout the day. You can drop in anytime you wish and stay as long as your schedule allows. Participants will sit around a large table that will have clear 16mm celluloid taped all the way around it. Materials such as pens and paints will be provided for participants to use directly onto the film, some of which will be of surrounding towns and cities. The day will culminate in a screening of the final results where participants can take pride in viewing what they have had a hand in making.
The workshop is entirely free of charge and will be a fun, entertaining, informative and inspiring introduction to material forms of filmmaking that is accessible and open to all ages and abilities.
To watch an example of the Unravel film project, see: http://vimeo.com/12666743.
Venue: The Bongo Club, 37 Holyrood Road, Edinburgh EH8 8BA
Tickets £8 (£6 conc.) includes entry to after party (also at The Bongo Club), available on the door or in advance through Filmhouse box office, in person, on the phone or online.
Noir! and AiM are proud to present AFRICA/CELEBRATIONS, a dramatic fashion performance presenting Africa’s vibrant, cutting edge chic. Centred on a dynamic fashion show featuring designs by one of Africa’s leading fashion designers, Nkwo Onwuka, the night will present a cross section of fashion, film and music representing the beating heart of a continent undergoing a Renaissance.
Also expect exciting new fashion pieces exhibited on the night created by students at the ECA in response to the theme AFRICA/CELEBRATIONS.
After Party support from the award winning Trouble DJs (hosts of the capital's Radio 1 award-nominated Trouble club night) and new sparring partner Wolfjazz (Stepback, Trade Union, We Are Electric), bringing a mix of afrobeats , global sounds, dayglo hip hop, beats & bass, dubstep, uk funky, tropical, 2 step, dancehall, and electro.
Tanzanian singer Mim Suleiman will also be present to perform tracks from her debut album.
NKWO is an award-winning Nigerian fashion designer whose work has been presented at some of the world’s largest fashion weeks, including NY Fashion Week. She has already developed a cult following in the fashion, music and film industry with supporters such as Shingai Shoniwa, the lead singer from the indie rock band the Noisettes.
Noir! has a large following in Scotland, having staged vibrant parties and events in Edinburgh and Glasgow over the past year. Celebrating the most exciting established and emerging creative talent in Scotland and beyond, Noir! has rapidly gained a reputation for putting on one of the best nights around.
"Noir! is the new black" - Peter Ross, Scotland on Sunday.
www.noiredinburgh.blogspot.com