As part of Africa 05, Africa at the Pictures presents an exciting and groundbreaking festival of contemporary African film at a number of major venues across London (June - September 2005).
More than a dozen of Africa's film industry heavyweights, including the pioneering Ousmane sembene, and acclaimed directors, Souleymane Cisse, Idrissa Ouedraogo, William Kentridge , Horace Ové will attend the three-month festival.
Dozens of films, documentaries,animation, videos, and workshops will run at venues including the National Film Theatre, Barbican, Channel 4, London Film School and the Peckham Multiplex.
Launching Africa at the Pictures, 82-year-old OUSMANE SEMEBENE will attend the UK premiere of his latest film hosted in association with the bfi's Blackworld Festival. The controversial MOOLAADE - which will be distributed by Artificial Eye - won Best Film Un Certain Regard at Cannes 2004. It provides a shocking insight into female circumcision while, at the same time, being optimistic in its radical depiction of women as a strong force for change in Africa.
In partnership with the bfi's Blackworld there will be a season of Sembene's work from 3 - 24 June at the National Film Theatre including his first short, Borom Saret, which heralded the Senegalese director's arrival on the international scene. Sembene will also give a rare masterclass to students and young filmmakers (4 June) and on Sunday 5 June, an on-stage Guardian will follow a screening of Moolaade at the National Film Theatre.
Digital' and `Africa' may be - for those living outside the continent - a surprising pairing. Channel 4 are hosting a one day workshop `Digital Africa' to explore how digital technology can help aspiring filmmakers from Africa and equally from Europe, get their work on screen. This day celebrates young talent and the amazing energy young Africans have brought to drama by embracing digital technology and explores what young UK creatives can learn from their dynamic approach to a key TV form.`. The digital revolution is giving rise to a whole host of young, dynamic African TV and filmmaking talent. The cult South African series, Yizo Yizo, is an apt example, achieving record-breaking audiences and sparking intense debate nationally and in parliament with its fresh treatment of serious issues including xenophobia, murder and corruption.
Africa at the Pictures have invited two South African production teams to take part in this Workshop; the Bombshelter producers and directors of Yizo Yizo Teboho Mahlatsi,,Andrew Dosunmu, Desiree Markgraaf, Angus Gibson and the Dv8 producers and directors of Forgiveness and Max and Mona ;Jeremy Nathan,Joel Phiri, Teddy Mattera and Ian Gabriel.
Dv8 is the first digital feature project of its kind in South Africa, it represents a new way of making films in South Africa, a renaissance in South African film production, distribution and marketing, offering local filmmakers the opportunity to make their film without having to worry about finance, but rather to concentrate on writing and directing the best possible films.
UK film practitioners, including the London Film School, the National Film School will sit along side the filmmakers of Yizo Yizo and DV8 as guest speakers to celebrate and explore how digital technology can be used to create a new aesthetic in synch with the realities of today.
DIGITAL AFRICA (22-24 June at Channel 4 Cinema) will also see the screening of selected episodes from Yizo Yizo, as well as A Portrait of Youngman Drowning (dir. Teboho Mahlatsi Max) and Mona (dir. Teddy Mattera). Additional screenings will also run at the London Film School.
Also as part of Africa at the Pictures, Barbican Film will present programmes by three diverse and distinguished black and African filmmakers in association with bfi's Blackworld Festival. An animation special by celebrated South African artist WILLIAM KENTRIDGE will screen on 16 and 18 June, featuring nine animated films with a live performance by the Sontonga Quartet with Jill Richards on piano, Adam Howard on piano and vocals by Tumelo Moloi.
The work of filmmaker, painter and writer HORACE OVÉ will show in screenings and an exhibition on 30 June, 2 - 3 July. Trinidad born Ové, known internationally as one of the leading black independent filmmakers to emerge in Britain since the post-war period, will open the exhibition of his photographs on 30 June. The evening will continue with a screening of his seminal 1973 filmPRESSURE followed by a Barbican Screen Talk with Ové about his life and work. The film programme will continue over the weekend with examples of Ové's TV and feature films plus rare screenings of independent productions from 60's and 70's.
Finally, the Barbican will provide a mid-career retrospective of one of Africa's leading filmmakers, SOULEYMANE CISSE (11, 13, 14 August). The Malian director has crafted a body of films that combines visual elegance with Marxist ideology and allegorical storytelling. His films include `Yeleen' considered the most mystical and the most beautiful of African films.
The boom in Nigerian home videos - or Nollywood - is one of the most interesting recent developments in the African audiovisual industry. With at least 600 titles released each year and an annual revenue of around £40 million, the world is beginning to pay attention. Africa at the Pictures puts the spotlight on the Nollywood phenomenon with some screenings and a workshop from 9-13 September that will gather directors and producers from Nigeria how these movies are marketed in West Africa.
Also at the Peckham Multiplex, 14 -15 September there will be a selection of films by award-winning director IDRISSA OUEDRAOGO from Burkina Faso. In 1981, his short film Poko won the critics award at FESPACO and he went on to scoop numerous awards including the critic's award in Cannes for Yaaba and the Silver Bear in Berlin for Samba Traore. Screenings will also include later works, Afrique mon Afrique and Scenarios from Sahel, which focus on the spread of Aids in Africa.
Posted on Tuesday 31 May 2005
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