Alassane Moustapha during the Rotterdam International Film festival. Photo/BELINDA VAN DE GRAAF |
By MWENDA wa MICHENI (email the author)
Posted Saturday, February 27 2010 at 16:41
Posted Saturday, February 27 2010 at 16:41
The Ghanaian blockbuster, Love Brewed In African Pot, was never the moment, neither was Kolormask, a Kenyan film that premiered during the inaugural African film week in Nairobi. It has been elusive, but the moment of truth for African cinema seems at sight. But some debates before the action.
Some believe Africa cinema must embrace the commercial filmmaking template now, others are still pursuing their governments to fund huge budget cultural films that must not have a mass appeal. And this debate on African cinema goes on and on. The eclectic reasoning has taken the more cautious route, mass appeal that has a cultural touch, reality in mind.
This comes at a time when the French, believed to have greatly influenced African cinema and Germans, are toying with commercial filmmaking.
Around the continent, several experiments are already going on, with a commercial model apparently shaping up. Leading the race is the Nollywood model- a simple digital camera, few locations and a movie to sell in the kiosks for local consumption. Several others scenarios are in the making, but South Africa’s dalliance with Hollywood big shots has been shaking myths on African cinema, literally.
This comes at a time when the French, believed to have greatly influenced African cinema and Germans, are toying with commercial filmmaking.
Around the continent, several experiments are already going on, with a commercial model apparently shaping up. Leading the race is the Nollywood model- a simple digital camera, few locations and a movie to sell in the kiosks for local consumption. Several others scenarios are in the making, but South Africa’s dalliance with Hollywood big shots has been shaking myths on African cinema, literally.
Rotterdam festival
No wonder, there are serious debates around the issue now. At this year’s edition of the Rotterdam film festival, Africa cinema was the headline, there were several discussions around its future, a token or two for the surviving grandfathers of African cinema and plenty of African melodies and rhythms to crown the occasion.
Moustapha Alassane, the Nigerien animator credited with the first ever African animation, was in attendance. From Nigeria was Tunde Kilani, among a handful of other decorated African filmmakers.
Besides talk and dance, the Rotterdam festival offered opportunity to several young African filmmakers to showcase their works. One such was Hawa Essuman, a Kenyan with Ghanaian parentage.
Soul Boy by the 30-year-old co-director bagged The Dioraphte Award for Hubert Bals Fund film held in highest regard. This is testimony that a black Africa has a chance in the changing scene.
Not that African films have now become very popular at the global level, and neither are here about to get there. But, it is rare that an African film is awarded in the International Film Festival Rotterdam.
It tells the story of Abila, a 14-year-old boy, who lives in one of the most miserable slums in Africa.
Intrigues and power games
Though dwarfed by the artistic flavours and flamboyance displayed by Bollywood and Hollywood, Africa cinema is as old as the film reel itself, almost. But intrigues, power games and disregard have suppressed the growth over the years, something that may not be reversed in a day.
As early as 1896, there were cinemas in Africa, projected from a machine that had been stolen from somewhere in London. This is about the same time it was invented.
On filmmaking, it was generally a preserve of the settlers, telling stories they wanted to see and share, on Africa. Most were naïve, poorly researched and heavily influenced by the foreign interests that informed the settlers.
When Africans started telling their stories on film, most carried the hangover of the previous generation of filmmakers, and this went on, even became worse with the massive funding and training that came from Europe.
Most of the films that emerged from this class of filmmakers were high end, ignoring the mass market. This alienated the African filmmakers from their very audience.
But there was the exciting 90s. When the moment arrived, and cameras became more affordable and there was an opportunity for commercial-minded producers, mostly breaking from theatres and there was Nollywood, Riverwood and the rest of the woods that have spread throughout Africa.
As this boom spread, South Africa was debating how to fund their filmmaking. With a long standing filmmaking legacy, especially after several Hollywood filmmakers shot there, the country decided to fund their own, encourage skills transfer and that has been happening. No wonder, films like Tsotsi, Jerusalema that was all talk last year, and even District 9, had a commercial model inspired by Hollywood, style and trying to ride on the Hollywood distribution network.
The debate is no longer whether Africans can make films, but how to make commercially viable films that are intelligent and aesthetically appealing.
No wonder, there are serious debates around the issue now. At this year’s edition of the Rotterdam film festival, Africa cinema was the headline, there were several discussions around its future, a token or two for the surviving grandfathers of African cinema and plenty of African melodies and rhythms to crown the occasion.
Moustapha Alassane, the Nigerien animator credited with the first ever African animation, was in attendance. From Nigeria was Tunde Kilani, among a handful of other decorated African filmmakers.
Besides talk and dance, the Rotterdam festival offered opportunity to several young African filmmakers to showcase their works. One such was Hawa Essuman, a Kenyan with Ghanaian parentage.
Soul Boy by the 30-year-old co-director bagged The Dioraphte Award for Hubert Bals Fund film held in highest regard. This is testimony that a black Africa has a chance in the changing scene.
Not that African films have now become very popular at the global level, and neither are here about to get there. But, it is rare that an African film is awarded in the International Film Festival Rotterdam.
It tells the story of Abila, a 14-year-old boy, who lives in one of the most miserable slums in Africa.
Intrigues and power games
Though dwarfed by the artistic flavours and flamboyance displayed by Bollywood and Hollywood, Africa cinema is as old as the film reel itself, almost. But intrigues, power games and disregard have suppressed the growth over the years, something that may not be reversed in a day.
As early as 1896, there were cinemas in Africa, projected from a machine that had been stolen from somewhere in London. This is about the same time it was invented.
On filmmaking, it was generally a preserve of the settlers, telling stories they wanted to see and share, on Africa. Most were naïve, poorly researched and heavily influenced by the foreign interests that informed the settlers.
When Africans started telling their stories on film, most carried the hangover of the previous generation of filmmakers, and this went on, even became worse with the massive funding and training that came from Europe.
Most of the films that emerged from this class of filmmakers were high end, ignoring the mass market. This alienated the African filmmakers from their very audience.
But there was the exciting 90s. When the moment arrived, and cameras became more affordable and there was an opportunity for commercial-minded producers, mostly breaking from theatres and there was Nollywood, Riverwood and the rest of the woods that have spread throughout Africa.
As this boom spread, South Africa was debating how to fund their filmmaking. With a long standing filmmaking legacy, especially after several Hollywood filmmakers shot there, the country decided to fund their own, encourage skills transfer and that has been happening. No wonder, films like Tsotsi, Jerusalema that was all talk last year, and even District 9, had a commercial model inspired by Hollywood, style and trying to ride on the Hollywood distribution network.
The debate is no longer whether Africans can make films, but how to make commercially viable films that are intelligent and aesthetically appealing.
