AFRICAN FILM FESTIVALS, IN AFRICA
https://www.africanfilmfestival.org/resources/festivals/#africa

FESTIVAL PANAFRICAIN DU CINÉMA DE OUAGADOUGOU (FESPACO) – BURKINA FASO

FESPACO was founded in 1969 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, thanks to efforts of a few serious African film enthusiasts. Due to the admiration and hope that it inspired amongst the general populace and filmmakers alike, the festival became an institution by governmental decree on January 7, 1972. It is a biennial festival starting the last Saturday in February every odd year. FESPACO’s objectives are to facilitate the screening of all African films; enable contacts and exchanges among film and audiovisual professionals; and contribute to the expansion and development of African cinema, as a means of expression, education and raising awareness...

http://theafricanfilmfestival.org/#TAFF The African Film Festival (TAFF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created to give back to the African Independent film community. This is one of its kind to showcase African independent films only. African independent films would have its own platform. TAFF would showcase the artistry and the tireless efforts of some of our best African independent filmmakers. TAFF would “Bridge cultures through films” by inviting a diverse audience, to include other film industries to celebrate some of the best films about the African continent.
TAFF was created by an African Independent filmmaker for African Independent filmmakers, whose films have been catalogued in Ivy league universities such as Harvard, Yale and Stanford, amongst others. Our goal is to make more African films available at such schools and public libraries to further the studies of African history and culture. TAFF is listed with the Texas Film Commission, the Dallas Film Commission, and the City of Dallas Arts District. Grand finale will take place at the Dallas City Performance Hall in the Arts District of Downtown Dallas. Festival’s premiere event is slated for July 4th weekend (July 1-3 2016). What better way to celebrate Independence day than watching African independent films!

Africa World Documentary Film Festival

Building a bridge between cultures with film

by Linda Jarrett

	Ephrem Andemariam (left), program coordinator of Africa and African American Studies at UMSL, started the Africa World Documentary Film Festival in 2007. With him is Dr. Niyi Coker, the festival's director and E. Desmond Lee Endowed Professor in Africa and African American Studies. photo by Diana Linsley (click for larger version)

January 28, 2015

In a world full of misunderstanding and negativity, Dr. Niyi Coker and Ephrem Andemariam hope to build a bridge between cultures with their Africa World Documentary Film Festival.

Read more: http://www.westendword.com/Articles-Features-c-2015-01-27-194405.114137-Africa-World-Documentary-Film-Festival.html#ixzz3Q89xeLGv
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Of Africa and the Cannes Film Festival

RESONATING LIBERATION: Nelson Mandela: The Myth and Me, to be screened at Cannes.

http://www.screenafrica.com/page/news/festivals/1642316-NFVF-at-Cannes#.U4Tq7nYxKM8

With the 2014 edition of the world’s biggest film festival taking place from 14 to 25 May, the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) will be sending a delegation to the southern French city to showcase the latest South African films, foster co-production arrangements and demonstrate South Africa’s prowess as a film producing nation.

The NFVF’s plans for this year’s festival revolve around the country’s celebrations of 20 years of democracy, says CEO Zama Mkosi. “We will be looking at our past achievements, as well as celebrating the 20-year milestone. Our schedule also includes co-production forums with Brazil, UK and Canada. One of the key messages we are sending is for countries to work with us in telling South African stories through collaborations, utilising our resources as well as recognising those stories as having international appeal. Co-productions play a key role in ensuring that our stories continue to be told, that our filmmakers are exposed to the global community or international markets and also offer opportunities to create global networks beyond our borders.” The NFVF’s focus is not only on nurturing the co-production treaties that are already in place, but also on the development of new ones.

20 years of democracy

The ’20 years of democracy theme’, Mkosi says, will be reflected throughout the NFVF’s Cannes programme. The plan is to showcase films that either speak directly to the theme or demonstrate what 20 years of democracy has meant to South African filmmakers. Among the films selected for exhibition are Rehad Desai’s searing documentary on the Marikana massacre, Miners Shot Down; Khalo Matabane’s Nelson Mandela: the Myth and Me, which asks the question, “How do people interpret Nelson Mandela’s message of freedom, forgiveness and reconciliation in the world of today?”; and Donovan Marsh’s heist thriller iNumber Number. “We hope that these films will resonate with our liberation,” Mkosi says. “We will also host a South Africa Day, which will offer pavilion visitors more about South Africa as a filmmaking destination.

The significance of Cannes

The importance of the Cannes Film Festival in the context of the world film industry cannot be denied, but how important is it really as a platform for the NFVF’s operations and how effective is it in this regard? “The Cannes successes have been phenomenal over the past few years,” says Mkosi, “and it therefore remains very relevant to our mandate. “Our focus this year is on filmmakers that are looking at securing co-production deals and films that speak to the ‘20 years of freedom’ theme. Last year we had market screenings of three films: Blitz Patrollie, Black South Easter and Khumba to various sales agents, distributors and financiers and co-production treaty partners. At the end of the festival, Blitz Patrollie had signed an international distribution deal with German sales and production company Picture Tree. Khumba also concluded a distribution deal with Metropolitan Filmexport, a major French distributor. To top it all, the NFVF is also proud that Zulu, another co-production – this time, with France – was honoured as a closing film at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.”

Measures of success

How then does the NFVF measure the success of its work at Cannes? “As our participation at Cannes is to promote the country’s projects and to ensure that our filmmakers are exposed to the international arena, our success is determined by their achievement at the festival,” says Mkosi. “For example, last year the country was well represented through films such as Khumba. The signing of the distribution deal for Khumba by one of France’s biggest distribution companies was a major coup for the production company Triggerfish, and that is the kind of deal we aim to achieve at Cannes.”

The NFVF’s delegation to Cannes is at the festival from 15 to 20 May.

The Zanzibar International film Festival presents an exciting 2014 line-up

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Mon, 05 May 2014 12:26

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The Zanzibar International film Festival logo

The Zanzibar International film Festival (ZIFF), which takes place from 14 to 22 June, will feature a line-up of films from 35 countries along with a number of musical acts, workshops, events and a film outreach program called the Children Panorama.

Films

Festival Director Professor Martin Mhando said, “79 films will be screened in the 10-day festival including foregrounding films from Africa and the Dhow countries, spiced up by award winning films from international film festivals.” These films will comprise of 38 short films, 23 feature length films and 18 documentaries.

Richard Alden, CEO of Zuku, one of the festival sponsors, added: “The festival is an expression of Zanzibar’s historical link with cinema as well as highlighting the festival’s long‐standing commitment to joining filmmakers and local audiences together to experience cinema in a country where all cinema theatres were closed in the 1990’s.”

Exhibitions

A French exhibition, Sisygambis, which features the multimedia work from the five years Christine Coulange spent travelling the Spice Route will feature over seven days of the festival.

Afrika Tumefika, a Ugandan project on popular art and fashion will also feature in the festival line-up.

The Rosa Luxemburg Foundation will present an exhibition themed: Natural Resources – Blessing or Curse, which will have a focus on how the lives of people have changed through land grabbing, mining and forced migration.

Workshops

Zuku TV will present a script writing workshop, facilitated by English documentary filmmaker Nick Broomfield and director Marc Hoerferlin. “This workshop is especially funded by Zuku TV which is looking for submissions for feature-length Swahili films for broadcast on Zuku Swahili Movies, which is a premium movie channel tailor-made for audiences within East African,” explains Alden.

The Maisha Lab of Uganda will also be presenting a script writing workshop in Kiswahili in an effort to train and educate emerging East African filmmakers. The workshop will reward the filmmaker who produces the best script with a $2 000 reward, in order for them to create the film within three months.

The East African Community in partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit will sponsor a film production workshop. The workshop will draw on the newly formed East African film Network, which is a collaboration of regional film festivals, policy makers and industry stakeholders.

Outreach

Partially sponsored by Save the Children Zanzibar, Children Panorama is an outreach program which will allow 2000 children to view and discuss films with the core discussions for this year being themed on environmental issues.

Visit the ZIFF website for more information.

Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ banned in Kenya

Posted on January 16th, 2014 by CAPITAL LIFESTYLE

http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/lifestyle/2014/01/16/martin-scorseses-the-wolf-of-wall-street-banned-in-kenya/ 

Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ has been banned or censored in several foreign markets, including in Kenya.

According to Hollywood Reporter, with 569 F-bombs (a record) and graphic sex scenes, the film  has been censored or edited-down dramatically in some foreign markets – namely Asian and Middle Eastern.

In Kenya, you will no longer get to see Wall Street powerhouse Jordan Belfort, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, and all of his escapades.

The Kenya Film Classification Board posted on their Facebook page:
“There is a LIMIT to everything and we believe the Kenyan public deserves better. WOLF OF WALLSTREET has been RESTRICTED. The film is NOT for sale, exhibition or distribution in KENYA. Violators shall be PROSECUTED.”

The Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) is a film content regulator working to ensure films conform to national values.  KFCB ensures that films and posters in the country are examined and classified before being reaching the public, monitors broadcast content for family friendly programming, issues certificates of approval and licenses to film distributors and exhibitors, develops and updates a catalogue of all films which have been rated, issues classification labels, carries our periodical inspections of film operator premises and provides consumer advice on protection of women and children against sexual exploitation in cinematography and on the internet.

What do you think about the ban?

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Post Opens at Kenya Film Commission

The Kenya Film Commission (KFC), Board today announced that Peter Mutie, Chief Executive Officer KFC, has left the organization. His contract officially came to an end in August 2013. Eric Mwangi has been appointed as the acting CEO until a new substantive CEO is appointed.

“A job advert for the CEO of KFC, along with numerous other positions will be in the main stream newspapers over the next few days. This paradigm shift is in line with our Ministry becoming the 8^th economic Pillar within Vision 2030 strategic plan and the new and exciting direction that the Board sees KFC going,” says Chris Foot, Chairman KFC.

The film sector has now been moved to the Ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts. We believe a vibrant film industry could create 250,000 jobs, contribute 5-10% of GDP and provide annual revenues of KSh. 40 billion. We look forward to working with our stakeholders and both county and national governments to achieve the same.

KENYA ACTORS GUILD SET TO LAUNCH ON THE 26TH OF OCTOBER 2012

Kenyan actors are to meet on the 26^th of October 2012 at the Kenya National Theatre from 9am in a move that will see the thespians come together  to actualize the Kenya Actors Guild (KAG)
All Kenyan actors are being requested to attend this meeting where the agenda of the day will be:

• Introduce the Guild to actors (answer the questions of “What” and “Why”).
• Go through the guild constitution (facilitated by a lawyer- Download a copy of the constitution here http://www.actors.co.ke/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4309 )
• Recruitment of members to the Guild and its process.
• Chart the way forward for the guild and its members.
• Speeches (Kenya Film Commission Rep, Kenya Film and Television Producers Association Rep)
• Q and A.

Actors worldwide should and are identified and protected by Guilds and the most common known guild in the world for actors is the Screen Actors Guild (SAG now known as SAG-AFTRA after merging with the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists).
KAG dates back to late 2008 when it was registered under the Societies Act to look into Kenyan actors’ welfare and the founding members are chairman Peter King Mwania, Secretary Lupita Nyong’o and Treasurer Elly Omukubi among others. However due to unavoidable circumstances, the guild never came to really take off.
Gerald Langiri took over from where that was left off when he founded www.actors.co.ke in 2011 and also had the same vision in mind for the acting industry.
In a statement, Gerald Langiri said “Kenya being an emerging film country, its acting fraternity is hindered from achieving its full potential and this can be attributed to the fact that it lacks an active guild to protect the rights of the actor, take care of the welfare of actors and most importantly, let actors speak with one unified voice to drive and dictate policies. Actors are always being left behind on matters concerning the film industry but that is because we do not speak as one. Film industries all over have guilds and it is about time we had one in order for us to be taken seriously. It starts with us actors.”
After the workshop and recruitment of members has taken place, the guild will start its operations by having an official launch and an Annual General Meeting where registered members will get to elect who gets to represent them before embarking on guild related activities.
“Kenya Film Commission has been very helpful towards actualization of the guild and their continued assistance cannot go unmentioned. They have assisted in setting up this 1st workshop and we are still working with them towards branding of the guild in due course.  “Gerald Langiri says.

The main objectives of the Guild are to represents its members through:

(a)  To promote the Intellectual Property Rights within Kenya and in particular among performers through sensitization, education and empowerment of Kenyan performers;

(b) To agitate and lobby for equitable levels of compensation, benefits and working conditions for performers;

(c) The collection of compensation for exploitation of their recorded performances and protection against unauthorized use; and

(d) The preservation and expansion of work opportunities.

For more information visit www.actors.co.ke or email info@actors.co.ke

'Fuelling Poverty' Documentary Censored By Nigerian Officials

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/21/fuelling-poverty-documentary-nigeria_n_3126915.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false#sb=1730423b=facebook

Wole Soyinka is featured in the film.

LAGOS, Nigeria — The documentary on a massive strike that paralyzed life in Nigeria features newspaper headlines, television news footage and other information widely known about a government gasoline subsidy that saw billions of dollars stolen by greedy companies and the nation's elite.
It also, according to Nigerian authorities, could spark violence and potentially threaten national security.
The 30-minute film called "Fuelling Poverty" has been online for months, but only recently Nigerian officials have refused its director permission to show it publicly in this oil-rich nation of more than 160 million people. While free speech is enshrined in this democratic nation's constitution, an ever-increasing drumbeat of complaints and critical articles about the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan has seen authorities increasingly target journalists and others.
The film, sponsored by Soros Foundation's Open Society Justice Initiative for West Africa, focuses on the protests around Jonathan's decision to remove subsidies on gasoline in January 2012. Life in Nigeria ground to a halt before unions backed down. Later, a report by lawmakers demanded businesses and government agencies to return some $6.7 billion over the subsidy program.
Ishaya Bako, who directed the film that features civil rights activists and Nobel Prize laureate Wole Soyinka, later applied for the right to show the film publicly. In a letter dated April 8, Nigeria's National Film and Video Censors Board told Bako that the documentary was "prohibited for exhibition in Nigeria."
"I am further to inform you that this decision is due to the fact that the contents of the film are highly provocative and likely to incite or encourage public disorder and undermine national security," the letter signed by board lawyer Effiong Inwang reads. "Please you are strongly advised not to distribute or exhibit the documentary film. All relevant national security agencies are on the alert."
Tanko Abdullahi, a spokesman for the board, initially told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the film wasn't banned, but was "denied classification." Later, in the same conversation, he acknowledged it couldn't be shown over unspecified "security issues."
"What is national security for Nigeria is different from that of the U.S.A.," Abdullahi said. "We made that determination because of the content of the film. That's why you have regulators."
The government's decision has seen more people watch the film online. It also has sparked outrage from human rights activists and press freedom groups.
"Instead of banning the documentary `Fuelling Poverty,' authorities should look into the important questions it raises about corruption and impunity in the country's oil sector and at the highest levels of government," Mohamed Keita, an official with the Committee to Protect Journalists, said in a statement. "We urge Nigeria's National Film and Video Censors Board to overturn this censorship order."
The move to ban the film comes as Jonathan's government, which many voted for believing he would change the engrained interests and corruption of Nigeria's government, has grown increasingly unpopular as extremists carry out bombings and the state-run power company cannot offer stable electricity. During the strikes, government officials put increasing pressure on broadcasters not to show images of protests, which at one point saw tens of thousands in the streets of Lagos.
Today, journalists at a newspaper face forgery charges over a story that claimed the presidency would try to disrupt opposition parties. Security agencies have harassed reporters at a weekly newspaper that wrote about abuses by the military in its crackdown against Islamic extremists. And workers who ran a call-in radio show in the northern city of Kano face charges over talking about rumors surrounding polio vaccinations in the wake of at least nine women vaccinators being killed.
Despite the outcry, however, the apparent crackdown continues, only fueling more of the same apathy for Nigeria's government seen by those featured in the documentary.
"We don't have government. It's a whole big banana republic," barber Emmanuel Tom Ekin says in the film. "They've been coming telling us story all the time, deceiving us. And right now, in our faces, they are still deceiving us."

Local Film Banned from DIFF Over 'Child Porn' Allegations

 https://soundcloud.com/primediabroadcasting/of-good-report-banned-for

John Webb spoke to the director "Of Good Report" Jahmil Qubeka and the Producer: Micheal Aurent, who accused the Film and Publications Board that its run by the Departments of Home Affairs, which failing to deliver ID's and Price Ndamase Head of Communications at Film and Publications Board said, "He will not respond the political comments made by Jahmil Qubeka". but he explain the reason for banning the movie.
of A South African movie about a schoolteacher who falls for a student has become the first film to be banned since 1994. The film "Of Good Report" was the first not to receive classification since the Film and Publication Board was created. According to the newspaper, the decision was made based on the depiction of a simulated sexual act involving the 16-year-old student, who was played by a 23-year-old actress. "The child porn thing smacks of the greatest ignorance, incompetence and downright stupidity," director Jahmil XT Qubeka was quoted as telling the newspaper.
Board spokesman Prince Mlimandlela Ndamase reportedly told the Sunday Times the film was banned because it contained "content that carries an illegal act in it". "We need to emphasise that, ordinarily, we would not refuse the right of viewers to see the content, but in the interests of the protection of the child and our laws that exist in the country, child pornography is one of these things that are not legally permissible in the country."
This third film from South African director Jahmil XT Qubeka tells the sombre tale of a small-town high-school teacher with a penchant for young girls. The result is an hypnotically engaging journey into the soul of a mentally troubled man. The trouble for Parker Sithole begins when he meets the undeniably gorgeous Nolitha Ngubane at a local tavern. Captivated by her beauty, an illicit affair ensues. However, there’s just one problem: Nolitha is one of Parker’s pupils and is just sixteen years old. Parker quickly spirals into a deep obsession that ultimately becomes violent and unquenchable.

Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) 2013 opens

Posted on Jun 23, 2013

WELCOME TO ZIFF 2013

http://www.ziff.or.tz/the-festival/theme-2013/

THE FESTIVAL OF THE DHOW COUNTRIES

Dear Guest,
Karibu! (Welcome)
On behalf of the Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF), I would like to extend a warm welcome to Zanzibar and to our festival. There is excitement in the air, and we all at ZIFF can’t wait to show you around our beautiful islands. We believe that our culture and history and the creativity of the arts will enhance everyone’s spirits to live through this complex contemporary world, and also serve to remind us of the place of film as a culture of a rich humanity. As you step into Zanzibar you will meet a welcoming people but there will also be a few grumpy ones (who woke up on the wrong side of the bed that morning) and we hope you will excuse them and look up with optimism to meeting the next smiling, welcoming Zanzibari. We hasten to apologies on their behalf. Please avail yourself the Festival Program as soon as you can (at the cost of Tsh1000 ($0 .75) and a catalogue for Tsh 5000 ($3) and you will find most information about the festival. Please also get accredited at our accreditation Stall inside the Old Fort. Please do stop me on the street to say hello as my office is only for official stuff!
The film venues are The Zanzibar Grand Palace and Marumaru hotels, and the Wavuvi Restaurant, which shows only Swahili films. The Plenary film-viewing venue is the Old Fort Amphitheatre, where from 7pm sharp every evening we show two feature films before we proceed to Mambo Club (the second venue inside the Old Fort) for 3 hours of music and dancing. There are workshops taking place in the Old Dispensary and the Old Customs House (every film venue is old!) but most of the workshops are already overprescribed so please do not be distressed if your are turned away. The best feature of the festival is that everything happens within walking distance and every person will give you directions to the venues; a map of Stonetown is also available in the pack to help you negotiate the streets of Stonetwon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site hosting our festival.
The food in the Forodhani Park, where the general populations gathers to eat and relax is fresh, cheap and very tasty. It will make your stomach feel right at home! At night if returning to your hotel late please walk with someone or ask for an escort from the ZIFF office especially if you are waking through the tiny streets or dark corners. It’s easy to get lost!  I hope that our festival will serve as a venue for international cross-cultural exchange as well as a platform for raising film business potentials and for networking, which the ZUKU Lounge, in the Marumaru Hotel, offers every evening from 5 to 7pm.
Remember to respect the local culture as you are here also to experience that.
Karibu!

Martin Mhando
Festival Director