Imagine, Experience, Articulate

Lola Kenya Screen, the annual audio-visual media platform for children and youth in eastern Africa, is calling upon interested children and youth who are knowledgeable, opinionated and interested in film, journalism, creativity and cultural events to apply for participation in its four skill-development programmes during the 4th Lola Kenya Screen to be held in Nairobi between August 10 and 15, 2009. Selected candidates will serve as members of: • Film Selection Committee • Film Jury• Film Press • Programme Planning and Presentation (MCs) team • Production Workshop Ideal applicants must be: • Aged between 6 and 16 years old (9-18 years for production workshop) • Knowledgeable about film• Interested in audio-visual media works • Able to understand, speak and write in English • Able to think, type and submit between 500 and 1200-word articles on the activities at the festival daily (for film press) • Able to work under strict deadlines • Supported by their parents/guardians Interested chi...

Tanzania marks the launch of its first ever Swahili fashion week in November 2008 on the theme, Discover what makes Africa Beautiful. Starting this year as a two day event, the Swahili Fashion Week will be spread over November 5th & 6th at the Diamond Jubilee Hall in Dar es Salaam. Established and up and coming designers will showcase their ensembles on the first and second days, respectively. This inaugural event will see the Face of Africa Models 2008 strut the ramp ride in Dar es Salaam on November 5, 2008. The Swahili fashion week is the brainchild of fashion designer Mustafa Hassanali. “As one of the premier designers in the country it has always been my vision not only to further my creations in Tanzanian Fashion but also to promote the industry on the whole. Tanzania has so many established and budding talented designers that the Swahili Fashion week was a much needed platform to enhance African fashion eventually placing it on the global map,” Hassanali says. Prashant Pow...

South Africa will on October 16-17, 2008 host legal experts from around the world when the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) holds its legal committee meeting in Cape Town. Hosted by the South African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO), the conference will see top legal minds discuss global issues and developments concerning the protection of creators' rights & the omni-present topic of Copyright. CISAC is the international governing body for collection societies suchas SAMRO, representing 222 authors' societies from 118 countries andindirectly representing more than 2.5 million creators across variousartistic disciplines. Its legal committee, composed of lawyers working for member societiesacross the globe, provides legal information, assistance and advice to CISAC members and statutory bodies through their relevant collectingsociety. Some 35 international delegates from CISAC member societies are expected in Cape Town for the meeting...

Australian Post-War Documentary Film: An Arc of Mirrors Author: Deane Williams ISBN: 9781841502106 Hardback: 230x174mm Price: £29.95/ $60 URL: http://www.intellectbooks.co.uk/ppbooks.php?isbn=9781841502106 The post-war period in Australian cultural history sparked critical debate over notionsof nation-building, multiculturalism and internationalization. Australian Post-War Documentary Film tackles all these issues in a considered andwide-ranging analysis of government, institutional and also radicaldocumentaries. As a whole it is a thorough study of the international flows of film culture. Williams illustrates these themes by critiquing the keyfilms of the era, including the seminal The Back of Beyond, often cited asthe greatest Australian film of all time. Australian Post-War Documentary Film retells film history by reading these documentaries as part of a nexusof international, and particularly Australian filmic, written and dramatictexts, with close attention to textual analysis. T...

Almost 20 years ago,on the 9th November 1989, civilians crossed over the formerly forbidden boundary between East andWest Berlin with a host of television cameras on site to beam the pictures around the world. These became the images of the fall of the Berlin Wall, taken to symbolise the collapse of communism across Eastern Europe and more generally an end of ideological history. Taking the fall of the Berlin Wall as a case study, Sunil Manghani's Image Critique & the Fall of the Berlin Wall presents a new critical visual theory. Image critique is a dual procedure combining analysis and interpretation of images, with a consideration of how images can be used to critically examine and engage with our contemporary culture. The author uses the fall of the wall as a means to place a complex interactive account of history, politics, human action, freedom, the media and visual culture. The book asks why the dominant interpretation of the fall of the Wall has only ever been about the...

South Africa’s premier music industry gathering, Moshito Music Conference and Exhibition that marks its fifth year in 2008, is ready for serving. Arnold Mabunda, the Moshito '08 chairman, says: “I think that if you look at the programme you will see how seriously we are taking the business of music. There is no better forum in South Africa where good quality business intelligence about the music industry is disseminated so effectively and accessibly than at Moshito. We have a very impressive line-up of international speakers drawn from so many different countries including Brazil, Mali, Tanzania, France, Sweden, and Australia – and they are all the top experts in their field. Add in our South African experts and I think that delegates are going to be hard-pressed to select just which sessions to go to!” Mabunda attributes much of the programme’s strength to Moshito Music Conference and Exhibition’s new relationship with WOMEX – widely acknowledged as the world’s foremost platform a...

The 29th Durban International Film Festival (July 23-August 3, 2008) came to a conclusion on August 3, 2008, having drawn impressive audiences across the 12-day event. Open seminars and workshops also registered good attendance, indicating the heightened interest in filmmaking processes in KwaZulu-Natal. These programmes included participation by some of the many filmmakers attending the festival, as well as sessions hosted by the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), and others, on a range of industry focus areas. A selection of festival films were honoured on Awards Night, with a total of 19 prizes being awarded. The Best Film prize, which carried a cash prize of R30 000, went to Foster Child (Philippines), directed by Brillante Mendoza. The International Jury praised the film for *delving with remarkable skill into the everyday lives of its extremely well-developed characters, and for fusing documentary and drama to create a br...

This article is a response to Homosexuality Comes To East Africa, an article published on ArtMatters.Info (( http://artmatters.info/?articleid=117 ) and that says, in part: "Same gender sex is currently raising moral and legal hairs in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Coupled with often confusing notions like human rights, freedom of expression, and democracy, homosexuality is becoming a thorny issue in this part of the African continent where largely conservative cultures are clashing with sexual liberalism in a world galloping headlong towards urbanisation." Now, Sean Beaton, who declares that he is homosexual, responds: Hello... Just felt the need to comment on your article in ArtMatters.Info on homosexuality ( http://artmatters.info/?articleid=117 ), and your description of how one "becomes" homosexual. Despite it's attempts at appearing academic and impartial, this article clearly has a negative slant against homosexuality, and uses a lot of uncredited 'fact...

By Tony Mushoborozi Are you one of those people that have always hoped to see some home-grown film and television shows for children? Shows that your children would more closely relate to, like those they themselves helped to make? Your dream could come to pass. The whole of the second week of August (11-16, 2008) children from all over East Africa participated in necessary audiovisual training in Nairobi. Tristan Kayonga a 14-year old Uganda boy attended. Together with several other kids from East Africa, Tristan attended intensive production workshops that could change the face of children’s television in East African. Lola Kenya Screen, the organization that hosts the course each year, opened its third film festival on Monday in Nairobi. “It is a platform for placing audiovisual skills in hands of children around East African,” said the director Ogova Ondego. “It is not just an annual event. It is a movement to change future TV.” Hands-on production skills like camera handling, 3D (...

By Joyce Wanja August 16, 2008 marked the drawing of the curtains on the 3rd annual Lola Kenya Screen film festival which was set to run for six days from the 11th of August. Everyone was busy here and there from the organizers to the participants to ensure that everything was set for the long awaited closing ceremony. It was one joyous and yet a sad moment for the participants; a happy moment because their efforts were to be awarded and a sad moment because they had to say goodbye to their colleagues. For a short while, they gathered and engaged themselves in a conversation that explored their journey from the beginning of the film festival and the challenges they encountered together with the ups and down they had. It was with no doubt that the training throughout the festival had made them even better people. The closing ceremony was scheduled to start at 5pm but was delayed and it eventually kicked off at 6pm. Parents, friends and film stars started streaming into the hall. This wa...

By Ogova Ondego The Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO) and the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) have signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance the growth of copyright development in Africa. Under the memorandum, SAMRO will provide assistance that will enable MCSK to fully protect and enforce the rights under its administration in Kenya. Though signed on August 8, 2008, this MoU came into force on August 1, 2008. Under the terms of the agreement, SAMRO will provide the following services to MCSK: * Hardware and software installations and support * Competency training and exposure * Coaching for middle and senior management * Assistance with licensing negotiations While a consequence of a new strategic approach, the MOU signed by SAMRO with MCSK is not the first of SAMRO’s extensive involvement in the development of collecting societies in Africa. In Botswana SAMRO is involved together with the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers...

Review by Ogova Ondego Though cinema was introduced to Africa—as early as 1896 in Algeria and South Africa, 1897 in Morocco and Tunisia, and 1903 in Nigeria—almost at the same time that the Lumiere Brothers are said to have pioneered it in France and the first feature film was made in South Africa in 1910, no entity known as ‘African cinema’ exists on the mother continent, so begins the 420-page Dictionary of African Filmmakers written by Roy Armes. Published by Indiana University Press in 2008, this reference book covers African feature film-making, listing more than 5400 films by more than 1250 filmmakers in 37 countries. Saying he has used the nationality of the filmmaker to identify and group the films, Prof Armes adds, “Certain films regarded as nationally significant in Africa have not been made by Africans. Even after the founding of the Misr studios in Egypt (where the first feature to be produced, Weddad, was directed by the German Fritz Kramp), foreigners have continued to pl...

By Rushel Rangala Being extra-ordinary, unique and different is not a bad thing. However this depends in what way this is in. Yes! Mr. Ogova ondego is one such man. Born in western Kenya, Ondego is a man who has a different perspective of life. Ondego grew up in Nairobi where he attended school and now works. His educational background is a success straight from high school up to university where he obtained post-graduate qualifications in mass communications. He also has specialised training in film production, arts and cultural journalism and criticism, organisation and management of socio-cultural events, publishing and writing for children and youth. Ondego believes that children have the right to be heard. This, he says, is what partly made him found the Lola Kenya Screen audiovisual media platform for children and youth n eastern Africa in October 2005. Lola Kenya Screen, that specialises in children, youth, media and culture, equips young people with practical skills in journali...

By Rushel Rangala The third Lola Kenya Screen annual film festival is finally here. The six day event is going to be staged at the Kenya National Theatre, Alliance Francaise and several video halls in Kibera. Lola Kenya is a non- profit making organisation that deals with children and young people who aspire to journalists and film makers. The first day was rather cold and chilly but this never prevented the enthusiasm to glow vividly from the participants faces who seemed excited and in high spirits for the beginning of the festival. Pauline Atieno was actively supervising and co-ordinating the area by and by nine o’clock the film hall was ready and set for commencing of the day’s programme. The participants were in three categories, the children’s jury, the children’s press and the children’s production workshop. As the participants and other guests slowly and cheerfully watched the films, the three categories of participants were called one by one starting with the production worksh...

By Craig Kimu Toni Mushorobozi is a journalist from Uganda. He studied Journalism and Film at University. He also does a lot of filming, acting and directing. This talented and energetic journalist was born in Kampala Uganda. He is also a good storyteller because of his interesting childhood. Toni has also done a lot of short films earlier of which most of them are being shown in Uganda but he is hoping that they might be shown in Zimbabwe during its Film Festival later this year, he said. He is looking forward in making some films for the young ones especially something new and interesting. About the writer Craig Kimu, 15, a member of the Lola Kenya Screen 2008 Festival Press, is a student at Prince Edward School in Harare, Zimbabwe

By Esther Nyauncho The day kicked off at 8:00am whereby we watched different films at alliance francaise.The films were mainly about people who were judged wrongly by others or they have problems of there own. for instance the story worm head where a girl named Nia was discriminated against against because she hard dreadlocks. she happened to join a school in a foreign country ,where most of the people don’t know about dreadlocks instead they nicknamed her worm head. Most of the girls made fun of her and even refused to walk with her apart from one who choose to stick with her because her parents advised her to. Later on the other friends got bored and decided to join nias group so they went and talked to her and they realized Nia was friendly. This explains to us why we should not discriminate against people before we get to know them. Do not judge a book by its cover. About the writer Esther Nyauncho, 16, is a member of the Lola Kenya Screen 2008 Festival Press. She attends Loreto Co...

By lolakenyascreen.or.ke Hoppet (Leaps and Bounds), a film by Peter Naess of Sweden has won the 3rd Lola Kenya Screen Golden Mboni Award in Nairobi, Kenya. Hoppet beat a strong field of 24 well crafted, award-winning international films that competed in seven categories, including that of Best Children's Film whose grand prize is the Mboni that is split in three: Golden, Silver and Bronze Mboni. Saying this 86-minute Hoppet feature film that revolves around two brothers who flee US-occupied Iraq had spoken to their heart, the official jury, comprising four children from Nairobi and Kiserian in Kenya and Harare in Zimbabwe, described Hoppet as being 'hopeful'. "Despite their many struggles, the two boys finally achieve their goals and get to their final destination where they are re-united with their parents." This was the first time in three years that a Western film had taken the Golden Mboni. Ukrainian and Israeli films had received it in 2006 and 2007, respecti...

By Rushel Rang’ala As days went by the third day of Lola Kenya Screen festival slowly made its way.Unlike the previous days this day was definitely successful in terms of attendance and audience satisfaction. Although the weather was cold and threaten to prevent the day’s activities from taking place.The turn out was high and what triggered this from happening can only be well explained by the audience themselves. On Monday and Tuesday the number of people who attended was twelve and twenty one respectively.On Wednesday it tripled Tuesday’s number which was impressive. By nine o’clock the auditorium was set to go as the films were screened one by one. Laughter and giggles inhabited the auditorium making it obvious that every one was having a great time. Young kids who got bored easily due to screen translation and the film taking a long time. saw it fit to play and jump in the room.Not only did they cause disturbance but also a lot of distraction.All in all they say kids will always be...

By Bethsheba Achitsa Its yet another bright morning, the sun high in the sky but the weather is not steady. One time its hot and the next moment its chilly making everyone freeze. Determined to know more about our hosts; Alliance Francaise and the Kenya National theatre we divide ourselves nto groups of two and there we are off to Alliance Francaise. Walking nto the building along University way in Nairobi, the building stands adjacent to other buildings like view park towers and Goethe-Institut, we find the young Beatrice Wabwile who is the acting receptionist. She tells us the building was set up during the colonial era in the late 1940s. established with the aim of teaching French to Kenyans it also offers a venue where people can interact and know more about the French culture. The learning institution has grown with over five thousand students being enrolled every year. Alongside teaching French, it also hostys exhibitions, plays and other cultural events; that’s why Lola Kenya fe...

By Joyce Wanja, For one to bring clearly the message they want to convey on arts a culture certain procedures that are followed. One must be composed and understand the content of what they are writing. It should be relevant and of importance in that there should be a reason as to why the piece of article is being written, one should understand human history and for it to come out clearly, the events are divided into aspects such as renaissance period, reformation, mannerism, revolution, enlightment,romantism,modernism and post modernism. The goal of the art should be well understood and also the element of form which are interplayed to contribute to the goals of the content. The elements of work in a piece of article include form and content which simply means creativity and subject matter of the work respectively. The technique or procedure used which is the style that entails combination of elements in a piece of work plays a big role. The piece of work should have the theme which i...

By Craig Kimu Today I woke up expecting nothing good and exciting not that I was in no mood of fun but some things are just unexpected. When I arrived at the Alliance francaise because I did not want to miss some interesting movies that were being screened. Talking of interesting movies I watched this Finnish movie called the Mystery of Wolves. This movie is about two young children who unexpectedly come across two young cubs. It happened that for these cubs to be lost there was an incident that had occurred earlier. Salla the twelve year old girl loves nature and enjoys the wilderness which is why she feels at home. This girl lives with adopted parents in a Finnish village where her father works as a soldier. Unexpectedly Salla’s biological mother Leila returns to the village after a ten year absence and that shocks and scares everyone. But it upsets Salla especially. Salla turns up with her best friend a boy who lives close to her house when they come across the two young cubs they i...

By Mary Gesare No dream falls into a person’s lap, there’s always a price to be paid in terms of time, discipline, effort and perseverance. That is what we learnt after having one on one with MEIKE STATEMA. MARY: Describe yourself or who exactly is Meike Statema.? MEIKE: I am a 32 year old lady living in Holland and working with IDFA International Documentary Festival Amsterdam, which is in collaboration with the Lola Kenya screen festival. MARY: Did you ever plan doing or being what you are now? MEIKE: Of course, I talked to Mr. Ogova about the workshop, we both had ideas and came up with a schedule for the workshop. I also came with some firms for kids to watch during the festival. MARY: What is your greatest lesson in life that you would like to share with us? MEIKE: Always be open and listen to others, never judge anyone and try to think positively. MARY: Who is your role model? MEIKE: My mother. MARY: Do you like reading books? If you do why? MEIKE: Yes, because they are a great i...

By Mary Gesare Sometimes in life we only look at what we don’t have and forget about the good things we have, but a time comes when we have to seize the moment and enjoy life to its maximum. Let us not live our life complaining about what we don’t have instead embraced what you have and never let go. This is a documentary about a teenager by the name Yu-Ming who uses a camera to record what his daily life is like. The story starts at school whereby they have to wake up early in the morning and there is someone to wake them up. They meet in the dinning hall and most of the time it’s the soccer team which is always there. They take breakfast and later go to the football pitch to play. Yu-Ming says that he likes football very much and that’s why he’s always practicing it, the only problem they have together with his friends is concentrating in books and at the sometime play football.Yu-Mings roommate and also a friend nicknamed fatty is always a joker, during music lessons he makes fun of...

The Best Is Forbidden By Esther Nyauncho On the fourth day, at Lola Kenya Screen, Toti a fourteen year old Maasai girl, tells of her struggles since she was young. As she explains you can see same anger in her eyes. When she was eleven years old, her mother told her that she would be married off. Her family badly needed the bride price cattle to survive. It was only five days to go after which she would be married off, she decided to run away with the help of her mother. This made her small sister to be married off instead of her. She is now happy with herself, because she is going to school and will be able to complete her studies and pursue he career. Many of the other girls want to follow her, some of them ask her for directions when in a similar situation. However some women fight with her because they she encourages their children to run away and she is destroying their culture, which has been their from the post. After she finishes school she wishes to help those who are behind h...