11ème édition. The most swinging African film festival in Europe with recent movies, short films, documentaries and debates. This year's central topic: Leadership.
The most swinging African film festival in Europe with recent movies, short films, documentaries and debates. This year's central topic: Leadership.
AFRICA IN THE PICTURE FILM FESTIVAL
11th edition | September, 3 - 10th 2008
Main location:
Bioscoop Het Ketelhuis - Westergasfabriekterrein, Pazzanistraat 4 Amsterdam
Festivalfilms are also to be seen in: Amsterdam (No Limit)
Rotterdam (Lantaren/Venster), Den Haag (Filmhuis Den Haag),
Breda (Chassé Cinema), Nijmegen (LUX) en Den Bosch (Verkadefabriek)
Introduction
Is this the last year of Africa in the Picture? The Amsterdam Art Council has advised the municipal executive to no longer support the festival in the coming years. That would not only put a further professionalization at risk, but it would also mean the end of a unique festival which attracts more visitors each year, which is an international meeting place for film makers and film fans, and it would mean the end of an organization which not only stands for diversity but also puts it into practice. Nevertheless if it comes to diversity we probably keep on begging. What would you like us to do?
...do we have to BEG, BORROW OR STEAL?
We decided to make it this years slogan inspired on the concept which we are known for. CHANGE - from the worn-out, clichéd representation of Africa. HOPE - to the victory of diversity. INSPIRE - for people who want to be inspired by the versatile reality of Africa.
And a special gift of 50 icons from our past and present, inspiring leaders from the worlds of music, sport and politics. LEADERSHIP pur sang with a vision for the future, people with a DREAM, people with a feeling for JUSTICE and people who dare to SPEAK...
...even if they had to BEG, BORROW OR STEAL?
Africa experiences turbulent times. Attempts at democracy often lead to civil wars lasting decades. After 27 years of war, Angola is going to the polls again on September, 6th. In Kenya, unprecedented violence broke out after the elections. In Zimbabwe, fear rules. Therefore this years festival within the framework of LEADERSHIP, including a short series about the shadows over Africa of assassinated leaders such as Thomas Sankara, Felix Moumi and Patrice Lumumba. With African rappers who feel betrayed in DEMOCRACY IN DAKAR. They brought President Wade to power with their rap, to then discover that he was not doing anything for the people. Well-known African rappers in FANGAFRIKA call from Burkina Faso for the leaders to take on their leadership responsibilities. The beautiful, almost surrealistic Mozambique film TERRA SOMBULA - SLEEPWALKING LAND shows, like a painful dream, the consequences of a long war and the lack of prospects for a better future.
Another genre but an absolute leader in the African film industry is Nollywood: independent Nigerian films, entirely in their own style with their very own stories, not missing out the African spirit world and superstition either. With CHECKPOINT, we show you a real African action movie. Africa has been searching for its own style for some time, as the Ugandan DIVIZIONZ also shows.
Meanwhile, in the African diaspora, in North America, the first Afro- American president is on the way. The son of a Kenyan immigrant, the charismatic Barack Obama, has already been made a world leader before the elections. On September 4th Africa in the Picture will campaign an evening long together with Democrats Abroad Netherlands in film and discussions. Americans living in the Netherlands can register to vote at our main location Het Ketelhuis in Amsterdam.
For people who still consider blacks to be only beautiful, exotic and sexy, must see the Afro-American film in particular A GOOD DAY TO BE BLACK AND SEXY, which breaks through the clichés about 'black' sexuality in a very sensual way! More doubtful perceptions fall flat in WHAT BLACK MEN THINK, an ironic film about prison statistics and own prejudices.
We open on September, 3th with the sensual Antillean music film PANMAN, RHYTHM OF THE PALMS, Saint Maarten's first independent film. Finally, I would hereby like to thank our faithful funders, subsidisers and partners for their trust and support, making it possible to present a great festival once more in 2008.
Heidi Lobato - Festival Director
From September 3 - 10th the eleventh edition of Africa in the Picture Film Festival takes place. Leadership is the central theme of the festival that shows more than 50 movies produced and made by directors from African origin. New location is Bioscoop Het Ketelhuis at the Westergasfabriekterrein in Amsterdam.
Leadership, that's what its all about in 2008. In the USA the first Afro-American president seems to be approaching and the African continent is also busy with elections. In some countries democratic elections still remain a Utopia and don't seldom cause civil wars.
Reason for Africa in the Picture to shine a light on leadership all throughout the programme. With 50 icons from past and present on our posters!
FANGAFRIKA by Staycalm! Productions looks at the role of rappers and dj's on the role of the political process in Burkina Faso and in THE FIGHTING SPIRIT by George Amponsah young people from the Ghanese slums fight their way through boxing matches to a better future.
Opening movie this year is PANMAN, RHYTHM OF THE PALMS, the first independently produced movie from St. Martin. Steelpanplayer Harry Daniel discovers the negative side of his leadership, he wants to pass on his knowledge to the younger generation so badly that the is going to loose his family.
Another big movie this year is the beautifull TERRA SONAMBULA - SLEEPWALKING LAND by Teresa Prata. A magical realistic movie about the sensitive Muidinga in by war destroyed Mozambique. Muidinga finds a journal next to a body. It belongs to Farida who lives on an old ship at sea and is looking for her son. Muidinga is convinced that he is the lost son in the journal. Together with Tuahir, an old storyteller, he is trying to find his mother.
Besides the standard focus with recent productions from Africa and movies from Europe, North- and South America from directors of African origin, the festival also has some special events:
The Road to Obama
The first Afro-American president is on his way: Barack Obama! The whole world is in the spell of this charismatic future world leader, son of a Kenyan migrant. People believe in change again, that's why we organise a campaign night with the Democrats Abroad Netherlands - in the Netherlands living American delegates and democrats - about the phenomenon Obama. With the special screening of the impressive documentary Chisholm'72 by Shola Lynch, where the Afro-American teacher Shirley Chisholm, out of nowhere, in 1972 became one of the primaries for presidential election.
Gay Africa
In Africa homosexuality is still a big taboo, even severely punishable. Monday September the 8th an evening full of movies and debat about the struggles, the loves and the forced silence of black, coloured and Latin gays and lesbians.
The evening includes AFTER NINE (Sechaba Morojele), a groundbreaking miniseries from South Africa that kept millions of people hooked to their television with the secret love affair between China and the sexy Hector.
Angola in the Picture
After 16 years there will finally be parliamentary elections again in Angola on September 6th. The last elections led to a civil war that lasted 27 years. Special attention for Angola on the election day, with the classic SAMBIZANGA by Sarah Maldoror, the powerful film about the Angolese fight for freedom, which was only allowed to be shown in Angola after the Independence.
African Open Air
From August the 22nd Africa in the Picture organises free Open Air screenings in different city regions in Amsterdam. It starts August the 22nd at Bioscoop Het Ketelhuis, Westergasfabriekterrein with the movie LUMUMBA by Haitan director Raoul Peck. Check the website for other locations and movie descriptions.
Your Hood in the Picture
Because of the big success this year again Your Hood in the Picture, the filmbattle between the youth of the city regions. In cooperating with AT5 young people make a short film of their own hood, guided by professional filmmakers. The films will be shown at the African Open Air and at AT5.
With thanks to all our sponsors:
Gemeente Amsterdam DMO Kunstenplan 2005-2008, Stichting DOEN, Hivos/NCDO Cultuurfonds, Filmfonds, SNS Reaal Fonds and other.
