By Ogova Ondego and Sharlene Versfeld
Published April 24, 2011
Films from 101 countries have been sent to the Nairobi-based Lola Kenya Screen audiovisual media festival, skill-development mentorship programme and market for children and youth that marks its 6th edition in 2011.
The films received represent the whole gamut of human emotion and include titles like Ich Bin Eine Terroristin (I am a Terrorist), http://, La Poesie De Kiyumi, La Broderie De Sayuru (Kiyumi’s Poetry and Sayuru’s Embroidery), Calamity Jane Lettre A Sa Fille (Calamity Jane’s Letter to Her Daughter), Mute, Dzaomalaza Et Le Saphir Bleu, Go Kiss Her, Le Maillot De Cristiano (Cristiano'[Ronaldo]s Shirt), Refren per Kosoven (Requiem for Kosovo), Tenatorios (Funeral Parlours) and Irresponsible Exercises.
The films, after selection, shall be placed in a 10-category programme for the August 8-13, 2011 festival. The sections shall be the Golden Mboni Award Competition for the Best Children’s Film, The 14-Plus Award Competition for the Best Youth Film, Films by Students, Films by Children, Films for Youth, Eastern Africa Prism, Television Series, World Panorama, Special Focus, and the 5th Kids For Kids Festival Africa.
Besides showing in various festivals around the world(Australia, South Korea, Islamic Republic of Iran)films made by children and youth during the hugely popular Lola Kenya Screen film production workshops can now be accessed via Youtube. They include Vanessa’s Dream, Passion for the Environment, The Monsters of the new Age, Facebook Era, Little Knowledge is Dangerous, and Nairobi by Taxi.
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Meanwhile, Sharlene Versfeld reports that the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF)’s 32nd edition shall take place July 21-31, 2011 with more than 200 screenings of films from around the world, with a focus on films from South Africa and Africa being screened around the city.
The festival also offers an extensive seminar and workshop programme featuring local and international filmmakers, and the return of the Talent Campus Durban which sees some 40 young film-makers from Africa converge on Durban for five days of intensive workshops, seminars and master classes.
In addition the 2nd Durban FilmMart, a co-production market which incorporates a Producers’ Forum and a Finance Forum, shall also run during the festival. Experts in various fields within the film industry present workshops and master classes at the Producers’ Forum and the Finance forum calls for potential projects from Africa from which 12 are selected, mentored and then presented to potential financiers.
