By Bethsheba Achitsa
Published July 13, 2011

The Nairobi-based Lola Kenya Screen audiovisual media festival, skill-development mentorship programme and market for children and youth in eastern Africa has on July 12, 2011 released the film line up for the August 8-13, 2011 event.

In its sixth year, Lola Kenya Screen received more than 300 films from 102 countries from which 150 have been selected following a rigorous viewing selection process by children, youth, mass communication students, journalists, critics and parents. Fewer films shall be programmed than ever before following the introduction of media literacy seminars in 2010 and film discussion at the end of every film in 2011.

The selected films shall be presented in 10 categories, including the 6th Golden Mboni Award for the best children’s film, the 3rd 14-Plus Award for the best youth film, the 5th Kids for Kids Festival Africa, Films by Students, Films by Children for Children, Eastern Africa Prism, World Panorama, and three special focus areas: Documentary, Busan International Kids’ Festival (BIKI, South Korea) and George Washington University’s Documentary Centre (USA) productions.

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The battle for the best children’s film is likely to be between Italy and Spain that have two entries each in the 10-film contest that also has three entries from Kenya, and one each from Belgium, Palestine, and USA. Indeed, the hardest contest is likely to be waged over the Golden Mboni Award where Kenya is, for the first time in the 6-year history of the festival, well represented. The United States and Belgium are unlikely to go down. But if they do, the victor will be left with wounds that will take a while to heal.

Spain is again well represented in the 14-Plus Award for the best youth film contest in which Madagascar, Namibia, Kenya and France shall also be hoping to pip the others for the prize. The contest has 10 films.

All the 10 categories have particularly strong films that will keep the audience busy and discussing them over the entire six-day of the festival that shall be held in both the Nairobi City Centre and the densely populated Eastlands residential neigbourhood.

Besides film shows, Lola Kenya Screen shall host a two-day roundtable for the independent audiovisual media producers. Motivational speakers drawn from the fledgling audiovisual media sector are also expected to interact with children and youth.

The theme of the 6th Lola Kenya Screen is ‘Films for Enjoyment, Learning and Participation in the 21st Century’. ArtMatters.Info is the official media partner of the festival that is presented by ComMattersKenya.

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Among the films selected are:

I. Golden Mboni Award for the best children’s film Competition
1. Le Maillot De Cristiano/Cristiano’s Shirt, Vincent Bruno, 2011, 16″48″, Belgium
2. Gamba Trista/Loser Leg, Francesco Filippi, 2010, 8″20″, Italy
3. Pizzangrillo/Lighthearted Boy, Marco Gianfreda, 2011, 16″43″, Italy
4. Zebu and the PhotoFish, Zippy Nyaruri, 2010, 12’00’, Kenya
5. Becoming A Girl, Grace Kinya,2010, 09’47’, Kenya
6. Kidz for Kidz, Allesandra Argenti, Peter Jansen, 2010, 6″22″, Kenya
7. Mute, Muayad Alayan, 2011, 20″00″, Palestine
8. Cuando Corres/When You Run, Mikel Rueda, 2011, 5″00″, Spain
9. Voltereta/Somersault, Alex Morante, 13″50″, 2010, Spain
10. Refren per Kosoven/Requiem for Kosovo, Dhimitri Ismailaj, 2010, 19″32″, USA

II. 14-Plus Award for the best youth film Competition
1. Checkpoint, Ruben Amar, 2010, 19″20″, France
2. Bizzaire, Martin Ndichu, 2010, 90″00″, Kenya
3. Hadithi Ya Uamuzi: Story of a Choice, Alessandra Argenti, Silvia Gioiello, Vincenzo Cavallo, 18″00″ 2011, Kenya
4. Dzaomalaza et Le Saphir Bleu, Mamihasina Raminosoa, Andriamanisa Radoniaina, 2010, 49″15″, Madagascar
5. Teddy Bear Love, Philippe Talavera, 2011, 44″00″, Namibia
6. Rosalinda, Rogier Hesp, 2010, 10″21″, The Netherlands
7. La Playa De Berlin. Cannon Beach/Cannon Beach, Manuel Calvo, 2009, 25″00″, Spain
8. Mi Otra Mitad/My Other Half, Beatriz Sanchis, 2011, 18″00″, Spain

III. Films by Students
1. Wycieczka/The Trip, Bartosz Kruhlik, 12’30”, 2010, PWSFTViT, Poland
2. Jutro/Tomorrow, Bartosz Kruhlik, 13’30”, 2009, PWSFTViT, Poland
3. Sunset  At  Dawn, Grace Ng’ang’a, 2010, 38″00″ , NYTA, Kenya
4. Organs, Asha Mwilu, 2010, 30″00″, USIU, Kenya
5. Control, Ian Kithinji, 2010, 33″00″, Daystar University, Kenya

IV. Kids for Kids Festival Africa competition
1. Vanessa’s Dream, Adede Hawi, Daki Mohamed, 01’41”, 2010, Kenya
2. Passion for the Environment, Mueni Muthama, Daphine Mbithuka, 01’16” 2010, Kenya
3. Monsters of the New Age, Brian Saruni, 02’24’, 2010, Kenya
4. Facebook Era, Brian Saruni, Adima Mesa, Bob Ian, Antony Mukiri, 02″55″, 2010, Kenya

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V. Eastern Africa Prism
1.Flying Toilet, Sheila Mulinya, 2011, 7″00″, Kenya
2. Within Reach, Salome Mbuthia, 2010, 10″12″, Kenya
3. Amani/Peace, Alison Ngibuini, 2010, 15″00″, Kenya
4. Karamoja Faces, Simon Bird, Simon Lokai, 2010, 15″16″, UK
5. Irresponsible Exercises, Napoleon Were, 2010, 60″00″, Kenya
6. My Story music, Adam Juma, 2008, 3″05″, Kenya
7. Me and My Bike,  Allesandra Argenti, Peter Jansen, 2011, 1″08″, Kenya
8. Trash is Cash, Allesandra Argenti, Peter Jansen, 2009, 5″30″, Kenya
9. My Story with narration, Allesandra Argenti, Peter Jansen, 2009, 5″00″, Kenya
10. Lezare/For Today, Zelalem Woldermariam, 14″00″, Ethiopia
11. Sita Kimya/I will Not Be Silent: Junia and Doreen, Cajetan Boy, 2010, 15’00”, Kenya
12. Sita Kimya/I will Not Be Silent: Brian and Lavender, Cajetan Boy, 2010, 17’00”, Kenya

VI. Wold panorama
1. Velik/The Bike, Maria Morozova, 2008, `7″50″, Russia
2. Akerbeltz Las Brujas Y El Inquisidor/Akerbeltz, The Witches and The Inquisitor, Cesar Urbina Vitoria, 10″29″, 2010, Spain
3. Panchito, Arantxa Echevarria Caecedo, 16″28″ 2010, Spain
4. Lichtspuren/Traces of Light, Claire Walka, 2010, 14″30″, Germany
5. Busy, Felix Von Seefranz, 2010, 15″00″,  Germany
6. El Hijo Del Nar/The Son of the Sea, Roberto Aznar, 2010, 25″00″, Spain
7. Upaasmar: The Taste of Hunger, Ajay Saklani, 2011, 28″02″ India
8. El Vendedor Delano/The Salesman of the Year, Cote Soler, 2010, 18″00″, Spain
9. Ciclope/Cyclopes, Carlos Morett,2009, 12″00″, Spain
10. El Orden De Las Cosas/The Order of Things, César Esteban Alenda, 2010, 18″00″, Spain
11. Tenatorios/Funeral Parlours, Miguel Méndez, 2011, 14″00″, Spain
12.ÂMamiko , Vincent Richard, 2010, 4″08″, France
13. Siggil, Remi Mazet, 20″00″, 2010, France
14. The Last Thread, Liz Skaggs, 2009, 7″00″, USA
15. In Two Minutes, Michalis Lygkiaris, 2010, 2″00″, Greece
16. White House, Jared Katsiane, 2011, 4″25″, USA
17. Ich Bin Eine Terroristin/I am a Terrorist, Valerie Gaudissart, 2010, 97″00″, France
18. La Rubia De Pinos Puente/The Blonde from Pinos Puente, Vicente Villanueva, 2009, 14″00″, Spain
19. Make A Move (OYO’s Festival Presentation in 2009), Philippe Talavera, 2010, 42″41″, Namibia
20. Calamity Jane Lettre a’sa fille/Calamity Jane’s Letter to her Daughter, Vincent Richard, 2010, 3″46″, France
21. The Last Thread, Liz Skaggs, 2009, 07’00”, USA

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VII. Films by Kids for Kids
1. Tombe De Ciel/ Fallen From the Sky, Cumulo Nimbus, 2009, 9″50″, France
2. Les Amis Du Monde/World Friends, Cumulo Nimbus, 2010, 5″09″, France
3. Les Machines a Voyager/Travelling Machines, Cumulo Nimbus, 2010, 6″45″, France
4. Nairobi by Taxi, Charmaine Ndolo, Brian Saruni, Mina Ogova, Crystal Ndolo, Tracey Wanja, 04’26”,2010, Kenya
5. The Un-ending Adventure, Brian Saruni, Charmaine Ndolo, Crystal Ndolo, Tracey Wanja, Mina Ogova, 04’02”,2010, Kenya
6. My Shoes, My Style, Mina Ogova, Tracy Muringa, Charlene Ndolo, Karama Ogova, Bob Ian, 03’43”, 2010, Kenya
7. Behold, The Glory!, Adima Mesa, Adede Hawi, 04″21″, 2010, Kenya

VIII. Best Documentary
1. Ciao Cirella, Christophe Berthaud, 55’00”, 2010, France
2. Mbambu and the Mountains of the Moon, Lucian & Natasa Muntean, 50’05”, 2011, Serbia
3. Unsung Heroines: Epis 5, Prof Habiba Bouhamed Chaabouni, M Beatrix Mugishagwe, 26’00”, 2010, Tanzania
4. Paradiso, Alessandro Negrini, 61’00”, 2009, Northern Ireland

IX. Special Focus
a). Busan International Kids’ Film Festival (BIKI, South Korea)

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b). The Documentary Centre, George Washington University, USA

More information, including editorial, photo and video, on Lola Kenya Screen is available at:
lolakenyascreen.org, facebook.com/LolaKenyaScreen, twitter.com/LolaKenyaScreen, youtube.com/Lolakenyascreen, flickr.com/photos/lolakenyascreen, flickr.com/people/lolakenyascreen