By Ogova Ondego
Published March 10, 2014
Film festival organisers, directors of culture and filmmakers from the five East African Community-member countries are set to meet in Arusha, Tanzania, March 12-14, 2014, for the first East African Film Festivals and Filmmakers Preparatory Forum.
The three-day meeting that is organised by the East African Community (EAC) in collaboration with German Development Cooperation Agency (GIZ) shall seek to establish an alliance of film festivals within the EAC with a view to contributing towards faster regional integration.
“The main objective of the meeting shall be to facilitate the discussion of measures and strategies that will lead to the integration of all film festivals by creating a network within the EAC partner states,” says Jesca Eriyo, Deputy Secretary-General in charge of Productive and Social Sectors at EAC.
Each of the five member countries shall be represented by five members drawn from film festival directors, filmmakers and government officers of culture.
Among the festivals represented shall be Zanzibar International Film Festival (Tanzania), Lola Kenya Screen (Kenya), Amakula Kampala International Film Festival (Uganda), Kwetu Film Institute (Rwanda) and Festival International Du Cinema et Audio Visual Du Burundi (Burundi).
Government representatives (Directors of Culture, Culture Officers, Advisors on Culture, Directors of Cultural Centres, and Directors of Social Affairs), too, are expected at the meeting.
