Articles
Digital Filmmaking: Panacea or Scourge for African Cinema
Cinema was introduced in Africa in the early 1920’s, but it is not until the 1960’s that we saw an emergence of films made by Africans filmmakers. Films made during that period, reflected the sociopolitical realities of many African nations who were gaining their independence from colonial powers. Films focused on themes that reflected post-independence nation-state building, and colonial oppression.
This trend continued into the 1970’s, but took on a new form towards the end of the decade, as African filmmakers moved towards a more revolutionary pattern in their themes. At a time when African nations aligned themselves under the banners of communism or capitalism, filmmakers of that era began to explore post-colonial themes dealing with political systems influenced by ideologies from the East versus the West. As a result, Cinema of liberation or Third Cinema, started to emerge. more >>
Interviews
Kwaw Ansah
Steve Ayorinde: Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you. The name of Kwah Ansah is to a large extent one of the most significant of African Cinema. As far as cinema is concerned, we did not hear much from you in Nigeria since Heritage Africa. Has there been a break or change in focus since that outstanding film?
Kwah Ansah: No, there hasn't been a break. There hasn't been a shift. There has been rather a pause to reorganise, perhaps to meet a bigger challenge. There was a time when cinema in Ghana was quite active. When colleagues like Ola Balogun or Ousmane Sembène and Co. were meeting at various forums to discuss the future of the industry. Of course, it was very expensive and to make one film, it took nearly a million dollars. Having no colour laboratory, we had to do the post-production outside, in our, shall I say, masters' countries!
The English speaking Africans had not the chance of the French speaking: fortunately for them, there was the French Ministry of Cooperation which helped them to do a lot of films, whereas our colonial master didn't think of a place for us. So we had to struggle on our own to do the little we did. more >>
Panel Discussions
The African Slave Trades:
Across the Indian Ocean
The lost memory of enslavement of Africans to the Arab world dominated the panel discussions that followed the screenings of The African Slave Trades: Across the Indian Ocean. The film’s narrator, Nigerian writer and Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, said that “each time an attempt has been made or even the actual product of this enquiry has been placed before the world, it has been completely overwhelmed by the authentic atrocities recorded in the Transatlantic slave trade. And so the history of the African continent has been shortchanged in terms of its comprehensiveness, as a result of the neglect of this particular passage, this experience of the African peoples.”
“When we began this film project,” said Richard Rein, the film’s French co-director, we opened Pandora’s box. Our aim is not at all to lay guilt on the nations which are practically all compromised in this tragedy. Our aim is to shed light on this story in an educational way with the help of historians and sociologists. What we have learned is just the tip of the iceberg.” more >>
Reviews
U-Carmen eKhayelitsha
When I first saw U-Carmen eKhayelitsha at the 13th New York African Film Festival in April 2006, I was mesmerized. Because the film made such a strong social statement with its casting of Carmen, I was forced to examine my socialization of the standards of beauty. As a result, my self-esteem has been raised and my concept of beauty has been forever broadened.
By adapting Bizet's opera to film and setting it in a South African township, Mark Donford-May has given the world a Carmen that surpasses all previous Carmens. Breaking with the tradition of presenting Carmen defined by the European standard of beauty, Dornford-May boldly presents us with an opportunity to expand our idea of beauty and exoticness. more >>
Articles
Homage to Ousmane Sembene
On Tuesday, May 27, 2008, AFF co-produced a very special evening at the French Institute: Alliance Francais, titled Homage To Ousmane Sembene. The evening began with a screening of a short documentary directed by Mamadou Niang on the life of Sembene. Fadhima Thiam, actress and personal friend of Sembene, read excerpts from one of Sembene’s novels, God’s Bits of Wood. After the reading, audiences were treated to a very special presentation of Sembene’s first film, Borom Sarret, with an original sound score performed by DJ Spooky (aka The Subliminal Kid). Mamadou Diouf, Director of the Institute of African Studies at Columbia University, served as the evening’s master of ceremonies.
Ousmane Sembčne’s films age well. The Senegalese filmmaker passed in 2006 at 84 years. His features, which include Mandabe, Xala (it charts the travails of postcolonial elites) and Moolade (the latter a polemic against female genital mutilation) can compare with any of the great masters of twentieth century film. more >>
World Festivals
Sydney African Film Festival
The Sydney African Film Festival was launched in 2006 by a group of volunteers from Hands of Help with the initial goal of raising money for their project in Uganda. During the planning process the group realized that there was a lack of Africa films showing in Australia and that there was not an event that celebrated many different cultures from the African Continent. Last year, the festival continued to grow and with the support of its sponsor, Imaginative Traveller.
With the support of the New York African Film Festival, and a continual dedicated group of volunteers from Hands of Help, the festival has been able to achieve its goal of providing an African voice here in Sydney through film and culture... more >>