the iRepresent (iREP) international documentary film festival begins this weekend in lagos at terra kulture and the lagos business school. the festival's theme is 'the impact of documentary production in a developing society/economy' and will feature screenings, presentations, workshops, panel discussions, and a gala awards ceremony.
i am finally leaving akwa ibom (there, i said it) and will catch a few events before the festival closes on sunday, january 23. tho i am a narrative girl through and through and not a huge documentary fan, too many random friends have recommended this festival for it to go ignored. plus i hear tunde kelani will be on one of the panels, and i can't miss that.
more festival info here. --AL.
i left lagos for akwa ibom about a week ago and have been writing like a beast ever since. it's much quieter here and more peaceful--apart from constant threats of armed robbers and kidnapping--and i am hearing my inner voice a little more clearly than before. the more time i spend writing, the less i spend blogging, which is actually a great thing. although my abysmal internet connection here is partly to blame for the lapse. spent 75 minutes yesterday trying to send one bloody email at a cybercafe. ugh.
the africa international film festival starts on wednesday in port harcourt. it's the festival's first year and the organizers seem completely disorganized about everything (just posted the schedule today, 48 hours before the festival begins). nevertheless, i'm still thinking about going just to see what all the fuss is about. apparently malcolm jamal warner and rockmond dunbar will also be there. (random? ;)
more info here and here.
Update: The festival was an absolute fiasco. I went for the first and second days. At about three o'clock today, they cancelled the remainder of the day's screenings due to "technical difficulties" and told us all to go buy refreshments and come back tomorrow. I really wanted to smack someone in the face, but all I could do was be grateful that I took the bus and didn't waste money flying to PH for this. Naija, abeg! What a disgrace. Although I must add that I dropped in on the cinematography workshop yesterday, which actually seemed rather useful, although I got bored and left quickly since I already went to film school. Highlight of my day: clubbing at the Wine Bar. ;)
A few colleagues/mentors of mine are presenting at the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival. Carol Dysinger, my former editing professor @ NYU film (and a fellow Hedgebrook alum), and my former bosses Michael and Shari, who directed and produced an HBO documentary series on immigration reform policy. Check them out if you're in town. More info from the program listings below:
Last Best Chance brilliantly presents a political legend, Senator Edward Kennedy, in his final battle for comprehensive immigration reform in the US. Seeking legislation that he believes would best serve US interests and provide greater security and dignity to many of the 20 million people currently living in the shadows, Senator Kennedy joins forces with talented allies on the outside to marshal fellow Senators Obama, Clinton, Menendez, Kyl and McCain toward a “Grand Bargain.”
But deep at the heart of this fast-moving story, below the level of strategy and protocol, we find a moral tale of modern American politics. Ted Kennedy, one of a handful of people who through his personal efforts truly changed the face of America, is forced to decide how much he wants this deal and what he is willing to trade for his greatest legacy.
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Drawing from nearly 300 hours of vérité footage shot between 2005 and 2008, Camp Victory, Afghanistan skillfully explores the reality of building a functioning Afghan military. Filmmaker Carol Dysinger achieves a remarkable intimacy in telling the story of several US National Guardsmen stationed in Herat, Afghanistan, and the Afghan officers they are assigned to mentor. Although the United States has poured military aid into Afghanistan, money alone does not produce security—people do. Frustrations are evident as are moments of humor as the film vividly exposes the difficulties faced by men from two very different worlds as they attempt to understand and work effectively together in this monumental endeavor.
Last Best Chance brilliantly presents a political legend, Senator Edward Kennedy, in his final battle for comprehensive immigration reform in the US. Seeking legislation that he believes would best serve US interests and provide greater security and dignity to many of the 20 million people currently living in the shadows, Senator Kennedy joins forces with talented allies on the outside to marshal fellow Senators Obama, Clinton, Menendez, Kyl and McCain toward a “Grand Bargain.”But deep at the heart of this fast-moving story, below the level of strategy and protocol, we find a moral tale of modern American politics. Ted Kennedy, one of a handful of people who through his personal efforts truly changed the face of America, is forced to decide how much he wants this deal and what he is willing to trade for his greatest legacy.
Drawing from nearly 300 hours of vérité footage shot between 2005 and 2008, Camp Victory, Afghanistan skillfully explores the reality of building a functioning Afghan military. Filmmaker Carol Dysinger achieves a remarkable intimacy in telling the story of several US National Guardsmen stationed in Herat, Afghanistan, and the Afghan officers they are assigned to mentor. Although the United States has poured military aid into Afghanistan, money alone does not produce security—people do. Frustrations are evident as are moments of humor as the film vividly exposes the difficulties faced by men from two very different worlds as they attempt to understand and work effectively together in this monumental endeavor.
