Though all the 11 competitors for the Golden Mboni Award for the best children’s film were well-crafted, creative films, Belgium’s LE MAILLOT DE CRISTIANO | CRISTIANO RONALDO’S SHIRT by Vincent Bruno took away the prize in a tightly contested battle.

Italy and Spain had two entries each in contest that also had three entries from Kenya, and one each from Belgium, Palestine, and USA.

Presented for the third time since its inauguration in 2009, the best youth film prize — the 14-Plus Award — went to Madagascar’s DZAOMALAZA ET LE SAPHIR BLEU|DZAOMALAZA AND THE BLUE STONE by Andriamanisa Radoniaina and Mamihasina Raminosoa; the second and third prizes in the category went to LA PLAYA DE BERLIN|CANNON BEACH by Manuel Calvo and MI OTRA MITAD|MY OTHER HALF by Beatriz Sanchis, both of Spain, in that order.

The full list of the awards announced in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, are:

• Golden Mboni for the best children’s film: LE MAILLOT DE CRISTIANO|CRISTANO RONALDO’S SHIRT, Vincent Bruno, Belgium.
• Silver Mboni for the second best children’s film: PIZZANGRILLO|LIGHTHEARTED BOY, Marco Gianfreda, Italy.
• Bronze Mboni for the third best children’s film: VOLTERETA|SOMERSAULT, Alex Morants, Spain.
• 14-Plus Award for the best youth film: Dzaomalaza et LE SAPHIR BLEU|DZAOMALAZA AND THE BLUE STONE, Mamihasina Raminosoa and Andriamanisa Radoniaina, Madagascar.
• 14-Plus Award for the second best youth film: LA PLAYA DE BERLIN|CANNON BEACH, Manuel Calvo, Spain.
• 14-Plus Award for the third best youth film: MI OTRA MITAD|MY OTHER HALF, Beatriz Sanchis, Spain.
• 14-Plus Award Special Commendation: BIZZAIRE, Martin Ndichu, Kenya.
• Special Youth Prize: OMBETJA YEHINGA ORGANISATION, Philippe Talavera, Namibia.
• Best Student Film: JUTRO|TOMORROW, Bartosz Kruhlik, Poland.
• Most Experimental Film: VOLTERETA|SOMERSAULT, Alex Morante, Spain.
• Best Documentary: PARADISO, Alessandro Negrini, Northern Ireland.
• Best Documentary Special Commendation: MBAMBU AND THE MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON, Lucian and Natasa Muntean, Serbia.
• Best Animation: GAMBA TRISTA|LOSER LEG, Francesco Filippi, Italy.
• Best Kenyan Film: ZEBU AND THE PHOTOFISH, Zipporah Nyaruri, Kenya.
• Best Children’s Rights Film: MUTE, Muayad Alayan, Palestine.
• 5th Kids for Kids Festival Africa Prizes: MONSTERS OF THE NEW AGE, Brian Saruni, Kenya; VANESSA’S DREAM, Adede Hawi and Daki Mohammed, Kenya; PASSION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, Mueni Muthama, Kenya.

Out of the more than 300 films from 102 countries sent to Nairobi for festival consideration, 44 were selected for the Golden Mboni Award for the best children’s film and 14-Plus Award for the best youth film competition.

In all, the selected films were screened in 10 categories: Golden Mboni Award for the best children’s film Competition , 14-Plus Award for the best youth film Competition, Best Student Film Competition, Kids for Kids Festival Africa competition, Best Documentary Film Competition, Films by Children for Children, Eastern Africa Prism, Wold Panorama, Special Focus (Busan International Kids’ Festival productions, and The Documentary Center, George Washington University).

Held August 8-13, 2011 on the theme “Films for Enjoyment, Learning and Participation in the 21st Century,” the 6th Lola Kenya Screen was supported by ComMattersKenya and ArtMatters.Info. It ended in Nairobi, Kenya, on August 13, 2011.

Detailed information on Lola Kenya Screen — including still photos and video clips — is available online:

• lolakenyascreen.org
• ArtMatters.Info
• facebook.com/LolaKenyaScreen
• twitter.com/LolaKenyaScreen
• youtube.com/Lolakenyascreen
• flickr.com/photos/lolakenyascreen

Additionally, Lola Kenya Screen’s most successful production — LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS DANGEROUS — that has been to the nook and cranny of the four corners of the globe, has been selected for the Jump Cut screening programme of the 2011 Bayside Film Festival that holds August 17-20, 2011 at Palace Brighton Bay, Bay Street, Brighton, Victoria, Australia.

LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS DANGEROUS that was made in Kiswahili in 2007 (and reformatted for TV broadcasting with the help of UNESCO in 2010) by Adede Hawi, Samora Oundo and Karama Ogova has played on virtually every continent. When three non-literate friends decide to learn English in an attempt to impress, little do they know they are scooping red hot coals into their lap. The story is simply told from the children’s own perspective. Realised under the guidance of Finnish Maikki Kantola with the support of the Danish Film Institute, LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS DANGEROUS was in December 2010 shown at the Museum of Modern Art in Bogota, Colombia where it was shown to more than 1500 boys and girls. The film has won awards and accolades across the world where it has been screened. It continues to be one of Lola Kenya Screen’s all-time favourites with children in Oceania, South America, North America, South-East Asia and even in the Middle East.

While HAPPY TIMES, MANANI OGRES and LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS DANGEROUS are films made by children aged 6-15 years, SANTOS THE SURVIVOR is one of the six short documentaries for children and youth made by practicing filmmakers during a Lola Kenya Screen film production workshop supported by the Jan Vrijman Fund/IDFA. This was one of the many hands-on workshops conducted by Duco Tellegen nd Meike Statema with the aim of sensitising practitioners in the film sector on the need for creating specialised documentary film content for hildren and youth in 2008. Jagdev’s SANTOS THE SURVIVOR has been a favourite on the world film festival circuit. It was part of the Jan Vrijman Fund documentary tour in various film festivals in 2010 after being nominated for best short documentary film at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in Nigeria in 2009.

With more than 32 films produced, Lola Kenya Screen has also been promoting the productions from Kenya through the weekly community screenings that have since October 2011 provided dwellers in Nairobi’s Kibera and Mathare informal settlements with a chance to watch films made by children and youth. Lola Kenya Screen’s productions that address issues such as caring for the environment, exploring and nurturing children’s talent as well as the benefits and threats of technological advancement are part of this initiative.

PASSION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, FACEBOK ERA, HOUSE OF TALENT, BROTHER…BROTHER (THE QUIET KATOTO), LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS DANGEROUS, THE UNENDING ADVENTURE, and SANTOS THE SURVIVOR have all been shown in the informal settlements to much acclaim from the audience comprising children, youth, and adults.

Lola Kenya Screen is focused on film 365 days a year through weekly skill-development mentorship programmes in schools, school/community mobile cinema, monthly Lola Kenya Screen Film Forum, annual Lola Kenya Screen film festival, and special audiovisual media outreach programmes. The mobile cinema programme covers the breadth and width of the Nairobi metropolitan area, including the Mathare and Kibera informal settlements.

While Lola Kenya Screen is an initiative that explores, identifies, nurtures, and flaunts creative talent among children and youth, Lola Kenya Screen also champions the need to see the Kenya and eastern African film sector mature into a veritable film industry. Consequently, this Nairobi-based initiative that serves children and youth in the Horn, Great Lakes and Southern Africa is a member of the International Centre of Cinema for Children and Young People (CIFEJ) — an organisation founded in 1955 under the auspices of UNESCO and UNICEF to promote excellence in cinema for children and youth. Lola Kenya Screen organises and presents Kids For Kids Festival Africa, besides identifying with various local and international film initiatives.

Since 2006 Lola Kenya Screen has been showcasing the best possible international productions for children and youth in Nairobi every second week of August. During this time of the year selected participants are given a chance to experience filmmaking; cultural journalism; creative writing; film criticism; media literacy; and event planning and presentation through special, learn-as-you-do mentorship initiatives led by local and international experts specialising in issues related to children, youth, film, mass media, culture, and development.

The sixth edition of Lola Kenya screen is scheduled for August 8-13, 2011 in the Nairobi CBD. The hugely popular skill-development mentorship programmes that form the centre piece of the festival will introduce screen-writing and screen acting to participants. The festival that has become a permanent fixture on the calendar of many film lovers will exhibit more than 250 films from 102 countries.

And — yes — you can follow the progress of Lola Kenya Screen online:

• lolakenyascreen.org
• facebook.com/lolakenyascreen
• twitter.com/lolakenyascreen
• youtube.com/lolakenyascreen
• flickr.com/lolakenyascreen

Lola Kenya Screen received more than 300 films from 102 countries from which the selection was made 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 6^th Golden Mboni Award for the best children’s film, the 3^rd 14-Plus Award for the best youth film, the 5^th 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. 

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.  

Since its inception in October 2005, Lola Kenya Screen identified itself as a specialised audiovisual media initiative exclusively designed for children and youth. Consequently, the festival takes the content for children and youth seriously, only selecting the content that is must be creative and demonstrate artistic and technical mastery; The content should speak positively to children and youth of diverse backgrounds and cultures be…sides providing strong role models for both boys and girls; The action of the film should be child/youth-driven and the stories should be culturally authentic, timely, and of universal appeal; the content should be made BY, WITH and FOR children and youth rather than ABOUT children and youth. If it focuses on children and youth, then it will be of appeal to the family as well. This is what guides the children, youth, film practitioners, journalists, critics, teachers and members of the public who constitute the committee that selects films for exhibition at Lola Kenya Screen.

Lola Kenya Screen, a Nairobi-based charity specialising in issues related to children, youth, mass media, culture and development, accepts all kinds of moving images made by professionals, students, amateurs, youth and children that focus on children, youth and family.

Experimental films, television series, video games and even creatively packaged music videos tackling issues related to children, youth and family and that provide strong role models to children and youth while speaking positively to children of diverse backgrounds are accepted.

Selected films are showcased under various categories with those starring children aged 6-13 years competing for the prestigious Lola Kenya Screen Golden Mboni award for the best children’s film and those featuring children above 14 years competing for the Lola Kenya Screen 14-Plus Prize for the best youth film.

While the Golden Mboni has been awarded since 2006, the 14-Plus award was inaugurated in 2009.

All entries submitted must be suitable for children ages 13 and under, youth aged 14-25 years, or family (25+).

The film entry form with regulations is available at www.lolakenyascreen.org/downloads/2011_Lola_Kenya_Screen_Film_Entry_Form.pdf

The deadline for applications is 2011 April 15.

More about Lola Kenya Screen

More information about Lola Kenya Screen,  a global movement that established in October 2005 to explore, identify and nurture talent among children and youth in areas such as journalism, filmmaking, arts appreciation, and organisation and presentation of cultural and creative events, is  available online:

• lolakenyascreen.org
• twitter.com/LolaKenyaScreen
• facebook.com/Lola-Kenya-Screen-Film-Festival
• Email director@lolakenyascreen.org
• Mobile telephone 254 733 703374
• Mobile telephone 254 722 486531
• Mobile telephone 254 752 745423
• P.O. Box 20775-00100 GPO, Nairobi, Kenya (EA)

According to an AMAA Press Statement issued in Lagos on February 2, 2011, the event–-dubbed Nairobi Rocks with Stars–-the Nomination Night will take place on Friday night at the Ole-Sereni Hotel and some of the stars set to attend it include Nollywood greats like Rita Dominic,Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Mike Ezuronye, Chinedu Ikeduze, Kate Henshaw-Nuttal, Jim Iyke, and Ini Edo, among others.

Tony Anih, the Administrative Secretary of AMAA, says the two-pronged Nomination Night and Music Concert is aimed at building the brand AMAA and increasing its presence and visibility in the Eastern African region to the extent that participation in the award from the region will double in subsequent years.

The Nairobi event is thus planned as an entry point to eastern Africa that comprises Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, eastern DR Congo, Ethiopia, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia and Southern Sudan.

“Eastern Africa has made very strong showing and presence in AMAA since we started, particularly in the last three editions. Apart from submitting films for the awards filmmakers and allied practitioners from these countries have come to Nigeria to attend the awards,” Anih says.

He explains that it was largely because of the region’s contribution to Africa’s premier film awards that the Secretariat of AMAA “felt it is time to make them have a feel of the award by taking the Nomination Night to them and thereby increasing the AMAA brand’s visibility in that region of Africa. Nairobi is central to East Africa and it is the economic hub of the region. It will be easy for people in East Africa to come to Nairobi. It will be a great Night.”

Another feature of this year’s Nomination Night is a concert that is scheduled for Saturday, February 26, at Carnivore Grounds in Nairobi’s Lang’ata area. The main performers will be P-Square, J Martins, Edge, Kwela Tebza and Amani.

The AMAA Nomination Night will be an all-Africa event: Fifty-three countries will represented at the gathering, which expresses the aspirations of players among the continent’s burgeoning audiovisual media.

The African Movie Academy Awards

The awards recognize and honor excellence among the directors, actors, and writers who create Africa’s audiovisual media. They also promote exemplary works of African filmmaking.

The Seventh African Movie Academy Awards ceremony will be held in Nairobi on March 26, 2011. The glamorous ceremony has become a prestigious event in the African entertainment industry calendar.

Links

• Africa Film Academy
• African Movie Academy Awards
• Wikipedia article about the African Movie Academy Awards

[This story is based on reporting by Cinema Minima Correspondent Ogova Ondego in Nairobi. Lilian Baksalevowicz at FilmContact.com in Cape Town, South Africa, also contributed to this story.]

Trailer/ THE WHITE MEADOWS\Mohammad Rasoulof / UKIFF [Vimeo]

BY AUSTIN BURBRIDGE. LOS ANGELES (CINEMA MINIMA) — Two Iranian independent filmmakers were sentenced to six years in prison in Iran on Monday, December 20, 2010. The two directors — Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof — had been arrested at Mr Panahi’s house in March 2010. After incarceration, Mr Panahi, who is fifty years old, will be forbidden for twenty years from making films, writing screenplays, speaking to local or foreign media, and travel abroad.

The sentences were imposed on the two men for the purpose of punishing “assembly and collusion and propagandizing against the régime,” according to a report published in Iran by the Iranian Students News Agency. Each had spoken out against the Iranian government’s regulation of movie making. They had also publicly expressed support for the opposition to the régime during the last national elections.

Jafar Panahi is a well-known director. He has been celebrated for his successes at Berlin, Cannes, and Venice.

Mohammad Rasoulof is a respected writer, director, and producer. However — while Mr Rasoulof’s films have been acclaimed at festivals outside Iran — he is not a celebrity.

There have been many, well-publicized appeals by celebrities — Francis Coppola, Abbas Kiarostami, Martin Scorcese, and Steven Spielberg, among others — for the release of Mr Panahi. Some of the statements mention that Mohammad Rasoulof was hit with the same term of imprisonment for the same crime, and call for his release, as well. A petition is circulating, which has been subscribed by several French institutions, including the Cinémathèque française. It, too, mentions Mr Rasoulof.

However, few headlines or ledes mention that any filmmaker other than Mr Panahi had been sentenced in Iran last Monday. Twitter is littered with messages deploring the injustice to Jafar Panahi and calling for his release. Among the broad strokes of public discourse, the plight of his less-well-known colleague has been, for the most part, omitted, or relegated to the details of the Panahi story.

Although Mohammad Rasoulof is not so well-known as Panahi, he is a respected director of four features, several of which have been exhibited to good notices at international film festivals. His documentary, HEAD WIND, treats Iranian government restrictions on getting international movies and TV from satellite dishes, and restrictions on internet access. His latest film, THE WHITE MEADOWS, was released in 2009.

In his call for the release of the filmmakers, Abbas Kiarostami explained the significance of their work in Persian culture and its importance in a larger context —

Jafar Panahi and Mahmoud Rasoulof are two filmmakers of the Iranian independent cinema, a cinema that for the past quarter of a century has served as an essential cultural element in expanding the name of this country across the globe. They belong to an expanded world culture, and are a part of international cinematic culture.

I wish for their immediate release from prison knowing that the impossible is possible.

My heartfelt wishes are that artists no longer be imprisoned in this country because of their art; and that the independent and young Iranian cinema would no longer face obstacles, or lack of support and attention, or prejudice.

Since his arrest in March 2010, Mr Rasoulof has been at liberty on bail. During that time he has begun production of new movie. He remains free, pending appeal. He has twenty days from the date of the sentencing, to file an appeal.

B&H Photo Video

Your purchase through this link supports Cinema Minima

Director’s Viewfinders

Presented in the framework of the pan African Cinetoile African mobile cinema network, these workshops — that brought together 30 children and youth from Nairobi and its environs — also marked five years since the founding of Lola Kenya Screen as an audiovisual media festival, skill-development mentorship programme and market for children and youth in eastern Africa in October 2005.

The Learn-As-You-Do method

In the spotlight once more are the hugely popular learn-as-you-do skill-development method that has seen 142 children and youth from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zimbabwe gain skills in creative and cultural entrepreneurship since August 2006; 61 have been trained in filmmaking, and 24 in creative journalism training, 11 in event planning and presentation, and 20 in critical appreciation (judging) of film. Additionally, 26 youth have been equipped with the skills to make television drama and documentaries for children and youth.

So far, 20 short animated films, 12 documentaries, and five dramatic films have been made by children and youth through the annual Lola Kenya Screen film production workshops while many talents from the writing workshops have joined the mainstream mass media organizations in the region.

The November/December training strengthened the creative and cultural sector of eastern Africa further by training many more practitioners and actors for the present and the future.

Outreach

Besides empowering children and youth, Lola Kenya Screen also equips adults working with youngsters with pertinent skills. The movement also promotes the screen culture through the monthly Lola Kenya Screen Film Forum, school/community outreach mobile cinema and the annual Lola Kenya Screen film festival through which more than 1,750 best possible films from 98 countries drawn from all the six continents had been shown by August 15, 2010.

Sharon Mazviha Fortunate of Zimbabwe went through the experience of judging and awarding prizes to films at Lola Kenya Screen as a member of the Children’s jury.

I want to take this opportunity to thank the whole team for making it possible for a person like me to be part of the Lola Kenya Screen audiovisual media initiative for children and youth. I never thought I would one day fly, but I flew. I never thought I would sleep in a hotel, but I slept in one.

I spent an inspiring week at the festival meeting great and highly motivated people; tchildren’s films gave me the opportunity to express and share myself both on a personal level and a cultural level, reaching across borders and continents.

Tracy Muringa, a student at State House Girls’ School in Nairobi, Kenya, who has trained at Lola Kenya Screen in 2009 and 2010, says,

Reading about Lola Kenya Screen is not nearly as satisfying as the real experience. The various areas it trains children in are both educative and fun. The youth may look for fun in bad places but Lola Kenya Screen provides fun in a safe haven.

Bree Tonga Manuel of Zimbabwe says she learnt how to be serious and responsible in life from her experience at the third Lola Kenya Screen in 2008.

I learnt that if you want to get something done, especially in film animation and production, you have to be serious and responsible. I also learnt how to interact with other children from different cultures and backgrounds and I made many new friends, not only from Kenya but from Uganda and Tanzania.

Adede Hawi Nyodero, a student at The Kenya High School, Nairobi, is a regular participant at Lola Kenya Screen. She says,

Through Lola Kenya Screen, I have had the privilege to speak about children’s welfare and filmmaking on international radio and television networks that broadcast around the world; such networks include M-Net (Multi Choice) of South Africa, and Kenya’s Kenya Broadcasting Corporation and Africa Radio Service. I have also been featured in newspapers, magazines and several online (Internet) publications.

I feel that filmmaking can make a great impact in children’s lives and should be introduced in all Kenyan schools.

Craig Kimu of Zimbabwe went through the Lola Kenya Screen creative journalism training in 2008:

It was on a Sunday morning, the 11th of August 2008 when we departed the Harare International Airport in Zimbabwe for Nairobi in Kenya.

At first, I was shocked at the thought that it was really me who was going to Kenya for the Lola Kenya Screen film festival. It was a nice time meeting with other children, youth and adults from other countries. I learnt many things from them and so did they.

As children, we could speak openly about what life holds in filmmaking.

I’d never been in a plane before and that was my first time. I hope it’s not the last time.

I also want to thank them for raising the standard for my life.

As an empowering force for children and youth, Lola Kenya Screen gives exposure to children to interact with the world through international audiovisual media networks such as festivals, markets and awards.

Simon Onyango, a student at Jamhuri High school who participated in the Lola Kenya Screen film jury and DISCOP Africa Market, says of his experience:

I had never understood how filmmakers get back their huge investments. Thanks to Lola Kenya screen, I finally got to learn this after attending the fourth edition of the annual Distribution and co-production (DISCOP Africa) markets at Hilton Hotel in Nairobi.

I highly regard the existence of Lola Kenya Screen for the exposure that they have given me. If I had been shown I might have forgotten; if I had been told, I might not have remembered the exact words; but because I received the first-hand information and made some sense from it — I can never forget.

Partners

This training is offered by Lola Kenya Screen in conjunction with Africalia, Belgian Development Cooperation, European Union, ComMattersKenya, and ArtMatters.Info.

To achieve its goals over the past five years, Lola Kenya Screen has worked with visionary organisations and individuals across the world. They include –

• Prince Claus Fund For culture and Development (The Netherlands)
• Jan Vrijman Fund/IDFA (The Netherlands)
• Africalia Belgium (Belgium)
• Communications and UNESCO (France)
• ComMattersKenya (Kenya)
• Goethe-Institut (Kenya)
• Danish Film Institute (Denmark)
• Artmatters.info (Kenya)
• DW-Akademie/Berlin International Film Festival (Germany)
• Prix Jeunesse International (Germany)
• Finnish Film Foundation (Finland)
• Alliance Francaise (Kenya)
• Embassy of France (Kenya)
• Southern Africa International Film & Television Market
• Sithengi/Cape Town World Cinema Festival (South Africa)
• Michael Auret
• The Cradle Children’s Foundation (Kenya)
• and Kenya film Commission (Kenya)

Mentors

The following professionals have helped mentor children and youth in the various skill development programmes over the years –

• Antonia Ringbom (Finland/Sweden)
• Maikki Kantola (Finland)
• Meikke Statema (The Netherlands)
• Florence Sipalla (Kenya)
• Signe Zeilich-Jensen (The Netherlands)
• Eid Abdel Latiff (Egypt)
• Duco Tellegen (The Netherlands)
• Fina Sensada-Boixader (Spain)
• Rut Gomez Sobrino (Spain)
• Anette Tony Hansen (Denmark)
• Emily Wanja (Kenya)
• Wanjiru Kairu (Kenya)
• Vincho Nchogu (Kenya)
• and Ogova Ondego (Kenya)

Support Lola Kenya Screen

Lola Kenya Screen appeals for support from other well wishers in helping shape the destiny of Kenya, Africa and the world through mentoring children and youth. Any organisation or individual in any part of the world interested in sharing our vision and responsibilities to the present and future generations of young people in any way may contact the Directorate of Lola Kenya Screen through —

• Email director@lolakenyascreen.org
• Mobile 254 733 703374
• Mobile 254 722 486531
• Mobile 254 752 745423
• Telephone 254 20 315258
• Telephone 254 20 2213318

One may also follow the progress of Lola Kenya Screen at

• Its website
• On Facebook
• On Twitter

The films — from Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Holland, Hungary, Iceland, Macedonia, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland — will be shown in Beverly Hills (Los Angeles) 2010 November 3–10, in afternoon and evening screenings for film professionals, selected press, and Academy members. The screenings coincide with the American Film Market, in order to give the films exposure to the many buyers who come from all over the world to do business there.

“These screenings are a great chance to highlight some of Europe’s best films during the Oscar campaigns, and also, for the buyers who attend the AFM,” observed Éva Vezér, who is President of EFP, and General Manager of the Hungarian film organization Magyar Filmunió. “We are extremely pleased to be able to present 13 of our films this year — a big increase compared to the eight in 2009 and six in 2008. This shows that more and more members of our EFP network want to make use of this opportunity and spotlight the films where the decision makers meet.”

Guide to EFP Screenings

For the convenience of Cinema Minima’s readers the entire screening schedule is presented here in chronological order, and with handy indices, by country, and by title.

All screenings will take place at the Wilshire Screening Room → Map.

Screenings: Index by country

• Austria
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Hungary
• Iceland
• FYR Macedonia
• The Netherlands (Holland)
• Norway
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland

Screenings: Index by title

• 9:06 by Igor Šterk. Slovenia
• BIBLIOTHÈQUE PASCAL by Szabolcs Hajdú. Hungary
• CRNCI | THE BLACKS by Zvonimir Jurić and Goran Dević. Croatia
• EASTERN PLAYS by Kamen Kalev. Bulgaria
• ENGELEN | THE ANGEL by Margreth Olin. Norway
• I RYMDEN FINSS INGA KÄSNLOR | SIMPLE SIMON by Andreas Öhman. Sweden
• LA PETITE CHAMBRE by Stéphanie Chuat and Véronique Reymond. Switzerland
• LA PIVELLINA by Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel. Austria
• MAJKI | MOTHERS by Milcho Manchevski. Macedonia
• MAMMA GÓGÓ by Fridrik Thór Fridriksson. Iceland
• TAMBIÉN LA LLUVIA | EVEN THE RAIN by Icíar Bollain. Spain
• THE BORDER by Jaro Vojtek. Slovakia
• TIRZA by Rudolf van den Berg. The Netherlands

Schedule of screenings

Each entry includes –

• A still from the film, which is linked to its handbill
• A link to its entry in the EFP Film Database
• A link to professional information about its director
• A link (if available) to its website or trailer
• A link to its handbill. Each handbill — which is in Adobe Reader (PDF) format — is a complete résumé of the film, with sales information for buyers. These handbills are superb productions. They testify to the high standards and excellence of the EFP’s Film Sales Support organization.

2010 November 3 Wednesday 6:15 PM

Iceland — MAMMA GÓGÓ by Fridrik Thór Fridriksson.
Trailer. Handbill (PDF).

2010 November 3 Wednesday 8:00 PM

The Netherlands (Holland) — TIRZA by Rudolf van den Berg.
Website. Handbill (PDF).

2010 November 4 Thursday 8:00 PM

Spain — TAMBIÉN LA LLUVIA | EVEN THE RAIN by Icíar Bollain.
Website. Handbill (PDF).

2010 November 5 Friday 5:00 PM

Slovenia — 9:06 by Igor Šterk.
Trailer. Handbill.

2010 November 6 Saturday 2:30 PM

Slovak Republic — THE BORDER by Jaro Vojtek.
Website. Handbill (PDF).

2010 November 6 Saturday 4:00 PM

Austria — LA PIVELLINA by Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel.
Trailer. Handbill (PDF).

2010 November 6 Saturday 6:00 PM

Croatia — CRNCI | THE BLACKS by Zvonimir Jurić and Goran Dević.
Trailer. Handbill.

2010 November 7 Sunday 4:00 PM

Switzerland — LA PETITE CHAMBRE by Stéphanie Chuat and Véronique Reymond.
Website. Handbill (PDF).

2010 November 7 Sunday 6:00 PM

Norway — ENGELEN | THE ANGEL by Margreth Olin.
Website. Handbill (PDF).

2010 November 9 Tuesday 6:15 PM

Sweden — I RYMDEN FINSS INGA KÄSNLOR | SIMPLE SIMON by Andreas Öhman.
Handbill (PDF).

2010 November 9 Tuesday 8:00 PM

Hungary — BIBLIOTHÈQUE PASCAL by Szabolcs Hajdú.
Trailer. Handbill (PDF).

2010 November 10 Wednesday 6:15 PM

Bulgaria — EASTERN PLAYS by Kamen Kalev.
Trailer. Handbill (PDF).

2010 November 10 Wednesday 8:00 PM

FYR of Macedonia — MAJKI | MOTHERS by Milcho Manchevski.
Handbill (PDF).

European Film Promotion

European Film Promotion (EFP) organizes the screenings. It is an international network of organizations from 32 European countries, which promotes and markets European cinema around the world.

Each member organization employs experts in promoting and marketing its own national cinema; and they coöperate to promote European cinema.

EFP was founded in 1997. It is supported by the European Union’s Media Programme and by its member organizations.

EFP Film Sales Support

Film Sales Support (FSS) — which will have an umbrella office at the American Film Market — is EFP’s support scheme for the promotion of European films outside of Europe.

FSS financially supports up to 50% of the marketing campaigns of European sales agents — or production companies in cases where films are not handled by a sales agent — at selected non-European film festivals or markets. In 2009, FSS backed 165 films at FILMART, the Asian Film Market, and the AFM.

For more information

The EFP Project Coordinator is Luisa Graeve

• graeve@efp-online.com
• Telephone +49 40 390 6252
• November 3–10 — Mobile +49 160-440 9595

Workshops: Documentary Filmmaking, Critical Writing

Consequently, Lola Kenya Screen is inviting children and youth in Nairobi and environs to apply to the mentorship programs in Documentary Filmmaking and Critical Writing, scheduled for 2010 November 29 through December 4 in Nairobi, Kenya.

The training is scheduled for November and December, to enable form-four students, and standard-eight pupils who will have done their national examinations, to participate and to gain the life skills required at the next stage of their formal education.

Lola Kenya Screen has, since 2006, showcased some 1,750 best-possible films for children, youth and family, from 98 nations; and has helped train 61 children in filmmaking, 23 in journalism, 19 in events organization & presentation; and 20 in critical appreciation of creativity. Those trained have come from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zanzibar, and Zimbabwe. Many more children have been exposed to media literacy through the Lola Kenya Screen’s school outreach program.

Apply to participate in workshops

To celebrate five years of service, Lola Kenya Screen calls upon interested candidates to apply for consideration in either its critical writing workshop, or its documentary filmmaking workshop.

These — as is usual with the ever popular Lola Kenya Screen programs for children and youth — will be intensive, six-day, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM learn-as-you-do programs, that will be faciltated by renowned international experts specializing in issues related to children, youth, mass media, culture, and development.

Although preference will be given to applicants who have already participated in any of Lola Kenya Screen programs (2005-2010), anyone interested in the November–December training should apply without exception.

Every application, written by the child/youth and specifying the program in which one is interested, must include:

• Intention
• Expectations
• School
• Age
• Email address
• Telephone, preferably cell/mobile number
• Physical address
• Letter of permission from parent/guardian

The applicant must be 6-16 years old (9-18 for production workshop). She (or he) must be both knowledgeable and interested in audiovisual media. The applicant must have the ability to understand, speak, and write in English; and must be able to compose, type, and submit articles of 500–1,200 words daily. The candidate must be ready to work under strict deadlines; and should be supported by parents or guardians.

Deadline for Applications 2010 October 30

The application material is to be sent to director@lolakenyascreen.org. The DEADLINE for application is 2010 October 30 at 5:00 PM East African Standard Time | 14:00 GMT.

Admission to the workshops is on the first-come, first-served basis.

This training, part of the Pan African Cinetoile mobile cinema, will be offered by Lola Kenya Screen in conjunction with Africalia of Belgium, the Belgian Development Cooperation, the European Union, ComMattersKenya, and ArtMatters.Info.

Support Lola Kenya Screen

Lola Kenya Screen appeals for support from other well wishers interested in helping shape the destiny of Kenya, Africa, and the world through mentoring children and youth. Any one interested in sharing this vision in any way may contact the Directorate of Lola Kenya Screen through:

• director@lolakenyascreen.org
• Mobile telephone: 254 733 703374
• Mobile telephone: 254 722 486531
• Mobile telephone: 254 752 745423
• Telephone: 254 20 315258
• Telephone: 254 20 2213318

More about Lola Kenya Screen

Incorporated under the laws of the Republic of Kenya as a charity, Lola Kenya Screen is an international audiovisual media festival, skill-development mentorshop programme and market for children and youth in eastern Africa.

Lola Kenya Screen operates in eastern and southern Africa, helping train children and youth in countries such as Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania mainland, Zanzibar island, and Zimbabwe.

The annual Lola Kenya Screen film festival is held every second week of August to showcase the best possible international productions for children, youth and family alongside learn-as-you-do skill-development metorship programmes in film production, film appreciation, creative journalism, event planning and presentation, and media literacy.

Lola Kenya Screen also gives awards to the best children’s film (Golden Mboni Award), the best youth film (14-Plus Award) and the Kids For Kids Africa Festival Award.

Lola Kenya Screen conducts a mobile cinema programme to schools in and around Nairobi throughout the year and mentor pupils and youth in filmmaking, film appreciation, media literacy, event organisation & presentation.

Lola Kenya Screen runs a monthly Lola Kenya Screen Film Forum (LKSFF), a discussion platform aimed at critiquing, encouraging and exploring ways of how to integrate film production in Kenya and eastern Africa with other socio-cultural and economic sectors in order to come up with a vibrant film industry.

Held in conjunction with Goethe-Institut in Kenya, LKSFF enables audiovisual media practitioners to watch and discuss short films from eastern Africa, to exchange ideas, and to network every last Monday of the month throughout the year. This forum is often one of the first places where new films can be seen and young talent spotted.

Since December 2005 when the first LKSFF was held, more than 100 films have been shown: films from Willie Owusu to Just A Band, from Wanuri Kahiu to Judy Kibinge.

LKSFF is part of the annual Lola Kenya Screen audiovisual media event.

Follow the Lola Kenya Screen progress: