“We have too many insignificant movies clogging our distribution channels,” observed independent producer — and former studio executive — Bill Mechanic. Addressing a conference of independent producers and distributors, he asked, “When was the last time you heard anyone either from a studio, or an independent, talking about improving their product, of creating positive buzz, and expanding the audience?” MORE

BY OGOVA ONDEGO. NAIROBI, KENYA (CINEMA MINIMA) — Rut Gomez Sobrino of the Barcelona-based UNESCO Centre of Catalonia — UNESCOCAT — leads the team of mentor experts who will conduct the skill-development programmes at the 4th Lola Kenya Screen in Nairobi, Kenya (2009 August 10-15).

Sobrino, holder of a doctorate and three Master’s degrees with more than 10 years in journalism/communications and media development at international level, is also head of… MORE

BY OGOVA ONDEGO. ZANZIBAR, TANZANIA (CINEMA MINIMA) — Lola Kenya Screen, the annual audio-visual media festival, production workshop and market for children and youth in eastern Africa — that holds in Nairobi, Kenya, every second week of August — has announced the names of candidates for her 4th skill-development programmes to be held 2009 August 10-15 in Nairobi, Kenya.

The names of successful applicants were made available to the international media… MORE

BY SUDDHASATYA GHOSH. KOLKATA, INDIA (CINEMA MINIMA) — Vidarbha is a region in the state of Maharastra in India. Poor India, that is Bharat resides here for too long. This belt, which have mountain, river, plateau and plain, is consisted of mostly tribal peoples like Gonds and Korkus. Population distribution has been according to the topographical nature. Where it is steep and hazardous that is less populated and when river… MORE

BY MARTIN LEDUC. TORONTO, CANADA (CINEMA MINIMA) — I got to help collect some of the videos that were playing throughout the Open Video Conference.  The conference took place on June 19-20, 2009.  It brought together an impressive collection of professional stakeholders involved with online video. Their aim was to bring video technology up to the standards of accessibility and decentralization that are currently available for blogs and… MORE

BY OGOVA ONDEGO. NAIROBI, KENYA (CINEMA MINIMA) — On June 16 — the Day of the African Child — the Lola Kenya Screen announced the lineup for its fourth annual showcase of films for children and youth. The film festival — billed as… MORE

DUBLIN, IRELAND (CINEMA MINIMA) — 2009 July 3 17:00 is the deadline for submitting movies to the
Darklight Festival. The festival will be in Dublin, Ireland; but movie makers from all over the world are invited to participate. Darklight will take place 2009 October 8-11.

Darklight — which started in 1999 — is Ireland’s premier festival for filmmakers, animators, and artists whose work explores the convergences of art, film, and… MORE

BY OGOVA ONDEGO. NAIROBI, KENYA (CINEMA MINIMA) — The 4th edition of the annual Lola Kenya Screen audiovisual media festival for children and youth in eastern Africa will be held at Goethe-Institut in Nairobi, Kenya 2009 August 10–15. Lola Kenya Screen shall exhibit films from 50 countries. It will train children and youth in the production, appreciation, promotion, distribution, and consumption of high-quality audiovisual media… MORE

BY OGOVA ONDEGO. NAIROBI, KENYA (CINEMA MINIMA) — The 3rd Kids For Kids Africa Competition — a programme of the International Centre of Cinema for Children and Youth (CIFEJ) — is calling for film entries from all over Africa in all genres, lengths, or formats. Films must be received in Nairobi no later than 2009 June 30.The 3rd Kids For Kids Competition will be… MORE

BY OGOVA ONDEGO. NAIROBI, KENYA (CINEMA MINIMA) — Crystal Ndungwa Ndolo, Elaine Nesbitt and Adede Hawi Nyodero were barely six, eight and nine years old, respectively, when they each made their first film during the annual Lola Kenya Children’s Screen film production workshop. Though this would have looked like child’s play, their work was taken seriously and is now contesting for top awards around the world.

Samora Michelle Oundo, Nyodero… MORE