Africa at the Pictures - Liverpool
9 – 15 November 2006


Africa at the Pictures takes place in Liverpool this year as part of our 2006 Liverpool Biennial programme. Last year A Foundation/ Greenland Street invited Africa at the Pictures to develop a film programme that brings emerging filmmakers from Africa to Liverpool. The programme will take place at Greenland Street and at other venues in Liverpool.

We are aiming to deliver a programme which showcases a selection of the work of filmmakers from Africa particularly Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa.

In collaboration with Toxteth tv we will be providing educational opportunities for young people who are interested and want to engage with film and filmmaking. This aim will be achieved through the provision of several workshops led by film directors and a talks programme devised for secondary school pupils.

Africa at the Pictures has devised a programme which will showcase films from South Africa, Nigeria and Senegal.

Senegal

We plan to screen a selection of Mambety’s work which will include his classic Touki Bouki, Hyenes and Le Franc including the captivating films by Mousa Sene Absa( Madame Broutte) Gai Ramaka (Karmen Gei) Felix Ndiaye (Letter to Senghor ) and a few others.

Workshop: From an idea to screen with Ben Diogaye Beye director ‘Un Amour d’Enfant’ Senegal

Nigeria

The Nigerian selection is a cross between cinema movies and television dramas, combining African traditions and contemporary urban life. The industry is so huge making as much as 700 films a year, operating without financial constraints and no regard for European film festivals or Western tastes. The films offer entertainment for millions of Africans and are an attempt to challenge the western generalisations or stereotypes on African life.
This section will also include a selection of films by Newton I Aduaka whose debut feature Rage (2000) was released to huge critical acclaim, becoming the first independent film by a black film-maker to gain a national release in Britain. It was also very successful in international film festivals, winning many prizes including Best Director at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles. Aduaka is currently working on a feature film Waiting for an Angel based on a novel by Helon Habila.

Workshop: Digital Filmmaking – focusing on basic digital camera work with Tunde Kelani.Nigerian film director and cameraman.

New approaches to filmmaking- the Cinema of South Africa.

During the last 2 years alone has had 2 Oscar nominations for Yesterday and Tsotsi and with later taking the Oscar home. The Berlinale’s Golden Bear for U-Carmen, Drum winning the Yennega Africa’s premiere award in Ouagadougou and several other international awards. What is the rationale behind this success and what does this translate to?

Workshop: Pitching- presentation /discussion by Khalo Matabane the director of Conversations on a Sunday afternoon.

Please click here to view the list of films screened during the event