Emerging African Directors’ Films Compete in Scotland

By Katie Miller

Published October 7, 2009

 

Seven short films by up-and-coming young African filmmakers have been short-listed for the 2nd annual Africa in Motion (AiM) short film competition in Scotland. KATIE MILLER writes.

 

The films—spanning fiction and documentary—come from across the continent and include: a silent and visually stunning experimental short from South Africa; a Tunisian love story set in an unlikely place; a passionate tale of courage in a Mozambiqan fishing village; a haunting South African tale of three friends harbouring a dark secret; a beautifully shot story about outsiders in a Moroccan village; a superbly acted story of a Rwandan friendship tested to its true limits; and a Malian exploration of freedom and independence.

 

The films short-listed are:   

Africa in Motion 2009 – Edinburgh 22 Oct to 1 Nov 2009

Africa In Motion

Edinburgh Film Festival

 This year is the United Nations International Year of Reconciliation, and the festival is taking as its main theme issues of trauma, conflict and reconciliation in a pan-African context. A number of films from across the continent will address these issues, screened over the first weekend of the festival, with the film screenings accompanied by panel and audience discussions. Our symposium on the first Saturday of the festival will explore how artistic representation is used in Africa as a way to overcome trauma and find ways towards peace-making and reconciliation. As our audiences have become accustomed to, the festival will further include a wide range of brilliant feature films, old and new, and thought-provoking documentaries.

For the second year, we are hosting a short film competition for emerging African filmmakers with the winner announced at the festival and the audience getting an opportunity to vote for their favourite too. A number of African filmmakers will be in attendance to talk to audiences about their work. Performances by African musicians and a photography and painting exhibition by two South African artists will further contribute to our diverse programme.

The full programme  for 2009 will be announced in mid-September.

http://www.africa-in-motion.org.uk/index.php

 Films  including Animations, short stories and feature films will be shown.  A sample of the films shown in 2008 are @  AiM Youtube channel – http://www.youtube.com/user/AiMfilmfest