A Conversation with Filmmaker Haile Gerima

Above: Haile Gerima, the internationally acclaimed director of
Teza, Sankofa, Adwa, Bush Mama and other feature films and
documentaries. (Photo by Gezaw Tesfaye).

Tadias Magazine
By Martha Z. Tegegn

Published: Thursday, September 17, 2009

New York (Tadias) – For filmmaker Haile Gerima the travails of life are much like moving images – “a constant journey of restlessness and complexity, until the final rest.”

Haile’s latest film Teza is set to make it U.S. premiere in Washington D.C. tonight. The film focuses on the tumultuous years of the Mengistu era, as told by an idealistic Ethiopian doctor who recounts dreams and nightmares.

Trailer – https://filmingafrica.wordpress.com/2009/09/03/haile-gerimas-teza-to-premiere-in-the-us/

We spoke with Haile at his Sankofa bookstore, conveniently located across from Howard University where he has been teaching film since 1975.

Africa Focus for International Rotterdam festival 27 Jan – 7 Feb 2010

 

‘Where is Africa?’ program to look at indie African filmmaking

By Stuart Kemp Sept 10, 2009, 10:00 AM ET

LONDON — The next edition of the International Film Festival Rotterdam will include a major focus on African cinema, organizers said Thursday. Entitled “Where is Africa?,” organizers plan to unspool “the most extensive program devoted to independent African filmmaking at any Western film festival in recent years.” The 39th edition of the Dutch festival takes places Jan. 27 through Feb. 7 2010. Festival programmer Gertjan Zuilhof said: “There is no real reason to do it now other than that we maybe should have done it much earlier. It is obvious that Africa is not represented at international film festivals or if so only by one or two token films.”

The Figurine raises the bar of Nigerian filmmaking

September 4, 2009 05:33PMT

By Lerato Umah

 

The Figurine raises the bar of Nigerian filmmaking

 Yet to be screened by the press and still in the post production stage, The Figurine – produced by , adequately portrays the advances made in the Nigerian movie industry. The film has intricate plot that represents the true nature of the different facets of the lifestyles of Nigerians. In ancient Yoruba land, set in modern Osun State, a priest brings forth ‘Araromire’, the goddess of good luck and fortune who bestows wealth upon the people for seven years. After finding a figurine in an abandoned shrine whilst in National Youth Service Corps camp in the town of Araromire, two young friends go on from a life of hustling in Lagos to become successful businessmen facing seemingly normal issues to do with friendship, love, and family. Bizarre occurrences lead to the pointing of fingers at the ugly stranger in the house – the figurine they found seven years earlier. Starring Ramsey Nouah, Kunle Afolayan, Omoni Oboli and Funlola Aofiyebi, this N70 million production sells the ‘Lagos Life’ in an inviting manner.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/ArtsandCulture/5450624-147/story.csp