31 Aug 2010

Random unoriginal notes

 Saw this a while back, then saw it again today on another blog. Just thought I'd spread my un-originality.

The Geography of a Woman
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Between the ages of 18 – 21 a woman is like Africa or Australia. She is half discovered, half wild and naturally beautiful with bushland around the fertile deltas.

Between the ages of 21 – 30 a woman is like America or Japan. Completely discovered, very well developed and open to trade especially with countries with cash or cars.

Between the ages of 30 – 35, she is like India or Spain. Very hot, relaxed and convinced of its own beauty.

Between the ages of 35 – 40 a woman is like France or Argentina. She may have been half destroyed during the war but can still be a warm and desirable place to visit.

Between the ages of 40 – 50 she is like Yugoslavia or Iraq. She lost the war and is haunted by past mistakes. Massive reconstruction is now necessary.

Between the ages of 50 – 60 she is like Russia or Canada. Very wide, quiet and the borders are practically unpatrolled but the frigid climate keeps people away.

Between the ages of 60 – 70 a woman is like England or Mongolia. With a glorious and all conquering past but alas no future (a bit like Tony Blair, maybe Blair’s a women really).

After 70, they become Albania or Afghanistan. Everyone knows where it is, but no one wants to go there.
My note - Add Australia here :-)

The Geography of a Man
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Between the ages of 15 – 70 a man is like Zimbabwe – ruled by a d***

29 Apr 2010

An article about me on ScreenAfrica

Just thought i'd share this with you.

Its an article about me that on last months ScreenAfrica magazine.

The journalist called me 'Smoking Hot' .

See it here. Scroll to page 15.

27 Apr 2010

Forgotten (not)

No, i haven't forgotten how to write. Better yet, I haven't forgotten my readers. And no, its not that there is nothing new to report, sometimes life gets in the way of living.

Last time I updated you was in February.

Whats happened since then...well, Kibera Film School students graduated on March 27th. For me, it was like a birthday celebration of a rebirth. 9 months before, 10 students had enrolled in the film school's pilot project. 8 of them were graduating that day and the joy on their faces is something that keeps me going when i feel like i have bitten too much that i can chew.

The same month saw the nomination of our first feature film, Togetherness Supreme, which i produced (if you don't know that by now, I blame it on the media who never get my name right!)  to the Africa Movie Academy Awards, in 4 categories - Best film in an African Language, Best Child Actor  ( two children nominated), Most Promising Actor and Most Promising Actress. In April, the main actress and I traveled to  Nigeria for the Awards. We won in 2 categories - Best Child Actor ( the 2 kids), Most Promising Actor. See, now you know someone almost famous...and i will take this opportunity to invite you to join our facebook group.

Now we have been working on the premiere of the film in Kenya, which as of yesterday, has been scheduled for May 29th 2010 at the Impala Grounds. Its an invitation only event, better start lobbying me for those tickets eh? Immediately after, we will start screening the film in Kibera and other informal settlements in Nairobi. If you are in the Facebook Group, you get to see the updates on where its happening :-). You are also invited to help...or you can request a screening of the film in your area (even outside of Kenya). We take break in June as we like soccer too (and it's in Africa, so yeah!!). In July, we go on the road for a national wide Road show in Kenya. We will be screening the film outdoors in the evenings and holding peace and reconciliation workshops, live entertainment etc during the day. If you are in Kenya and you would like to get involved, drop me a line...

What else? Oh, Kibera Film School next intake is ongoing and the classes are scheduled to start on May 3rd. Volunteers welcome.

Love life. That happens here.

So that's it. Doesn't sound as if it would keep me away from my lovely blog, but it did!

21 Feb 2010

On TV

16 Feb 2010

Togethernss Supreme on CNN

A couple of weeks ago, David McKenzie and his CNN team visited Kibera Film School.

He did this story for CNN Prime...and Togetherness Supreme got the coverage too!

A couple of weeks ago, David McKenzie and his CNN team visited Kibera Film School.

He did this story for CNN Prime.

14 Feb 2010

Berlin day #2- dine and whine

Today was the dine and shine dinner, which is more of a blind date where we the talents are seated next to 'experts' and you never know who you will get seated next to. After each course, the talents have to switch tables, according to the color coding provided...and you get to meet the next expert.
My first expert was an entertainment lawyer whose advise I really needed. We have arranged to meet for coffee later to talk more...
My next expert was the Durban Film Festival director, which was a higlight for me as we are planning on submitting Togetherness Supreme to and having our African premeire... I gave him the trailer of the film and met his wife, who is the director for the Durban Talent Campus, which I applied to too.
My last and kinda karmic expert was a guy I have been in touch on email with for a couple of months. He is a programmer for the Rotterdam Film Festival, the one incharge of the African films! I put him to task as to why our film was not selected. His answer was that the film was not the type that the festival was looking for. And try as I did, I did not get what they were looking for. Every year, the festivals get a theme for Africa and looks for films that fit within that theme. They basically make a box and go round looking for a film that will fit perfectly into that box. Then year by year the talk about supporting African films, and note 'ruefully' how African Films are missing from international film festivals.
Is it the technology? Well, I shot the film on RED ONE, doesn't get more digitally and technologically advanced than that. Is it the story, or its relevance? And when we talk about relevance, relevant to whom?? If festivals wants films from africa, then they have to accept that those films we make are relevant to us. How many European and Hollywood films are relevant to us? I believe that a filmmaker should make stories and films about what sorrounds him, the stories that shape the life from where he / she lives or interracts. Our scripts are relevant to us, take for example, Togetherness Supreme. Throw a stone in any direction in Africa and Latin America and you will find similarities in events and experiences as in our film. Methinks that when an african film moves away from cliche, from HIV, poverty, dying and general hopelessness, then the world is not interested. Then we have to wait for Hollywood to get involved, then the world takes notice, ergo Constant Gardner, Blood Diamond... District 9.

13 Feb 2010

Berlin- Day #1


Today is my second day in Berlin, first day at the Talent Campus.

Despite the fact that Germans wont gave any signs in English (it's Germany anyway...) things are going on well. I arrived yesterday, figured out how to get to my hostel and how to get to the registration center, despite the cold...

I missed breakfast today. Because I had to queue for one hour to get tickets to some Berlinale Talent Campus events and the movies at the Berlinale Film Festival-- those which were not sold out already! I did manage  get a ticket for Imani, a film from Uganda.

I had so far met people from as far as Bosnia, and made friends with many more. At some point i did think it was too overwhelming.

Today is orientation day. I have signed up for a couple of interesting events / workshops... including this one

" Making Things Happen: The Producer in Close-Up
Cedomir Kolar, Katriel Schory
Producing is not just contributing to the production process – it is doing the entire process. Producers contribute to the development of the script, help design the production, from the look, to the cast, to the crew, to the rhythm, to the tone, they work on the film’s release, the marketing and the distribution strategy. Katriel Schory, acclaimed producer and now director of the Israeli Film Fund and Cedomir Kolar, co-founder of A.S.A.P. Films, state that it takes a lot to be a producer, to ensure that all options are carefully thought through and the ramification of each choice considered in advance. The two established producers will look closely into the process of producing and discuss the various elements that make a good producer for any project. They will focus on project development, creative producing and financing, as well as setting up co-productions, marketing, distribution and selecting filmmakers to work with."

Gotta go now..

more updates later