kagablog

this article first published here: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118053911.html?cmpid=RSS|News|LatestNews

Dear Mandela is a gripping documentary that shows how the SA government is trying to ‘eradicate the slums’ by evicting shack dwellers from their homes at gunpoint, in scenes eerily reminiscent of apartheid-era forced removals. It will be screened for the first time in the Western Cape Tuesday 15th May, at 6pm at the Alternative Information Development Center.

Determined to stop the bulldozers that are destroying homes and communities, a new social movement made up of the nation’s poorest is challenging the evictions on the streets and in the courts. Dear Mandela is the remarkable story of Abahlali BaseMjondolo – Zulu for ‘people of the shacks’. It is considered the largest movement of the poor to emerge in post-apartheid South Africa.
“Unexpectedly gripping, eye-opening…humanizes the nameless protesters we see on the news hurling bricks at the police through a haze of teargas….What is most striking about Dear Mandela is its ability to capture life in Kennedy Road without prettifying it or horrifying it – without the tinged wide-angle or the shaky camera. We move through schools, initiation ceremonies, shack fires, evictions, onto taxis, into courtrooms, to illegal electrical wirings, through Gulag-like transit camps of tin shacks and – jarringly – to swanky casinos where government housing bosses sip champagne and congratulate themselves.” City Press

For more information, see:

http://dearmandela.com/?q=node%2F1

Refreshments served.
Transport will be provided.

AIDC Solidarity Center
129 Rochester Road
Observatory, Cape Town
Contact: 072 988 5564

“they must cry with their money.”

cinematography lance gewer

first published here: http://www.observer.co.za/article/first-tshivenda-film-recounts-first-tshivenda-novel

keep reading this article here: http://thenewage.co.za/46256-1022-53-Perspective_of_the_Man_On_Ground

Jozi Rhythmanalogues
Edited version of performance at Shikisha, Newtown Jhb, 2 Nov 2011
with rhythmanalysis graph

Theresa Collins: Filmmaker, producer
Miz Buttons: DJ
Mocke J van Veuren: Filmmaker, director, graphic score
Siya Makuzeni: Trombone, vocals
Bradley Maponya: Double bass
João Orecchia: Manipulated samples
The Bartender: DJ

Sound: Suveshnan Arumugam
Editors: Sakhile Gumbi, Jean-Marc Vogt

Supported by the Ithuba Arts Fund and University of Johannesburg

The time lapse films produced by Collins and Van Veuren in 2010 were the starting point of the project. As part of a research study involving Rhythmanalysis, Van Veuren produced a graph which shows the amount of movement in the films over time. This graph was interpreted by the three musicians as a graphic score, and on the night of the performance the films were projected behind the musicians, while the graph was projected in front of them on a perspex sheet, allowing the audience to also ‘read’ the graph in relation to the music and films.

first published here: http://www.thecallsheet.co.za/daily_news/view/2051

the content has to jive

La journaliste et écrivain Lauren Beukes a filmé ce concours en 2011 pour donner une image «　positive　» au phénomène travesti de son pays. Nous avons vu son film sur la chaîne «　Pink.tv　» lors de sa deuxième diffusion le 2 avril 2012. Même si le point de départ du film nous paraît un peu superficiel, comme tous les concours de beauté à travers le monde, ce film est frais et ne laisse pas indifférent le spectateur exigeant. C’est un film joyeux et bien réalisé, avec un rythme palpitant qui nous amuse. Ce n’est pas seulement un film de divertissement mais aussi de réflexion sociale puisque ces travestis viennent des milieux différents et exercent des métiers différents aussi. Nous avons été surpris de voir un mécanicien de voitures également travesti pour ce concours.

Les pseudonymes choisis sont drôles. Un travesti a choisi de parodier le nom d’un célèbre écrivain brésilien pour parodier son origine.

Mais nous avons quand même ressenti de la peine pour la communauté homosexuelle qui vit partout dans un impasse de stéréotypes et d’absence d’imagination. La cinéaste a bien essayé de souligner le contraste entre l’univers des travelos et celui des gangsters qui sont basés dans un quartier proche à celui du concours. Le titre original est «　Glitterboys and Ganglands　» que nous traduisons librement «　Garçons éclatants et terres de criminels　».

Le film de Lauren Beukes est un bon divertissement même si parfois un peu naïf mais dans les règles du grand spectacle. Nous allons essayer de lire ses romans comme «　Zoo Story　» (qui est traduit en français) pour comparer ses talents de cinéaste et de romancière. Nous avons aussi aimé une photo de famille de Lauren Beukes à coté de Abraxas Caelan Kaganof publiée sur le Kagablog.

Écrit par Dionysos Andronis

Molweni, Salaam, Greetings

My name is Kurt Orderson. I am a Filmmaker, story teller & cultural
activist. I want to warmly invite you to come & join me for the
launch& screening of “Breathe Again”.

A film about one of our forgotten sporting heroes, Derrick Orderson,
who excelled to world breaking heights during the tumultuous 1970/80′s
in Apartheid South Africa…This film tells the story of Derrick
Orderson’s, world record setting feats, his humility & perseverance.
Yet, it not only focuses on the individual, but also honours & reminds
us of all our other forgotten sporting & social activist, whilst
highlighting the unique and revolutionary role that the South African
Council on Sport (SACOS) played during these troubled times.

We will be exploring an expression of the intersection between the
personal and the political for a black sportsperson growing up in an
abnormal society, who despite inhumane prejudice excelled, and still
continues to monitor and participate in the transformation of sports
in the post- Apartheid era, today.

Duration: 72-minutes

Check out the trailer: http://youtu.be/UT4kVWGsIRY

Venue information:
Distrix 6 Museum
Homecoming Centre
25A Buitenkant Street, Cape Town
Date: 27 March 2012
Time: 7.30pm
Entrance is free

for more information call: 072 577 0731

Some refreshments will be served on arrival. So please come & join us
as we remember & celebrate our forgotten heroes of the struggle…

– Kurt Benjamin Orderson Filmmaker Azania Rizing Productions Cell: +27 72 577 0731 Office:+27 21 689 4253 website:www.azaniarizing.co.za youtube channel:http://www.youtube.com/user/rasazania?feature=mhee

Greetings once again Brother,

We had to leave immediately after the panel discussion; that is why I could not share my thoughts with you on Man on Ground. Perhaps I should do so through this e-mail, if I can make some sense.

I suppose I was overwhelmed by the film. I find myself allowing time to play its cause before I reflect on things that overwhelm these days. I fear missing some crucial aspects of that which makes me feel like that.

As you may be aware, the state of being overwhelmed is very much interesting, yet treacherously powerful. I’m continuing to learn that one loses a part of himself when faced with such a state of being; one loses part of his consciousness because that which overwhelms, takes charge. For this reason, I have allowed myself time to reflect on the film based on my recollection of the events that make up this product, seeing that I only saw it once.

What I can confidently tell you is that I loved the silent moments in the film. They were beautifully executed. Perhaps like one audience member pointed out, I may have waited for something to happen. But this is not a bad thing because it means that I was completely engaged by the unfolding story. Perhaps I should also point out that my waiting, which I was not aware of until Pam pointed it out, should not suggest that nothing happened. In the same breath, that which happened is the very reason of my being overwhelmed (I’m not sure if I’m doing justice to the ideas I’m trying to convey)

The film’s silent moments, along with the brilliant acting of Fana Mokoena and Hakeem Kae Kazim, among others, were very impressive for me. The exquisite lady who was waiting for her partner to come back was impressive too. The way the camera rested on her elegant face, overwhelmed with longing for her man to be back, drove an important point home. Her pain was real. I’m not sure if it was Akin’s intention to allow the camera work evoke that deep feeling of loss which we saw in her delicate face. Nonetheless, I found those scenes captivating.

I loved the cinematography part too. There’s something I found compellingly alluring about the ‘dull’ colour of the picture. The fire element, which may well be the motif of the film, was brutally conspicuous; an engaging feature, I think. That scene where a man is burned alive in the boot of the car was frighteningly jarring and deeply sad. It only reminded one of the cruelties perpetrated by mad people.

I support alternative ways of storytelling and despise conventional means of relating a story. Perhaps that is why I cannot point out others sources of my being overwhelmed. But that should not matter. What is very important about the film is that it tackles a very crucial subject. The story is still in my consciousness. What’s also important is that people will talk about this issue of violence and hate, like they did after the screening. And through these engagements we may work towards ridding our societies of these ills.

Well done for the editing. I can only imagine how demanding it must be to edit all the footage that makes up one piece. Can I safely say that the use of ‘reoccurring images’ is part of your signature cut? – fire comes to mind.

In conclusion, adding more things I loved about the film, I admired how the money was raised to fund the project and how Akin and the producers are planning to distribute the film – that’s power to the people!

Sharp zinto,

Deon-Simphiwe

Dear friends and colleagues

We are happy to say that we are finally in the early editing stages of THE DREAM OF SHAHRAZAD, our feature-length documentary film which looks at the legacy of the famous story collection THE 1001 (or “ARABIAN”) NIGHTS in context of recent political events in the Maghreb and Middle East… We have also launched a website for the film (where you can find more information, see video clips, pictures and more) at the following address:

www.dreamofshahrazad.com

This film has been six years in the process, and has so far much relied on favours and on investment by Neil Brandt, myself and other partners. We have however, with these and with grant funds and a sales advance raised, successfully managed to shoot almost all of the material, and are hoping to complete the film by October this year.

We now need to get over the final hurdle… As you may already have seen on facebook we have launched a crowdfunding campaign on indiegogo.com – every little bit we get in now will help something towards a last trip to Egypt, archive and other music clearances, final translations and postproduction costs.

Please click and have a look at the following site:

http://www.indiegogo.com/The-Dream-of-Shahrazad

Any amount that you are able to contribute, however small, will help at this stage… Contribution levels range from as low as US$10 upwards, and there are different perks for each level in return – the very least ones being a listing and free download of the film or DVD once the film is done.

If you are unable to contribute at this point, of course it is completely fine… but it would be great if you could pass on this message to friends and colleagues (or if you can do that anyway even if you do contribute!)… If you “like” us on the film’s facebook page, that will also help us to keep you informed of new developments and also in terms of future marketing options.

I have a feeling that this may be my strongest film to date – it has been a long process, and I am excited about finally getting it done… we now simply need funds to be able to finish properly.

I look forward to your thoughts and comments!

with many thanks and warm regards
Francois Verster

read the full awards list here: http://nfvf.co.za/article/africa-movie-academy-awards-2012-nominations-announced

this article first published here: http://thenewsafrica.com/2012/02/06/home-with-man-on-ground/

keep reading this review here: http://www.mahala.co.za/movies/man-on-ground/

2012
120min
written and directed by ntshaveni wa luruli
produced by florian schattauer
edited by aryan kaganof
director of photography lance gewer

’

BASED ON THE NOVEL BY TITUS MAUMELA

starring

FLORENCE MASEBE
ASHIFASHABBA MULEYA
MUTODI NESHEHE
SAMMY MOETI
SAMSON RAMABULANA
SALOME MUCHINYE
ELSIE RASALANAVHO

AND VUSI KUNENE AS PRINCE THOVELE

PRODUCTION DESIGN – ROBERT VAN DER COOLWYK
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS – KETSO GORDHAN & FLORENCE MASEBE
CO-PRODUCER – JYOTI MISTRY

PRODUCED BY FLORIAN SCHATTAUER
WRITTEN AND DIRCTED BY NTSHAVHENI WA LURULI

123min
2012
edited by aryan kaganof
produced by florian schattauer

this interview first published here: http://ontvsite.com/stories/522/Man-On-Ground-Akin-Omotoso-Makes-A-Statement-on-family-ties-feuds-and-the-fear-of-strangers