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Film Education and Film Africa partner during National School Films Week
Film Africa, the UK’s largest festival of African cinema and culture, and Film Education are pleased to announce a new partnership during National School Films Week. Film Africa brings African cinema to the mainstream by helping promote and support African filmmakers and films often unseen outside of the continent. As a result of the partnership there will be 18 screenings of Cilia Sawagodo’s Tree of Spirits, a beautiful, animated film, set in Burkina Faso in West Africa, that touches on universal themes such as the environment and friendship. The film will be screened to Key Stage 2 students across the UK; more information can be found here. A full listing of where the film is playing during Film Week can be found on our website.
Film Africa Co-Directors Lindiwe Dovey and Namvula Rennie say: “We are absolutely delighted that Film Africa 2012 and Film Education are partnering over the nation-wide screenings of this wonderful African film during National Schools Film Week. Film is a powerful tool for education and cross-cultural awareness, and for us to be able to give so many young people access to an African film is a fantastic opportunity to help showcase the cultural wealth of the continent and to bring Africa to the consciousness of the younger generation in a positive way which will perhaps challenge them to think about the continent differently. We are particularly pleased to be working with Film Education this year as we are placing a greater emphasis on reaching out to young people and on our educational programme. We look forward to a continued partnership with Film Education in future editions of the festival.”
The partnership between Film Africa 2012 and Film Education is an invaluable contribution to the core aims of Film Africa which are to celebrate the wealth, quality and diversity of African cinema, to contribute to the mainstreaming of African cinema in the UK and to help challenge widespread perceptions about Africa by giving space for different stories about the continent to emerge.
Film Africa is an annual, 10-day, London-wide celebration of the best African films across countries and genres, showcasing over 50, fiction, documentary, short and experimental films. In addition, Film Africa organises a dynamic programme of director Q&As, panel discussions, professional workshops, family activities, and educational screenings, live music, and art related to Africa.
Film Africa is a festival organised by the Royal African Society and SOAS, University of London, and will be hosted by Hackney Picturehouse with the participation of The Ritzy, Rich Mix, BFI Southbank, Screen on the Green, and the South London Gallery. Film Africa is generously supported by the Royal African Society, Miles Morland, Renaissance Capital, Ophir Energy, IC Publications and the Centre of African Studies.
Film Africa 2012 runs from November 1-11. For the full programme and more information about the festival, please visit www.filmafrica.org.uk
-Posted on Thursday 27th September 2012