Taking African film to the UK
Elizma Nolte
27 October 2008
Britain's biggest African film festival opened in Edinburgh on the weekend prior to going on tour in the UK – and apparently the Brits can't get enough of African cinema.
According to festival founder and director Lizelle Biscchoff, Africa in Motion, now in its third year, has been a big success, with tickets selling out and audiences left hungering after more.
The festival has gone a long way towards countering the misperception that Western audiences are not interested in African film, or that there aren't any good films coming out of Africa, says Biscchoff.
The festival not only celebrates the work of established African filmmakers, but also showcases new talent - primarily through the Africa in Motion short film competition.
The works of three emerging South African directors feature among the eight finalists: Robyn Rorke, Diek Grobler and Vuyisa Breeze Yoko are in the running for the £1 000 prize, co-sponsored by Southern Africa Direct TV.
- All eight short films can be viewed online at Southern Africa Direct
Africa in Motion showcases more than 50 of Africa's best films, documentaries and animation shorts. The festival runs in Ediburgh until 2 November before going on tour throughout the UK
.- For more information, see Africa in Motion
Biscchoff, a South African completing her PHD on African film at the University of Sterling in Scotland, started the festival after being frustrated at not being able to access African films.
"It was very unsatisfying for me to write academically about films that no one could ever get to see. We wanted to make African film more accessible to audiences."
Biscchoff believes that African films can hold their own against the best of world cinema and that Africans themselves should take more pride in the work of their artists.
"We grew up with the idea that anything that is local is not as good as from other parts of the world, and thus that South African films weren't really worth seeing. This happens all over the continent," says Biscchoff.
"It's true that African filmmakers work with smaller budgets, but they just do that innovatively and manage to make really good films."
Africa in Motion includes a focus on Nollywood, the prolific Nigerian video industry that has taken the continent by storm over the past few years; as well as a series of late screenings of African horror movies.
Music performances after every screening, bookstalls and art exhibitions will further introduce Africa in Motion filmgoers to African culture.
Source: Southern Africa Direct
