Newsletter 13th Cambridge African Film Festival View this email in your browser Dreams and Disillusion in ‘Die Welt’ The 13th Cambridge African Film Festival hosts a Tunisian feature length film screening, followed by a Q&A with film director Alex Pitstra and film producer Rosan Breman “A compassionate, beautifully-lensed tale of broken dreams and thwarted desires” VARIETY ARABIA “Smart, funny and emotionally engaging” STEPHEN DALTON, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER “Blends fiction and nonfiction with seamless grace” NICK SCHAGER, SLANT MAGAZINE As part of this year’s special focus on the theme of migration, the Cambridge African Film Festival is honoured to welcome Dutch-Tunisian film director Alex Pitstra and film producer Rosan Breman for the Q&A in conversation with Dr Jean Khalfa, Fellow and Senior Lecturer of French Studies at Trinity College, following the screening of their debut feature Die Welt (2013) (https://youtube/watch?=pW10xejmtGY). A hybrid film on many levels, this part-fiction, part-documentary reflects sensitively on the conflicting issues of belonging, identity, and youth in contemporary Tunisia. Die Welt tells the story of Abdallah (Abdelhamid Naouara), a DVD shop worker who is disillusioned with Arab leaders and frustrated by the hopeless state of affairs for young people that the 2011 Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia was expected to change. After meeting the Dutch tourist Anna, Abdallah begins to dream that a better life awaits him in Europe, or ‘die Welt’ as his father refers to the ‘world’ beyond the Mediterranean. With frequent flash-forwards representing Europe as an urban landscape that promises success, Abdallah’s dreams embody the mainstream representation of the West, which pushes many people in Africa to migrate there. But, as this film asks, is that ‘other side of the Mediterranean’ really a space where dreams come true? Those struck by the freshly authentic narrative of this film may not be surprised to learn that Pitstra’s story is semi-autobiographical. Born to a Dutch mother and raised in the Netherlands, Pitstra did not visit Tunisia until the age of twenty-five when he met his divorced father in the latter’s homeland for the first time. In an attempt to come to terms with his Arab heritage, the director imagines, through the character of Abdallah, the life he might have lead had he grown up with his father instead. Indeed, fantasy and reality merge in this film, as Pitstra casts hired actors in addition to family members, interlaces Thijs Gloger’s masterful cinematography with some home video footage from his family’s personal archive, and probes the simultaneously mythical and ubiquitous presence of Western culture in Tunisia. Die Welt will be showing on Friday 7th November at 8pm at the Yusuf Hamied Theatre of the University of Cambridge’s Christ’s College. Despite being a free event, a symbolic donation of 3 pounds is recommended to cover some of the costs of this completely voluntarily run festival. The Cambridge African Film Festival is delighted to welcome the film’s director Alex Pitstra and producer Rosan Breman to a Q&A following this screening, which will be hosted by Dr Jean Khalfa, Senior Lecturer specialising in Francophone culture from North Africa at Cambridge University. Since entry to this promising event is free and with limited places, guests are strongly advised to book online in advance at: bit.ly/dieweltfilm. True to its original goals, CAFF 2014 aims to show the best of contemporary African films, increase understanding and awareness of African and black culture in the UK, and build a UK audience in the beautiful city of Cambridge for African filmmakers, while offering an important counterbalance to the Western media’s stereotyping of Africa. Most screenings are followed by a Q&A, either with the director, or students and academics at the University of Cambridge. In collaboration with The Humanitarian Centre, there is also a panel discussion showcasing various projects aimed at empowering young Africans through film. This year CAFF has joined forces with other UK African film festivals to put together, for the first time ever, a touring season called ‘South Africa at 20: The Freedom Tour’, marking the 20th anniversary of democracy in the country. Thanks to its participation in this exciting tour, which is a partnership between the South African Department of Arts and Culture and the British Council, CAFF is screening a rich selection of South African titles, from 1994: The Bloody Miracle, a compelling documentary, presented by director Meg Rickards, that immerses us in the context of the first democratic elections in South Africa; to the fresh and first ever South African street dance film, Hear Me Move, a vibrant portrayal of contemporary youth that closes the Festival and is followed by a live performance by South African singer Joyce Moholoagae. The festival line-up explores other themes, such as oppression, migration and the arts, and pays tribute to young filmmaker Bakary Diallo, who passed away in the tragic crash of Air Algérie Flight 5017. CAFF also highlights work by women filmmakers, inviting debut Nigerian-British director Destiny Ekaragha to speak at the screening of her comedy Gone Too Far. Not only a celebration of film, CAFF is hosting a free seminar at the Fitzwilliam Museum on ‘Africa & Photography’, led by Spanish artist Javier Hirschfeld, whose exhibition ‘Más Morena’, adapting Spanish art to Senegalese subjects, will be at the Arts Picturehouse for the whole month of November. There will also be a workshop on South African popular songs as well as live music at the opening and closing of the festival. CAFF is sponsored by Trinity Collegeand the Centre of African Studies, University of Cambridge. CAFF has also received strong support from prestigious organisations such as Menelik Education, the Cambridge Arts Picturehouse and the Cambridge Film Trust, the French Society at Trinity College, Cambridge-Africa Programme, the Centre of African Studies at the University of London, The Fitzwilliam Museum, Key Travel, The Humanitarian Centre, and the African Society of Cambridge University. The main venues for the festival are the Arts Picturehouse and the Winstanley Lecture Theatre at Trinity College. Tickets are on sale as of Friday 3 October. Further details about the full range of unmissable events offered by the Cambridge African Film Festival (1-9th November) can be found on their official website: cambridgeafricanfilmfestival.org.uk. Xanthe Gilmore CAFF Media Office
Posted on: Mon, 20 Oct 2014 10:23:58 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015