Festival Blog Day 8; Friday November 13, 2009
At end of the road, what did we pick up along the way?
All things come to an end, and regrettably, so has the 6th Amakula Kampala International Film Festival. When the festival had just began, I had the honour of interviewing a couple of people to find out what they expected from the festival this year. A lot of them to my surprise found the theme too abstract and they were not sure what to get. I remember one gentleman called Paul whom I found with a group of other guy musing over why those guys (the organizers) had to pick such “complicated” things.
Festival Blog Day 7; Thursday November 12, 2009
“I hold the world the world as but a stage Bassanio. Where every man has a part to play, and mine a sad one”
William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice
It is no accident that I begin this entry by quoting Old Bill. The play from which this extract is derived is the inspiration behind my entry today. You can call this my own little contribution to our grand theme Visionary Histories. Now, now, you may calm down, I will let you know where I am going with all this in due time but allow me to digress a minute.
Festival Blog Day 6; Wednesday November 11, 2009
Take 1; Where is filmmaking going....
Wow, wow what a day, what a day. The festival keeps getting busier and busier each day and the crowds are now swollen enough for me to finally get off publicity’s case. As I write this I am swamped and when I sleep I may probably go out for 10 hours straight. I have spent the entire day darting from one event to other because at every turn there was something interesting that I did not want to miss out on. For that I have exhausted limbs and a half-functioning brain to show but today was good day.
Festival Blog Day 5; Tuesday November 10, 2009
Take 1; What makes a film good
Quote, “I want my audience to eat like Kings!” End of quote.
New quote, “I want to make good movies not these kina-Ugandas you see around (meaning Ugandan movies made in the fashion of Nollywood movies).” end of quote.
This byte is a lovely embellishment brought to you by one of the filmmakers on what I may term, the most savoury night this festival has had yet. It was a night of exchanges with a fiery audience putting filmmakers on the spot, save for one who had brought along enough cheerleaders to keep the dogs at bay.
Festival Blog Day 4; Monday November 9, 2009
Take 1
Everything today is different. For our on screen entertainment we have a long list of documentaries. Not that I’m complaining but documentaries are not my thing and today’s, are particularly not as engaging as the ones we’ve been watching. During the day, the theatre is mostly quiet outside and in the viewing halls the people are still countable. However, as the day wears on, things begin to look up and the theatre is bustling with activity. By the time the “Uganda Focus” begins at 3.30pm, the auditorium has considerably more people and by nightfall, things are looking up.
Festival Blog Day 3; Sunday November 8, 2009
Take 1
The audience today is thin but animated. Their excitement must be because of an incisive documentary, "Behind The Rainbow" on ANC’s South Africa. They respond to the insightful and educational films being shown and chat away lightly with each other as they exchange jokes between lighter parts of the films.
Day's Recap
Festival Blog Day 2; Saturday November 7, 2009
Take 1: Day’s Recap
Today’s big events are the Focuses; Uganda Focus, Kenya Focus and Mozambique Focus. In the Kino Hut there are all these American classics from the TCM (Turner Classic Movie) era but I have seen them all- nothing new for me talk about.
For most viewers, film is an escape. It gives them a chance to relax; to entertain themselves and drift away from the stresses of every day life. For the filmmaker, on the other hand, it is an avenue- a platform to communicate some vital message, whatever that message be.
Festival Blog Day 1; Friday November 6, 2009
Friday November 6th. By all appearances it seems just an ordinary day but it’s not. It is the opening night of the 6th Amakula Film Festival. As I leaf through the festival programme in the bar lounge at the National Theatre, I am agog with excitement. This year’s theme, "Visionary Histories", is a concept I’ve been working with on several occasions so I can barely contain my anxiety to see it come to the big screen this festival.
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