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16.04.2015 Movie News

ZIFF Announces Nominated Films For The Sembene Ousmane Film Competition

By Lara Preston
ZIFF Announces Nominated Films For The Sembene Ousmane Film Competition
16.04.2015 LISTEN

The Zanzibar International Film Festival is proud to announce the 16 films in competition for the Sembene Ousmane Film Prize in 2015. The selected film hail from 11 Countries: USA, Brazil, Senegal, Madagascar, Ghana, Cameroon, Morocco, Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia and Tanzania. Ghana can boast two nominations within this elite group.

'The competition has been designed to reward excellence in short film production and to encourage the production of new short films, including short documentaries,' explains ZIFF Assistant Film Director International, Fabrizio Colombo.

'16 films have been nominated to vie for the 3 Prizes' he added, 'each of the 3 winning films will be awarded 2,000 USD specifically earmarked to produce a new short film to be ready by ZIFF 2016.'

Bernd Multhaup of GIZ, the co-sponsors of the prize explained that 'this year the sponsors have decided to award three films to ensure that many more filmmakers are encouraged to make creative films through the Sembene Ousmane Prize. The short film genre is a powerful way to communicate serious issues without sacrificing production quality and aesthetic value.'

The three winners will need to submit their scripts and a production within 4 months of the award and funds will then be released. The winning 3 films will be screened at ZIFF 2015, and the new films screened in ZIFF 2016. This on-going process will simultaneously acknowledge and reward filmmakers for their efforts, whilst contributing to the sustainability of the short-film format.

The 16 nominated films are:
Lesley: Victor Okoye Frank, USA / 15 min
O Canto da Iona: Thiago B. Mendonca, Brazil / 25 min

Maruna: Molly Kane, Senegal / 15 min
Aisaa's Story: Iquo B Essien, USA / 15 min
Madama Esther: Luck Razanajaona, Madagascar / 15 min

The Traveller: Victoria Dogbe, Ghana / 9 min
Damaru: Agbor Obed, Cameroon / 24 min
Houkak: Younes Youfsi, Morocco / 17 min
Kwaku: Anthony Nti, Ghana / 16 min
Samaki Mchangani: Amil Shivji, Tanzania, 30min
Kilimo 2: Neema & Warren Reed, Tanzania / 6 min
Liberte Emprisonnee: Sara Mikayel, Senegal /16min
Soko Sonko: Ekwa Msangi, Kenya / 22 min
Uthando: Tulanana Bohela, South Africa, 20min
Grandma Knows Best: Tamara Dawit, Ethiopia, 16min
Vitrin, Regis Talia, Cameroon, 15min
For more information visit www.ziff.or.tz
About the GIZ and ZIFF Partnership
The Project is sponsored by The Deutsche Gesellschaft f'r Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) as part of German Cooperation in Tanzania and the East African Community (EAC), while ZIFF is the longest running film-festival in East Africa, with global credibility and instant Pan-African recognition. Partnerships with African and European television channels, which would like to show the winning films are also being considered and encouraged. ZIFF is sponsored by ZUKU through a 10 year contract that runs through 2021.

About ZIFF 2015
Waves and Visions of Hope - Mawimbi na Njozi za Tumaini

To those of us who live by the sea and oceans, the waves mean more that simply curling waters. They denote sounds of a permanent presence, of expected arrivals and anticipated departures.

Waves welcome visions of a depth terrifying and a lightness beckoning but more still they propose hope in its glorious and abject abstraction.

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