Stories from Quick Reads and Film
Kyrgyzstan’s blockbuster film is a moving tale of the bond between a mother and son
According to the film’s director Ruslan Akun, its main goal is encouraging people to be merciful towards each other and do good deeds.
Uzbekistan’s repression survivors tell their harrowing stories in a new documentary
This is one of the first attempts to tell the story of more than 18,000 people who were jailed on trumped-up charges and labelled “extremists” by Uzbekistan's Karimov government.
Uzbekistan celebrates reformist Jadid movement in the new documentary
It seems the Jadids' return to the public space will be long-term with the government using their legacy as means of inspiration.
The number of Indigenous people of Sakhalin island in Russia is drastically decreasing
The indigenous people of Sakhalin are now present in small numbers, they are named Nivkhs, Ainu, Uilta. A documentary shows one of the dying villages, Rybnoe, where Nivkhs live.
How Russians fought Putinism: A documentary
It is incorrect to say that the people in Russia did not resist the emergence of Putinism — they resisted, many times and in many ways, albeit unsuccessfully.
Yakut movie ‘Aita’ was censored in Russia
The reason Roskomnadzor cited was that the movie attempted to break the 'principles of the unity of the peoples of Russia.'
Kyrgyzstan's national game, kok-boru, continues to attract new fans around the world
The turning point for kok-boru’s popularity beyond Central Asia came with the first World Nomad Games (WNG) hosted by Kyrgyzstan in 2014.
Mongolian film ‘If Only I Could Hibernate’ reaches historic milestone at the Cannes Film Festival
The film’s success is poised to kickstart a new era in Mongolia's filmmaking industry. And the government is ready to contribute.
‘Films for Action’ Website Shares List of Top 100 Documentaries ‘We Can Use to Change the World’
After years of promotion and reviews of documentaries devoted to social change, the site Films for Action released a list of what they consider to be the 100 most influencial and provocative. From critiques to manistream media to the corporate world, passing through the ideas and solutions proposed in and by...
Documentary ‘Too Black To Be French’ Wants to Start an Honest Conversation on Race in France
“Too Black to Be French” is a documentary made by Isabelle Boni-Claverie, a French-Ivorian writer and filmmaker. Boni-Claverie's goal is to provide unexplored ideas and start a conversation on French society's inequalities and discrimination. The documentary includes commentary and analyses from renowned Francophone thinkers such as Eric Fassin, Pap Ndiaye, Achille Mbembe, Patrick...
Malawian Film Helps Farmers Cope With Climate Change
“Mbeu Yosintha” was made to help farmers and rural communities cope with the effects of climate change, in particular the ever changing rain patterns in South East Africa. The film is a drama using local actors and was devised with Malawian writer Jonathan Mbuna following extensive research with various agricultural...
Film Documents Alleged Human Rights Crimes by Peru's Military in the 80s
Recovering Latin American historical memory and raising awareness of the atrocities committed in the past are crucial steps to take in order to ensure they are never repeated and that, instead, we continue to work towards strengthening our democracies. To that end, film can play a crucial role in compiling...
Film: The Art of Ama Ata Aidoo
The Art of Ama Ata Aidoo is a film by filmmaker Yaba Badoe: The Art of Ama Ata Aidoo, explores the artistic contribution of one of Africa's foremost women writers, a trailblazer for an entire generation of exciting new talent. This feature-length documentary charts Ama Ata Aidoo's creative journey in...
Upcoming Documentary Looks at Causes of Somali Conflict
Somali history enthusiast Mohammed Ibrahim Shire blogs about an upcoming Somali documentary Kacaan: The Untold Stories: ‘Kacaan: The Untold Stories‘ is an upcoming hard-hitting documentary film that will objectively look at the background to the Somali conflict and its causes with special emphasis on events after 1969. It will closely...
MTN South Africa launches FrontRow
Telecommunication provider MTN South Africa has launched MTN FrontRow, a video-on-demand (VOD) service. Tech Moran reports: According to MTN, ” MTN FrontRow, is a premium entertainment network that brings you all the TV series and movies you love, even if you’re not an MTN subscriber – and you could get...
Film: A Ugandan Transgender Girl Fights for Her Right to Love
Rough Studios, a small Swedish production company, has released the first episode of a documentary series about being transgender in Uganda: We enter the life of Cleopatra Kambugu, a Ugandan transgender girl who was forced to flee to Kenya after being “outed” as homosexual in one of Uganda's major tabloids....
Video: Amazon Indigenous Tribe Protests Hydroelectric Dam Construction
Indigenous people from the Munduruku ethnic group are fighting against the construction of the São Luiz do Tapajós dam in the state of Pará, Brazil. The dam will mean the flooding of 700,000 km2 in their homeland. The Brazilian Federal Government plans to build up to five dams in the Tapajós...
‘Interstellar': Another World Will Be Possible Only If We Overcome Ignorance
Raúl Morales, blogging on El Blog de Don Ush, brings us a review of recently launched science fiction movie “Interstellar,” where director Christopher Nolan creates a non-encouraging future for the planet that can only be overcame if human beings defeat the prevailing ignorance. Although Morales is critic of box-office earnings and the...
Moments of Life: A Call for Sympathy
Carlos G. de Juan, blogging on Hacia rutas de cambio positivo (Towards routes of positive change), offers a reflection through a short mute film about the story of many homeless people in big cities, who had a normal life until life struck them so hard they just lost heart: Esta...
African Animators Defying All Odds
Njeri Wangari highlights 9 amazing animation videos for African children: 1. Jungle Beat Jungle Beat is a fun, family friendly series of CGI animated self-contained, dialogue-free, 5 minute episodes focusing on different animals and the bizarre situations they encounter in nature. From the firefly who is afraid of the dark...
Talking Heads Project Showcases What is Extraordinary About People in Africa
Talking Heads is a project of the Africa Centre, a non-profit cultural organisation based in Cape Town, South Africa. Talking Heads produces audio casts and short films, which are freely available on YouTube and iTunes: The Africa Centre has designed an approach that identifies, showcases and creates opportunities for African...
