European Film Festival in Eswatini and Lesotho
By CityLIfe Arts Writer
As part of the European Film Festival in South Africa the festival will present satellite activities in the neighbouring countries of Eswatini and Lesotho. With the support of the European Union Delegation in the respective countries, and following on the success of last year’s inaugural festivals in both Eswatini and Lesotho, a 3-day film programme will take place at the Alliance Française in Mbabane between 20 and 22 October, and at the Alliance Française in Maseru between 26 and 28 October.
Sneak Peek at the Films!
A line-up of dramas, documentaries and comedies make up the seven films that will be on show for the first time in Eswatini and Lesotho.
MOTHER (Bulgaria, Germany, Croatia), directed by Zornitsa Sophia, is the Opening Film in both Eswatini and Lesotho. A theatre director’s inability to have a child of her own leads her to Kenya, where she discovers a completely different kind of motherhood. This heartfelt film is based on the true story of the remarkable theatre director and cultural activist Elena Panyatova. Panayatova and the director Zornitsa Sophia will attend the screening.
MIKADO (Romania, Czech Republic) directed by Emanuel Pârvu, is a fast-paced drama about power dynamics sparked when a teenager Magda comes into conflict with her controlling father. Events spill over very quickly, and we see that every action has consequences.
PARENTS VERSUS INFLUENCERS (Italy), directed by Michela Andreozzi, is a witty contemporary comedy that follows a young teenager who prefers the company of her phone to that of her father as she aspires to become a social media personality. Things get interesting when her father becomes an influencer himself!
ROOKIES (France), directed by Thierry Demaizière and Alban Teurlai, is about a prestigious high school in Paris which undertakes an experiment to integrate students from working-class districts and make them break the circle of school failure through dance and hip hop. Energetic, hopeful and exhilarating – ROOKIES vibrates with passion, for the art of dance, and for finding one‘s way in life.
THE GOOD BOSS (Spain),directed by Fernando León de Aranoa features the legendary Javier Bardem as a slippery factory boss who shamelessly meddles in his employees’ private lives and crosses every line imaginable as he tries to win a local award for business excellence. This satirical comedy won numerous international awards and was also the Spanish entry at the 94th Academy Awards.
TIMBUKTU (France, Mauritania), directed by Abderrahmane Sissako, focuses on Kidane and his family who live peacefully in the dunes outside the city while the inhabitants suffer under the new Jihadist regime. Music, laughter, even soccer have been banned; will their destiny also soon change…. ? Timbuktu won two awards at the Cannes Film Festival, before going on to earn an Oscar nomination.
FUCK YOU MLUNGU (Eswatini, Norway), directed by Mikal Hovland, is a short film set in Eswatini.
With a view to possibly including him in her will, a Norweigian widow travels to Eswatini to meet the man whose education she once sponsored. (This will screen in Eswatini only)
Closing the festival is MAMA AFRICA (Germany, South Africa, Finland), directed by Mika Kaurismaki. Using archive footage and featuring performances, interviews, scenes from her life in exile, and her return, this is a rare biography of Miriam Makeba, South African singer and anti-apartheid activist, whose music influenced artists across the globe but always remained true to her roots with its message against racism and poverty.
Filmmaker Engagement
Adding an inspirational and technical boost for the creative communities in both countries are the presentation of workshops by Zornitsa Sophia and Elena Panayotova. Sophia, two of whose films were selected as Bulgaria’s submission to the Academy Awards, will run a 2-day workshop entitled The Architecture of the Film Script. This is an intensive closed programme for budding scriptwriters selected following a call-out process.
Drawing on her vast experience as a theatre director, academic and cultural activist, including extensive work in Africa, Panayatova will offer an open session called Performing Arts for Social Change. This 90 minute workshop will be of interest to performing artists, educators, social workers – any one interesting in applying theatre or performing arts for social change.
Festival screenings will take place at:
Alliance Française, Mbabane from 20 to 22 October
Alliance Française, Maseru from 26 to 28 October.