AT BFI SOUTHBANK
November 19
What Difference Can A Film Make?
We The Peoples Film Festival : Celebrating The Potential Film Has To Make A Difference.
The We the Peoples Film Festival returns to BFI Southbank for its sixth season with exciting innovation. Highlights of this year’s festival are set to include two exceptional South African feature films: Otelo Burningand Lucky, Q&A’s with the directors, a short film competition judged by the audience, debates with industry professionals and decision makers, workshops with director David Westhead and Boldface Productions, a live link-up to South Africa, a #tweetapitch competition offering young people the chance to win a £500 film making bursary and professional mentorship, and an Awards Ceremony presented by the festival’s special guests.
Since its inception in 2006, the We the Peoples Film Festival has screened more than one hundred films on human rights, development, security and peace. Its creative programming has included important initiatives such as the UK's first peace-themed film season, video-streaming workshops for NGOs and the world's first festival of films on international development by young directors, aged up to 19.
In 2011, the We The Peoples Film Festival will continue to raise important issues associated with the United Nations Three Pillars of Freedom: from want, from fear and the freedom to live in dignity. The flagship Youth event, the Young Film Makers for Development Day will be held at BFI Southbank on Saturday 19th November. It will screen two exceptional South African feature films: Otelo Burning and Lucky, both of which reveal the explosive nature of change during post-apartheid South Africa, through the eyes of young people searching for a taste of their promised freedom.
These incredibly inspiring films are an excellent example of film’s potential to offer a startling insight into the lives of others. There will be a Q&A with Sara Blecher - director of Otelo Burning, which premiered at theDurban International Film Festival earlier this year, and the director of Lucky Avie Luthra, whose other films include Mad ,Sad and Bad and Cross My Heart. There will be the opportunity to take part in workshops with experts in the craft, such as director David Westhead whose company Wilton Pictures runs the enormously successful Wembley to Soweto photography project. This is a project that helps disadvantaged youngsters from the UK and abroad and has received enormous media coverage and acclaim as well as endorsement from celebrities and politicians. A highlight of the festival will be bringing young aspiring film makers into debates with professionals in the film industry and decision makers from the development field. This conversation will be extended internationally through a live link-up to film makers in Johannesburg.
The festival’s special guests will announce the winners for its short film competition, voted on by audience members. There will also be an opportunity for young people (aged 15-25) to enter our #tweetapitchcompetition, with the chance to win a film making bursary of £500 and professional mentorship. The resulting documentary will be screened at next year’s festival. The day will end with music, an Awards Ceremony and the opportunity to meet some incredible and inspiring figures from both the film and development world.
