WeOwnTV: Idriss Kpange Filmmaker Fellowship

Hey everyone,

Greetings from Zanzibar! The summer has started off with a bang and I am so excited to share updates about WeOwnTv Freetown Media Center and fellowship-supported projects. Three years ago I embarked on a journey to tell the story of local fishermen, their daily struggles, and attempt to protect their livelihood and way of life in Tombo - Sierra Leone’s largest artisanal fishing port with over 600 boats. Many thanks to all of you who have supported us along the way, to WeOwnTV, and Generation Africa for helping us bring this story to the world.I am here in Zanzibar with my friend and colleague Sessy to begin this new part of the journey. My film The New Boats and his project Sisterhood are both being screened at the Zanzibar International Film Festival. 

The New Boats will also be presented as a special online preview screening at theGlobal Health Film Festival next week!. Please join us on Thursday 30 June 19:00 BST #WorldOceanDay

Please see link below.

https://www.globalhealthfilm.org/events/the-new-boats-2022

The New Boats presents an eye-opening look at the impact of International Industrialized fishing in West African waters and it's the disastrous effect on local communities. Sulaiman, a local fisherman and Woody, the Public Relations Officer of Sierra Leone Artisanal Fishermen Union are passionately advocating on behalf of local fishermen and are desperately trying to prevent an environmental disaster with West African fisheries on the brink.

Both films also received support from the Generation Africa program. Generation Africa consists of 25 documentary films made by African filmmakers looking at the lived realities of African youth through the lens of human migration across 16 anglophone and francophone countries of the continent. The initiative brings together documentaries made by filmmakers across Africa. They tell stories of the hopes and dreams of young Africans up against near-unbeatable odds.

 A collection of these films are being broadcast on ARTE and will also start to become available, streaming on @arte.tv starting on, 10th of June! 

‘This unique broadcasting opportunity, as well as the impact strategy behind Generation Africa, will ensure that documentary filmmaking continues in its role as a catalyst for critical conversations that move society forward.’ The New Boats, Sisterhood and Fatimah’s film, Fati’s Choice are among the films being broadcast on ARTE.

WATCH Fati’s Choice is streaming now:

Fati’s Choice will take you to Ghana to meet young mum Fati. Fati gave up on her family's European dream after being kept in a migrant camp in Italy for months. Her community tell her she's a failure for not trying hard enough to make a life for herself in the West. After everything she's been through, it's a bitter pill to swallow.

With Gratitude,

Barmmy

Hello GlobalGiving community,

Today we are celebrating Accra, the capital city of Ghana. Accra was named by TIME magazine as one of the world's top 100 cities in 2021, but it is also a wonderful city because it is home to two extremely talented filmmakers we have had the pleasure of working with. Lawrence and Fatimah have been creating some amazing work and we want to sing their praises today, and there is a lot to celebrate.

Fatimah recently premiered her fellowship-supported documentary, Fati's Choice in festivals and it will be broadcast on ARTE this summer. Here is a list of festivals and awards the film has garnered so far; Dok Leipzig 2021 World Premiere, Nominations; International Competition Long Documentary, Film Prize Leipziger Ring, International Critics Prize (FIPRESCI Prize); Global Migration Film Festival 2021 Winner: Best Feature Documentary; Miradasdoc 2022, Nominations; Best First Documentary.

Synopsis: A beach reminds us of Fati’s recent past, a past in which she traveled to Italy by sea, without proper documentation, and pregnant for the fifth time. Longing for her children, she returns to Ghana six months later – without her husband. Her family and friends refuse to understand and reject her reason to return. “You’ve created a mess,” a friend says. “How do I tell people?” a sister asks. But all that Fati wants is to provide for and ensure the welfare of her five children, even if it means risking all odds to rescue them from the custody of her in-laws. 

The Africa Institute will also screen Fati’s choice as part of its Global Ghana: Sites of Departure/Sites of Return, which will take place in March at the Africa Institute. Back home in Ghana, public and community screenings have been scheduled for the months of June /July. The objective is for the local community to see the film to help create conversations on the themes that the film raises.

We are very proud to have been a small part of Fatimah's burgeoning career and will be cheering her loudly along the way. 

Lawrence is close to locking picture on his supported film, Ghana Man, and will be applying to festivals later this year.

Synopsis: Sam a 32-year-old man who wears suit and tie to sell roasted plantain in the streets of Accra. He is embarrassed to tell his own family what he does for work and the film explores issues of identity and success for young men in modern Africa. The film follows his dream to change what is possible for his future.

During the fellowship period, Lawrence also began a very personal project for which we have been thrilled to offer both support and guidance. Mfinfini: Somewhere In-between, a mixed genre project that explores Maternal Depression, a common but taboo subject in Ghana. A short narrative film tells the story of a woman named ESI who’s thrown into an unstable mental state after losing her child at birth. She re-lives her pregnancy in a state of psychosis. Her journey of loss is felt as she struggles to deal internally with her own mental state as well as society’s perception of her.

This fictionalized account of ESI’s story is presented alongside a documentary (in production) that tracks the birth of Lawrence's first child. Lawrence, who lost his own mother to severe depression presents a gripping and intimate look to a taboo subject it is essential we begin to talk about. His campaign also includes a podcast and comic book to raise awareness and begin conversations about mental health. We could not be more proud to support him on this journey. 

If you would like to support our work on the weOwnTv Filmmaker Fellowship, please consider donating to the project using the "GIVE NOW" button below. and if you would like to earmark your support for Lawrence's and/or Fatimah's projects, please indicate in the comment section.

With Gratitude