86 art & life art & life 87

3 festivals film Applications are open for Stephan best of the festivals the 2011 programme: Afri- Senghor for african music Africa First Showcasing shorts can film-makers are invit- (below) has ed to submit a 5-25 minute found a way of Montreux Focus Features’ funding programme gives young project before 22 August. turning Festival African film-makers the chance of a jump start The narrative of the film plastics found 1-16 July, Montreux, must take place exclusive- on the beach Switzerland ocus Features has re- ly in Africa and the project into paving A fortnight-long cel- leased the first DVD must use local production stones and ebration of jazz and of short films made staff, facilities and locations. other building F reserved world music, this fes- by winners of its Africa For films that receive award ts materials

tival attracts head- igh First funding programme. financing Focus Features r ll

line acts from across Now in its fourth year, the retains distribution rights a the world. On the bill programme by the New for North America, as well as alongside Santana, York-based producer of non-exclusive rights to use recycling s Sting and B.B. King Brokeback Mountain and l the project on its website.

will be Senegalese Atonement awards $10,000 esse Givanni’s advice to would- An empire built legend Yous- each to up to five African be applicants is to stick with arkW sou N’Dour, Nigerian/ short film projects to use on M their cultural integrity but on rubbish French singer Asa, Ivo- pre-­production, production Pumzi imagines a dystopian world torn apart by water wars be unconstrained by genre. rian reggae star Alpha or post-production. Winning ideas have included A Senegalese entrepreneur is turning the refuse Blondy and Femi Kuti Proof of the pudding is in won the Best Short Film at the festivals. “Very often first sci-fi, musicals and anima- at local beaches into a source of revenue with his 21st-century the watching. The films com- 2010 African Movie Academy time film-makers are work- tion. The 2010 class includ- brand of . pleted through the first year Awards. They are joined on ing in isolation,” says June ed Nigerian director Ebele of the programme are already the DVD by Saint Louis Blues Givanni, former program- Okoye, part of Abuja-based he beach at Petit Mbao on the out- thing profitable, which would employ local WOMAD Charlton winning international recog- by Senegal’s Dyana Gaye and mer of the Planet Africa se- animation studios Shrink- skirts of Dakar is awash with rub- people. He started melting different plas- Park 28-31 July, nition. Sci-fi thrillerPumzi by The Tunnelby South Africa’s ries at the Toronto Interna- fish, for the screenplay The T bish, like most other beaches in tics with sand to create different products Wiltshire, UK Kenyan director Wanuri Ka- Jenna Bass. tional Film Festival and who Legacy of Rubies. l this Atlantic city. But the rubbish at this – paving stones, bollards, and pylons – to hiu won the Best Short Film Although short films are sits on Africa First’s advisory beach is different: it’s heaped into neat see what would work. “The idea of plastic award at the 2010 Cannes not easily marketable, they board. The scheme provides Gemma Ware piles and a man in a high-visibility vest is recycling has been around in Europe for ters

u Independent Film Festival, can be useful calling cards winners with a support net- scooping it onto the back of a horse-cart. a long time, we are all used to it now. But re / and The Abyss Boys, by South for film-makers to show off work, and they are invited to > For more see http://focus The man works for Stephan Senghor, a here it is a relatively new thing,” he says. se u African Jan-Hendrik Beetge, their skills at international New York for a workshop. features.com/africafirst Senegalese businessman who’s trying to The business angle is threefold: to pro- bo li

a find a way to turn Senegal’s love of plastic duce high-quality construction materials B s i into a profitable business, at a competitive price (the en

D whilst cleaning up Dakar base materials are largely music releases After touring New Zea- 3 along the way. The beach free, after all); to sell the land, Abu Dhabi and The cupboards of Sen- at Mbao has low-grade plastic as fuel to Spain, the World of ghor's house, just behind companies such as cement Music, Arts and Dance the beach, are filled with bins on it and producers who are keen to (WOMAD) festival that rubbish. “I’m seeing what people are find an alternative to oil and Peter Gabriel started companies pile up,” he says, gas; and to re-use as much in 1982 returns for picking up a tin can made using them as possible – viable in a its annual visit to the by a French supermarket country where small-scale British countryside. chain, which has the ‘please producers struggle to find African acts already recycle’ symbol printed on the label, de- affordable packaging for their products. announced are Sen- spite being distributed in a country where The side effects of the business have also egal’s Baaba Maal and there is no formal recycling system. “Then been encouraging. The beach at Mbao has South Africa’s Nomfusi Double Dare (vol 1 & vol 2) Pick a Dream Toumastin MeStissage I’ll find out how those companies can be bins on it and people are using them. Seng- & The Lucky Charms. Darey Tumi and the Volume Tamikrest Teofilo Chantre part of the solution.” hor employs a team of 50 people during the Senegalese-born Senghor returned rainy season to pump out flood water and Baia das Gatas Nigeria’s ‘King of R&B’ is South Africa’s always- They are here, the young The artist is better from living in Canada 18 months ago to clear the canals of plastic, and a team of 10 Festival 2011 not joking with the title of his banging hip-hop outfit has heirs to Tinariwen, known as the inspired help with the clean-up operation after during the rest of the year. He wants to turn 5-7 August, São new album. On CD 1 are 11 a new album out, and its the Tuareg pioneers composer of Cesaria heavy rains flooded Dakar’s outskirts well Mbao into a tourist spot, with its beautiful Vincente, smooth R&B cuts. On CD 2, first single, ‘Asinamali’, is of Sahelian blues. Evora, with whom he into the dry season. Working with a local clean beaches and proximity to Dakar. 10km east of Min- the singer flaunts a versatil- getting major radio play. Tamikrest, founded in has had several suc- team, he emptied water canals and natural “I’m not a non-profit organisation,” he delo, the home of ity that is alien to many of Expect to hear their 2008 in northeast , cessful albums since drainage lakes that had become blocked. says, looking out across the turquoise bay Cesaria Evora, the his contemporaries: , ­original, dirty hip-hop has launched its sec- . Navi- The clean-up team were left with plastic to Dakar shimmering in the distance. “I’m beach of Baía das pop, soul and classic stuff beats but also listen out ond opus, Toumastin, gating between morna bottles, sachets, bags, rice sacks, shoes, a business. I’m just finding ways to make Gatas will play host make this part, including a for a mix of more experi- in which garage-rock and , Teofilo buckets and tyres. money out of cleanliness.” l to a mix of local and remake of ‘Sweet Mother’ mental and distinctly riffs overturn throbbing Chantre presents Cape Senghor decided to find a way he could international artists. by Nico Mbarga. l ­African sounds. l traditional melodies. l Verdean . l make this discarded plastic into some- Rose Skelton in Dakar

the africa report • n° 31 • june 2011 the africa report • n° 31 • june 2011