Filmmakers Against Racism: unity

Friday, June 6, 2008

A visual poetic contribution by Nonso A. Dike

Blessed greetings comrade FAR officials.

Plz kindly find attached within, a prophetic visual poetry for FAR humble initiative. This was an experimental pilot project produced early April of 2007 with John Njaga Demps, me and Samora Sekhukhune. I remember someone in the crew asking me why so much poesy on "Unity" amongst Africans + SA filmmakers. Alas! Now we know why.

Anyways, on behalf of my crew members, attached is my content (visual) donation/support to FAR beautiful initiative. May the blessed team feel free to use it as a PSA if they deem it fit.

Long live AFRICA...!
Long live AFRICAN FILMMAKERS...!!
Long live FAR as a healing vehicle to us all...!!!

Meantime, Hallelujah Bless Up + oneness love to us all...!

Sincerely,

Nonso A. Dike

About Us

FILMMAKERS AGAINST RACISM (FAR) – an initiative launched on 23rd May 2008 in response to the shocking wave of xenophobic violence hitting South Africa – produced seven x 24 minute and two x 12 minutes documentaries, as well as 12 x 30 second Public Service Announcements, which will be broadcast by SABC, and hopefully e.tv and MNET as well as community TV stations.

Filmmakers Against Racism is supported by the South African Screen Federation and the Independent Producers Organization and brings together a collective of reputable film production houses and individual talent, in collaboration with independent producers and directors.

Our collective vision is to promote racial unity not division as we tackle the growing social and economic concerns we face as a nation. Targeting the most vulnerable people in society displaces the blame for growing social and economic problems on to the very people who have sought refuge from violence and poverty in their countries of origin. There is no excuse for the violent attacks on people and long-term, sustainable solutions to inequality, founded on the principles of unity and tolerance, need to be emphasized.

Thus we will seek to make a series of PSAs and documentaries that are underpinned by our view that we are all African and will be a call for compassion and solidarity with all Africans seeking refuge and a better life in SA.

The films will seek to remind us that we fought a long hard battle to overcome the brutal forces of racism in South Africa – we cannot let racism defeat us again.

We are grateful for the support already received from NFVF, Mike Auret, SABC, MNET.

THE COMPLETED DOCUMENTARIES SO FAR:

1) Affectionately Known as Alex - Danny Turken/Luna Films/Neil Brandt
2) The Burning Man "Ernesto Alfabeto Nhamuave" -Adze Ugah/Bomb/Desiree Markgraaff
3) Congo My Foot: OkepneOjeng/Plexus Films/Miki Redelinghuys and Lauren Groenewald
4) Baraka - Omelga Mthiyane & Riaan Hendricks/Day Zero/Don Edkins
5) Nowhere else to go - Tumi Moroka/Logos Productions/Jonathan Timm
6) Angles On Our Shoulders - Andy Spitz/Left Eye Productions
7) Asikhulume - Let's Talk - Richard Green
8) Thandeka and Martine - Xoliswa Sithole/Nayanaya Productions
9) Two Camps - Rehad Desai & Arya Lalloo/Uhuru Productions Update info to come:

We are actively seeking out stories of individuals – both stories of South Africans as well as those of refugees – that will be moving and effective.

We have collectivley shot substantial amounts of footage in refugee camps around Johannesburg and have people filming in Cape Tow and Durban.

WEB/ INTERNET:

Blog contributions (both written and video) can be mailed to unitedfilmmakers@gmail.com for consideration. Thanks for your support!

WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL TO:

The following companies have come on board offering support with equipment and post production:

Magus Visual – cameras and equipment
The Refinery – post production
Curious Pictures – equipment and post production
The Bomb Shelter – equipment and post production
Born Free Media – equipment and post production
DV8 – equipment
Uhuru Productions – equipment
T.O.M Pictures – equipment
Nayanaya Productions - equip and co-ordination
Women of the Sun (WoS) - co-ordination and administration
Atlas Studios - studio locations and equipment
Steps/Day Zero Films - equipment and post-production
Plexus Films - equipment and production

FINANCE:

The members of FAR have committed to work gratis to get the films made and are urgently seeking funding/sponsorship for the hard costs of fuel, transport, food, tape stock, crew, etc.

Currently we have a group of prod companies and facilities whom have all pledged to support
this initiative with equipment, people, post production etc to ensure that the films get made.

We hope that when the films are made we will be able to licence them in order to recoup the costs and any profits will be lodged in a trust account for FAR to use in future ventures dealing with racism and xenophobia.

All monies raised will be deposited into a trust account and dispersed only on the allocation of the board of FAR.

Thereafter we will start to seek funding for a central archive system for the footage.

Members of the board of FAR are: Rehad Desai, Desiree Markgraaff, Xoliswa Sithole, Carolyn Carew, Eve Rantsele, Neil Brandt, Catherine Muller, Robbie Thorpe, Nic Hofmeyer. (Additional members to be seconded as project takes root)

Currently, we are working on films that involve shooting in Mozambique and Zimbabawe. Naturally, these entail expenses.

If you are in a position to make a financial contribution, please do so. Please notify us via email should a deposit be made so that we may credit your appropriately as a contributor to the project as well as provide financial records on how your money has been spent.

BANK DETAILS:

Account Name: The Human Rights Media Trust
Bank: Nedbank
Branch Code: 101109
Account No: 1011102366
Swiftcode: NEDSZAJJ

EMAIL CONTACT:

unitedfilmmakers@gmail.com
desiree@thebomb.co.za
rehad@icon.co.za

Friday, June 6, 2008

A visual poetic contribution by Nonso A. Dike

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