So... where IS Africa? Read all about it!

From January the 27th till February the 7th, my hometown of Rotterdam will be hosting its International Film Festival (the 39th in fact). And although the full line-up won't be published until January the news about the contents are dribbling in on a daily basis.

I'll be posting an overview soon, but first I'd like to point towards one of this year's sections, tentatively called "Where Is Africa?". Not only will the IFFR highlight the work of African filmmakers but also show different views on Africa by directors worldwide, and several of these have created shorts specifically for this festival.

 

Setting up this event is IFFR-veteran programmer Gertjan Zuilhof and he keeps a blog about it.

Now we don't push too many (other) blogs here on ScreenAnarchy but for this one I happily make an exception. Gertjan travelled through Africa for months and took several guest directors with him on different parts of his tour, showing them the savory and unsavory bits of the continent and leaving a trail of stolen equipment in his wake. His blog is in English, larded with photographs, and eminently readable. His adventures in African films and filmmaking are both funny and remarkable, as for example when award-winning diminutive Malaysian director Tan Chui Mui ( "Love Conquers All" ) shoots a no-budget science fiction epic in the backstreets of Durban, South Africa, mostly all by herself, covered in expensive cameras and without any protection whatsoever.

So go over to the Gertjan's place on the IFFR website and read all about it!