Category: Multimedia

The Donkey that Carried the Cloud on its Back

This documentary feature film is about Lamu, a remote Kenyan island frozen in time. It has just one car and more than 3000 donkeys. Electricity is provided by generators and there is no modern water sewage system. Marginalised economically by mainland Kenya, Lamu relies on tourism.

However, big change is coming: Africa’s largest port is being constructed there. At a cost of 3.5-billion USD, the port will be capable of handling ships of up to 100 000 tonnes –  almost half the size of the island. How will this massive project impact on the locals and the environment?

The Donkey that Carried the Cloud on its Back documents and observes life on Lamu before the “marriage of people and land”, following the story of Fatima as she prepares to get married.

The Donkey that Carried the Cloud on its Back – A Teaser from Philippa Ndisi-Herrmann on Vimeo.

Produced by Philippa Ndisi Hermann and Atieno Odenyo, it received financial support from the IDFA Bertha Fund and a crowdfunding campaign. It will be screened at international film festivals later this year.

Medicine on wheels for Khayelitsha residents

An initiative started by Sizwe Nzima, a 21-year-old South African entrepreneur, is now a thriving, Forbes-recognised and award-winning business which fills a much-needed gap between the residents in Khayelitsha, Cape Town and the nearby public hospitals and clinics.

Nzima and his employees deliver medication by bicycle to chronically ill, mostly elderly residents who would have otherwise spent essential time, money and energy making their way to facilities and queuing for their medication.

His business is called Iyeza Express and, since its inception in 2012, has a growing customer base.

Nzima is one of the M&G’s 200 Young South Africans for 2013 and was recently featured on BBC.

Dynamic Africa is a multimedia curated blog focused on all facets of African cultures, African history, and the lives and experiences of Africans on the continent and in the diaspora – past and present. Visit the blog and connect with the curator, Funke Makinwa, on Twitter.

 

Mandela film gets three Golden Globe nominations

A film about the life of former South African president Nelson Mandela titled Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom received three Golden Globe nominations on Thursday.

The nominations were announced in Los Angeles, the company that produced the film, Videovision Entertainment, said in a statement.

Idris Elba, who plays Mandela in the film, was nominated for Best Actor and the film’s music composer, Alex Heffes, scooped a nomination in the Best Original Score category.

Irish rock band U2 was nominated for the Best Original Song for Ordinary Love, a song written specially for the film.

The film’s producer Anant Singh said it was an honour to have received three Golden Globe nominations. This was a first for a South African film.

Elba also received a nomination for Best Actor in a Mini-Series made for Television for his role in the television series, Luther. “We congratulate Idris on his amazing performance in the film and his double nomination, and we congratulate Alex and U2 on receiving this recognition,” said Singh.

The 2014 Golden Globes take place on Sunday 12 January.

Kenyan sci-fi series flips the script on immigration

At its core, Usoni is a story of immigration. The Kenyan sci-fi television series is set in 2062 and paints a portrait of what the world would be like if immigration was reversed and European refugees were fleeing to Africa.

Created by Dr Marc Rigaudis of the United States International University (USIU) in Nairobi, the film casts Africa as an oasis, the only place where the sun shines. It follows a young couple who embark on a dangerous journey to reach the continent but before their dream can be realised, they must overcome the worst of humanity and beat impossible odds.

Speaking to TechMoran, producer Denver Ochieng explained: “Usoni is actually a series focusing on the travel of a couple from the natural disaster stricken Europe to the now illustrious Africa in 2062. It is a story which focuses on the immigration hurdles of Africans to Europe and looks at how it would be if the reverse were to happen.”

The pilot episode was screened at USIU last week. Now we wait to see if it’ll be picked up by local or even international channels.

Shooting scenes on the boat. (Pic: Usoni crew / Facebook)
Shooting scenes on the boat. (Pic: Usoni crew / Facebook)

Music memo: Ayo’s latest album

To those who’ve been paying attention, Nigerian-German artist Ayo needs no introduction. She first caught most people’s ear with her rootsy 2006 breakout track Down on my knees  from her debut album Joyful, an album which went on to achieve platinum and double-platinum status in different European regions.

Ayo has set the tone for further success with the release of her fourth album Ticket to the world. She collaborates with Congolese rapper Youssoupha, who’s been igniting musical minds from France to Dakar, on the opening track. Check it out below.