Development Talk

Cape Town Happenings: Tri Continental Film Festival

 

September 16, 2011

If you’re into documentaries and being made aware of issues and initiatives throughout the world, then the Tri Continental Film Festival is for you.

Our office has been buzzing about the line-up all week, selecting our must-see’s and predictable favorites. Films come from all over the world, accredited by a slew of film and art-based accelades. It’s only in Cape Town for a week, and is an event not to be missed!

In particular, we’re keeping an eye out for the TAC documentary, ‘Taking HAART’, a world premiere. This particular film will be shown on: Sat 17 Sept – 14:00; Wed 21 Sept – 20:00; and Fri 23 Sept – 17:30

From the site:

TAC- Taking HAART contains never before seen footage, lead- ing viewers through one of the most extraordinary struggles in post-apartheid South Africa. The film raises the moral culpability of those responsible for withholding treatment while standing as a heartfelt tribute to those who have died and to those who engaged in twelve years of remorseless activism led by the Treatment Action Campaign.

Check back here and let us know your favorite(s).

To learn more about the event, click here. For a schedule, click here.

- Happy viewing!

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 3:22 pm

Diversity and unity celebrated on Heritage Day at Iziko National Museum

 

September 29, 2010

Vulindlela Cultural Group perform at the Heritage Day celebrations at Iziko National Museum of South Africa. Photo: Nondumiso Ntsengentsu

Vulindlela Cultural Group perform at the Heritage Day celebrations at Iziko National Museum of South Africa. Photo: Nondumiso Ntsengentsu

This Heritage Day, young and old people from different cultural backgrounds, different ethnic groups and religions, who speak different languages, showed South Africa is united at the Iziko National Museum of South Africa in Cape Town.

On Friday 24 September, heritage in all its forms was celebrated at the Museum. People from different backgrounds shared their heritage customs and culture through music and dance. Indigenous food was offered so that people could experience the taste of diversity.

Drumming sessions with Bevil Spence showed the spirit of imbumba yamanyama (rainbow nation). Every beat of the drum presented African rhythm.

The audience was entertained by other cultural groups that include, Ikapa Dance from Phillipi and Cross Roads, Vulindlela Cultural Group from Gugulethu and La Rosa Spanish Dance. Vulindlela performed a poem that touched many hearts.

La Rosa Spanish Dance share their Spanish heritage with the audience at the Iziko National Museum of South Africa. Photo: Nondumiso Ntsengentsu

La Rosa Spanish Dance share their Spanish heritage with the audience at the Iziko National Museum of South Africa. Photo: Nondumiso Ntsengentsu

Dancers from Freeflight Dance Company also performed in response to the exhibition of South African artworks made from 1910 to 2010, currently on display at the National Gallery, entitled 1910-2010 From Pierneef To Gugulective.

Museum offered free Planetarium shows, to accommodate both children and adults. The one was on indigenous astronomy, the other on dinosaurs, and a show entitled Tick Tock the Mouse & the Clock  was also shown on the hour.

Madiba: The Life and the Times of Nelson Mandela was screened at the TH Barry Lecture Theatre.  A tribute was paid to musical legends such as, Brenda Fassie, Robbie Jansen, Miriam Makeba by Music Laboratory.

The event emphasised that we must embrace what we have, be proud of our roots and show humanity.

A diverse group of people came to share their common heritage as South Africans. Photo: Nondumiso Ntsengentsu

A diverse group of people came to share their common heritage as South Africans. Photo: Nondumiso Ntsengentsu

Filed under: arts,children,CREATIVE CONSULTING & DEVELOPMENT WORKS,cultural issues,DEVELOPMENT WORKS,Film,identity,race,South Africa,ubuntu,youth — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 4:15 pm

Khoikhoi and San want rights to be recognised

 

September 13, 2010

Dispossessed, unrecognised and facing a ‘cultural genocide’, South Africa’s Khoikhoi and San community are petitioning the government for full recognition of their rights as indigenous people.

They claim that their history of oppression and dispossession has long been overlooked, with government preferring to focus on rectifying the evils of apartheid’s land policies.

Indeed, South Africa’s indigenous population have lived in the region of the Cape for thousands of years, but lost their and land and water to the first settlers who arrived in 1652. The current Land Restitution Act however, only considers claims for land that was dispossessed after the 1913 Native Land Act came into effect.

Zenzile Khoisan, a spokesman for the Khoi and Boesman National Assembly argues “In 1913 most of our land had already been usurped by various entities including the colonial authorities. Under the Land Restitution Act it is impossible for us to claim because we were the first in opposition of colonialism.”

Their grievances came to the fore in a march on Cape Town’s Parliament Buildings on Saturday 4th September, as reported by the U.K Guardian. They have issued a memorandum to President Jacob Zuma outlining their demands for recognition as the original inhabitants of South Africa. (more…)

Filed under: civil society,Communications,community,Constitution,CREATIVE CONSULTING & DEVELOPMENT WORKS,cultural issues,democracy,DEVELOPMENT WORKS,donors,Film,Government,identity,Inequality,legislation,marginalised,media,NGOs,Parliament,Policy,politics,poverty,rights,South Africa,Videos — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 12:30 pm

Hope and Steet Soccer for People Living on the Streets

 

June 22, 2010

Martin Africa, the captain of South Africa's homeless street soccer team

Martin Africa, the captain of South Africa's homeless street soccer team

“Hope is the most important thing in life. If you give up on hope, you might as well die.”

These are the words of Martin Africa, the captain of South Africa’s homeless street soccer team that represented our country at the Homeless World Cup last year.

The Homeless World Cup was started in 2003 and has brought 4-a-side street soccer to an international stage. In each competing country, players are drawn from grassroots soccer initiatives that engage destitute people who would otherwise be involved in gangsterism, drugs and crime. A prerequisite for these players to represent their countries at the World Cup is that they have to get off the streets.

So, even though players are homeless when they are recruited into these teams, they have a little place to stay and perhaps a small source of income by the time they represent their country in front of the world. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for these people, something they will always remember, that shows them what is possible.

A documentary film about the South African team’s journey to the previous Homeless World Cup in Australia, entitled Streetball, was produced by From Us With Love. It was shown at, among other events, the 17th Annual New York African Film Festival, the Arizona Black Film Showcase, the Africa World Documentary Film Festival in Bermuda and Festival Cinema Africano, Asia ed America Latina in Italy.

Watch the trailer of the video below and as Bafana Bafana take on France today in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, remember to always keep hope alive!

Streetball – Trailer from Demetrius Wren on Vimeo.

Filed under: 2010 World Cup,CREATIVE CONSULTING & DEVELOPMENT WORKS,development,DEVELOPMENT WORKS,Employment,Film,Homeless,Hope,initiative,inspiration,marginalised,poverty,sport,Videos — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 11:49 am

Finding Freedom Behind Bars

 

May 25, 2009

A scene from Freedom Behind Bars

A scene from Freedom Behind Bars

Society’s tendency to throw away the key distances us as individuals of society from the humanity of those in prison. We label them criminal and prisoner and treat them as such. This veiled lens through which we see these individuals is highlighted in the documentary that was screened at the Labia Theatre on Orange Street this last Sunday 17 May.

Finding Freedom Behind Bars follows the work of two Zen teachers with inmates of Malmesbury Prison in Cape Town. The focus is on mindfulness; being consciously aware of one’s actions through mindfulness techniques such as meditation. This initiative forms part of the Mindfulness Prison Project.

What was so powerful about their journey is that the mindfulness tools taught to them by the Zen teachers allowed them to gain an understanding of themselves. It allowed them and us the viewers, to look into their hearts and see the humanity that is present there. Their individual stories lift the veil from our eyes. Against the very harsh environment of prison, the inmates are challenged to view themselves to seek alternative ways of being that allow them to confront their past and challenge those around them to see them as human.

Despite their crimes, these individuals are vulnerable human beings who now have to face the outside world. The documentary also gives hope to finding solutions to the high recidivism rates. More than that, Finding Freedom Behind Bars calls us to embrace our own humanity and be mindful of our thoughts, feelings and actions towards those in our society who need our understanding and compassion.

The documentary Freedom Behind Bars was shown at the Labia Theatre.

The documentary Freedom Behind Bars was shown at the Labia Theatre.

Filed under: basic human right,development,Film,forgiveness,initiative,Prison — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , — @ 8:37 am