Kenya
Kenya Delegation
October 21-30, 2010
Filmmaker: Micki Dickoff, Neshoba: The Price of Freedom
Expert: Sandra Ruch
“The questions and feelings expressed demonstrated just how powerful and meaningful showing American documentaries to non-American is. The audience members were stunned by the police violence and, in many cases, knew very little about our Civil Rights movement.” – Sandra Ruch
“I shared my own experience as a filmmaker over 35 years and why I use film as a tool for social change. For me, passion and point-of-view are essential to good storytelling. We had a very good discussion and Sandra and I learned a lot about Kenyan students and their eagerness to tell their stories.” – Micki Dickoff
Delegate Report
Sandra Ruch
Bringing Micki Dickoff and her film Neshoba to Kenya was an excellent decision. The subject matter was embraced totally by all audiences and served to inspire and educate the Kenyan public about American civil liberties, our justice system and the democratic process at work.
Nairobi
We arrived in Nairobi and were met by Ellen Bienstock, the Cultural Affairs Officer at the US Embassy.
Our first American Documentary Showcase film screening was Bronx Princess at the Prestige Theater in a popular shopping mall. This film was a selection of the Kenya International Film Festival, whose theme is “Connecting Filmmakers Throughout the World.” Though the audience was small, it was highly engaged, and the story was relevant to the theme and of great interest to the audience.
That evening we attended the opening of the festival at the Nakumatt Junction Silverbird Theater, a very upscale mall and cultural center. It was a gala event and the Vice President of Kenya attended. We were introduced by Ellen Bienstock to local filmmakers and interviewed by local TV.
Kisumu
Upon arriving in Kisumu, we went directly to Maseno University for a workshop. Maseno is one of seven Kenyan public universities with a Communications and Media Technology Department that offers a BA degree in public relations, print and broadcast journalism. The majority of workshop participants were writers who wanted to learn how to make their stories into films (fiction and documentary), as well as how to finance their work. These students have stories and are eager to tell them, but have little access to production equipment.
Kenya International Film Festival in Nairobi: Ellen Bienstock from the American Embassy, Micki and Sandra before a screening of Neshoba: The Price of Freedom.
Micki showed clips and the trailer from Neshoba, and I talked about how US filmmakers produce their films with great difficulty and little financial public or private support. We also discussed story structure, how to find one’s subject and interviewing techniques. We left the students stimulated and excited about seeing Neshoba that evening.
The evening screening was well attended and many students from the University attended. The reaction was overwhelmingly emotional. Because the Kenyans had recently experienced 2007-08 post-election violence and the passing of the new Constitution, the audience could identify with the African-American Civil Rights struggle in the US.
The Q&A session was very spirited. The questions and feelings expressed demonstrated just how powerful and meaningful showing American documentaries to non-American is. The audience members were stunned by the police violence and, in many cases, knew very little about our Civil Rights movement.
The following day was an all-day workshop at the American Center, sponsored by the Kenya National Library Service and the US Embassy, Nairobi. The American Center is both a library and a cultural center that provides a place for children and adults to attend workshops and to read.
The 50 people attending were interested in learning how to tell their personal stories through film, as well as screenwriting and acting. We showed clips from Micki’s films, and examples of how her other documentaries were also made into fiction-based films on such subjects as AIDS and the political justice system. These issues were also ones that the participants could relate to in their own lives and society.
The second half of workshop was a practice pitch session. Participants verbally pitched their stories to Ellen, Micki and me. The subjects ranged from women’s rights, poverty, tribal conflicts, AIDS and homosexuality. These were issues they wanted to portray, but they also expressed that they had reservations about these controversial issues, fearing government censorship and reprisal. This further exemplifies how important the Showcase is as a program to show the world the artistic freedom of expression we have
In the United States.
Nairobi
The First Kid to Learn English from Mexico was screened at a theater in the Prestige Mall. The audience was small but very engaged and in the Q&A expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to see American life on film.
We also saw two Kenyan films in competition at the KIFF: Togetherness Supreme––a drama set in the Kibera Slum about tribal violence, which was produced by Hot Sun Film School /Foundation––and the documentary Headlines in History––which traced the impact of East African newspapers over five decades.
That evening, Neshoba played very well to a full house, although a mostly white audience. The Q&A session was good but not as emotional as with a black audience, but the discussion was about accountability, corruption, political justice and community action. This created a lively buzz about the film and the KIFF director hoped to add additional screenings to the program.
Kibera Film School student at editing suite
Micki and I were on a panel about Women in Film with accomplished professors Dr. Lindiwe Dovey, a senior lecturer on African Film and Performance Arts at the University of London, and Isabella Santaolalia, a Professor of Spanish and Film Studies at Roehampton University in London. Attendance was mostly women: editors, filmmakers, writers, producers. The discussions were about the emerging feminist movement in Kenya and the opportunities available to women. Since the new Constitution, a women’s movement is growing and they are demanding equality in the workplace as well as in their domestic situations.
We visited the non-profit Kibera Film School in the Kibera, and were greeted by 12 very excited students who gave us a tour of their modest building (with two editing bays). We watched some of their work––mostly news stories about their lives living in a slum. The energy and enthusiasm were amazing. We invited them to attend the Neshoba screening scheduled that evening at Alliance Francaise.
Mombassa
At the all-day Coastal Films workshop in Mombassa, we greeted experienced filmmakers, actors, screenwriters and emerging filmmakers. We screened Neshoba and then used it to analyze and discuss how Micki choose to tell her story: structure character development, gaining the subject’s trust. They were amazed that Micki was able to get Edgar Ray Killen to be so honest on camera about his crime.
The afternoon session was spent watching examples of Coast Films filmmakers’ work. There was a broad cross-section of genres: a Voodoo drama, short docs, a trailer for a completed feature drama by Clifford Okumu. They have the energy, passion and commitment to continue to produce great films. As always, the question of distribution was vital. I discussed the various outlets in US and distributed the list of documentary funding opportunities and festival strategy.
Micki and I were also interviewed by a reporter from KTN TV. We discussed our experience with the participants of the workshop with Coastal Films.
The screening of Neshoba at Alliance Francaise played to an audience of 250, mostly young, responsive film students, filmmakers and students from Kibera Film School. The audience cheered and clapped when Killen was convicted in the film. The Q&A session was highly emotional, with statements about how the issues of racism and injustice in the film resonated with the audience members, as they have the same problems in Kenyan society.
Documentary Workshop in Mombasa: Sandra talking about film financing
The next day, there was a Master Class at the Chester House. Attendees were TV producers, reporters, independent filmmakers, journalists and animators. We discussed how documentaries were tools to tell stories no one else is telling.
Micki showed her short TV documentary, Bush’s Deadly Ambition, about the execution of an innocent man it Texas and this lead to a lively discussion by the participants, who expressed their desire to produce work that will raise awareness of important issues in Kenya, but are concerned that they are unable to get funds and exposure for such films.
I screened the Animated Showcase films, (All Creative Work is Derivative, The Ballad of John Henry Unicorn, The Stork and Unnatural History of Wall Street). These were inspiring to the participants and we discussed producing hybrid documentaries that can lead to ways to present controversial social issues and receive exposure.
On the final day of KIFF, Neshoba screened to a full house at the Silverbird Theater at Prestige Plaza. The Q&A session was intense and emotional. People remarked on the power of film to make social and political change possible. It was a rewarding experience to see how bringing American documentaries to international audiences can truly build bridges and connect people around the world.
Summary
The Kenya International Film Festival screened the following Showcase films during the Festival: Neshoba, Big River, Body And Sol, Bronx Princess and Burning the Future: Coal in America.
The discussions during the workshops shed light on real-life experiences in film production. This turned out to be a great inspiration to the beginning filmmakers and professional film producers. It clearly exposed the gap that exists on the level of freedom of expression in the developing countries compared to the United States. The issues and ideas that were discussed and shared during the workshop will go a long way toward improving efficiency, professionalism and product quality in the film industry in Kenya.
Delegate Report
Micki Dickoff
The Kenyan people are warm and engaging with big hearts and smiles, and highly motivated to make films that will make a difference for their communities. They have so little in terms of material things, but appreciate so much. I am humbled by the filmmakers I met and inspired by their determination to tell their stories. I planted some seeds and look forward to see what grows. I will stay connected to my new friends in Kenya and encourage them to follow their passion.
Nairobi
Sandra Ruch and I arrived in Nairobi, met Ellen Bienstock from the American Embassy and checked into our hotel.
Our first screening of an American Documentary Showcase film was Bronx Princess, a selection of the Kenya International Film Festival (KIFF). Although the audience was small, we met some of the film student volunteers who were very enthusiastic about us being there and so eager to learn more about filmmaking. The theme of this year’s festival was connecting filmmakers and film lovers from all over the world to create a support network for the burgeoning film industry in Kenya.
We attended the KIFF opening-night festivities, which featured speeches by many dignitaries including the Vice President. Sandra and I were interviewed by TV reporters and met many interesting people.
Kisumu
We went directly from the airport to Maseno University for our first workshop with students. Maseno is one of seven public universities in Kenya and offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in print and broadcast journalism and public relations through the Communications and Media Technology Department. Most of the workshop participants were writers. They wanted to learn how to make their stories into films––both dramatic and documentary––and how to get financing for their projects.
Storytelling and Directing Workshop in Kisumu, at the end of an eight hour workshop
The students have little access to production and post-production equipment, although the university is building a TV production studio on campus and has a few digital cameras. Sandra talked about ways to finance films through places like ITVS and through Internet opportunities like Kickstarter. She made it clear that independent filmmakers in the US also have problems accessing money to make their films. My film Neshoba: The Price of Freedom took more than six years to finish because of fundraising.
I showed the trailer and several clips from the film to illustrate how to tell a good story: one that has a beginning, middle and end, compelling characters, and a rising tension that reaches a resolution; also, one that engages an audience on an emotional and intellectual level––even motivating them to some kind of action. I shared my own experience as a filmmaker over 35 years and why I use film as a tool for social change. For me, passion and point-of-view are essential to good storytelling. We had a very good discussion and Sandra and I learned a lot about Kenyan students and their eagerness to tell their stories.
Neshoba screened at a theatre in Kisumu. I was curious, and a little apprehensive, about how a Kenyan audience would react to a story about an ugly time in American history. I was blown away by the intensity of the discussion that followed, and the impact the film made on everyone there. They identified with the concepts of truth, justice and healing that the film ––issues very much on the minds of Kenyans. The people are still dealing with the effects of post-election violence in 2007 and 2008, and trying to implement their newly passed constitution that gives more freedoms to Kenyan citizens, including women. In the two years I’ve been on the festival circuit, the discussion in Kisumu was the most moving for me. I felt an immediate bond with the Kenyan people.
The following day, Sandra and I held an all-day workshop in Kisumu at the American Corner, a partnership with the Kenya National Library Service and the US Embassy in Nairobi. It was very uplifting to see so many young children glued to their books. The American Corner features books and games and provides a place for children and adults to read and attend special filmmaker workshops like the one we did.
I talked about the crossover from documentary to dramatic film and showed clips from my documentaries made into dramas, films dealing with the death penalty and the American justice system, as well as with looking at AIDS through the eyes of mothers losing gay sons to the disease. The clips provoked discussion––not only about the filmmaking process, but also about homosexuality, AIDS (a disease affecting mostly heterosexuals in Kenya) and their justice system.
In the afternoon session, the participants took turns pitching their stories to us. We critiqued their stories and presentations, and gave feedback on how to move forward with their work. We were very impressed with the kinds of personal stories they want to tell about controversial issues in Kenya like AIDS, homosexuality, women’s rights, poverty and tribal conflicts. We also learned that making films too critical of the government could get people in trouble, which was chilling for me and made me realize how lucky we are in the US that we can make films without fear of censorship, or worse. Sandra and I bonded with all the participants and exchanged contacts.
Nairobi
Sandra and I hosted another American Documentary Showcase film, The First Kid to Learn English from Mexico, at the Silver Bird Theatre in Prestige Plaza to a small audience who enjoyed the film. That afternoon we returned to the theatre to see two Kenyan films screening in competition at KIFF: Togetherness Supreme, a powerful drama about post-election violence in the Kibera slum and the search for unity and understanding between tribes, and Headlines in History, a comprehensive documentary that traces the growth and impact of the Nation, the leading East African newspaper for over five decades.
Neshoba screened that evening to a very vocal and enthusiastic audience. We had a good discussion about justice, accountability and community action. There was a buzz about the film and Charles Asiba, the director of KIFF, wanted to schedule more screenings.
The following day, Sandra and I participated on a panel about Women in Film with two interesting and accomplished professors: Dr. Lindiwe Dovey, a senior lecturer on African Film and Performance Arts at the University of London, and Isabella Santaolalia, a professor of Spanish and Film Studies at Roehampton University in London. The panel discussed the emerging feminist movement in Kenya and the new opportunities for Kenyan women to have careers in film. Many of the young women there were majoring in editing and post-production.
Before the passage of the new constitution, Kenyan women were considered the property of their husbands, with no rights of inheritance if they died or divorced them. Today, there is a strong women’s movement in Nairobi demanding full equality in all areas, including working in the burgeoning film industry.
In the afternoon, Sandra and I visited the Hot Sun Foundation, a nonprofit film school in the Kibera, the largest slum in Nairobi. The Kibera Film School, founded in 2009, encourages local film students to tell their stories worldwide and helps them transform their lives. Sandra and I saw their first feature film at KIFF, Togetherness Supreme, and were very impressed by the moving drama and the quality of filmmaking.
The students from the Kibera Film School were waiting for us when we arrived and gave us a tour of the building and their two editing rooms. We met the 12 students enrolled in the program and watched some of their work––mostly feature news stories about life in the Kibera and issues facing people who live there. There was so much energy and excitement in the room; it was inspiring to see young, highly-motivated filmmakers given the opportunity to tell stories that make a difference in their community. We bonded immediately and invited them to the next screening of Neshoba.
Mombasa
Micki and Sandra on a break with students from documentary workshop in Mombasa
At the Milele Hotel. There was an all-day workshop with a great group of emerging film students and more experienced filmmakers working for Coastal Films. During the morning session, we screened Neshoba and used it as an example to discuss storytelling and directing. We talked about structure, characters, focus and style, and the deliberate political decision to let Edgar Ray Killen reveal himself in the film. The group was moved and interested in how the film was put together. They asked great questions, made astute observations and were eager to learn.
After the lunch break, we watched several films made through Coastal Films and discussed them in terms of storytelling, writing and directing. We saw a drama about voodoo, a short documentary about orphans and a trailer for a feature film, Kosa Na Kosa, a story about what happened to the filmmaker’s father who was wrongly accused of a crime. We were impressed by their ambitious work and their passion to tell their stories.
Sandra talked about film financing and passed out information about places to look for money. We again bonded with the filmmakers and budding filmmakers in the workshop, and exchanged e-mail addresses. I also learned two great Swahili words, raficki milele – friend forever!
The next morning, Sandra and I were interviewed by a young reporter from KTN for a news story about the American Documentary Showcase, KIFF and Coastal Films. She asked great questions and took a great interest in what we were doing.
Nairobi
Sandra and I did a live interview at KTN on the popular morning show, which has a huge local audience. From there we went to the Alliance Francaise for another screening of Neshoba. The 250-seat theatre was packed. The mostly young audience was really taken with the film and exclaimed out loud when Killen was convicted. I was told later that even some of the men cried (not typical) when they saw little Ben Chaney singing “We Shall Overcome” at his brother’s funeral. The Q&A was intense and emotional and provoked an interesting discussion about how the issues of justice and racism raised in the film relate to Kenya. The students from the Kibera Film School were sitting in the front row and were genuinely excited when I introduced them to the audience. I was so happy they were there.
That evening, we went to a reception at the home of John Hughes, the Public Affairs Officer for the American Embassy. Sandra and I met many interesting film people and festival guests who live and work in Nairobi. I especially enjoyed talking with several women filmmakers who formed a production company to make character driven films with social content.
Kibera Film School students after screening of Neshoba at KIFF
Sandra talked about the impact of a cultural exchange program like the Showcase to build bridges between America and other countries. She then showed the moving short film, Come Back to Sudan, to an appreciative audience.
We held a four-hour Master Class the following day. It was for producers working in the field, including a reporter from KTN, a freelance journalist, independent filmmakers and an animator. We talked about film as a tool for social change and how stories critical of the government can get made and funded in Kenya.
Sandra showed four short animated films from the Showcase collection as examples of different ways to tell powerful stories. The films led to a discussion about documentary filmmakers pushing the genre beyond traditional techniques to include animation, re-creation and a distinct visual style.
On Friday afternoon, Halima, from the American Embassy, and Julius, our wonderful driver, took us to the Maasai Market where we bought souvenirs from Kenya to bring home to family and friends -- beautiful beads, wooden bowls and colorful material.
On our last day, Neshoba was shown at an afternoon screening at the Silverbird Theatre on the last day of KIFF. We had another great discussion about why justice must be served in America and in Kenya, no matter how long it takes, and how ordinary citizens working together can make positive change. People were genuinely moved and inspired by the film. What more can a filmmaker ask?
We also went to the festival’s closing night awards ceremony and felt the excitement of the filmmakers and guests as awards were handed out.
Conclusion
I’m exhausted physically and emotionally, but filled up from an experience I will never forget. I hope the American Documentary Showcase continues its mission to build bridges between nations through American films and filmmakers. Thanks so much for the opportunity to participate in this life-changing program and to share my work and my heart with the Kenyan people.