Decolonizing African Cinema: A History

Imruh Bakari (Participant)

Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Organising a conference, workshop, ...

Description

The Africa Institute, Sharjah, in collaboration with the June Givanni Pan African Cinema Archive, is presenting a film programme titled Decolonizing African Cinema: A History, launching October 21.
Presenting a curated selection of films and critical perspectives, which echo across contemporary debates on filmmaking in Africa and the African diaspora, the programme will explore the impact of the past on present-day African cinema, with its various intersections, continuities and discontinuities.
Structured over four webinar symposiums, the sessions will focus on a theme to be explored by expert discussants. The symposiums will be accompanied by a complimentary set of films for viewing.
The June Givanni Pan African Cinema Archive assembles the holdings of pan-African films and film-related materials, built over several decades by June Givanni, a Guyanese-born London-based film curator.
Givanni’s archive embodies her long relationship with the intersecting worlds of African and Asian diasporic cinema, which hold deep connections to Black British heritage through global networks spanning across empire.
Decolonizing African Cinema: A History will examine the influences that have shaped the foundations of African ideas about cinema. The symposiums are open to the public, and will be of particular interest to students of African cinema.

Period	21 Oct 2021 → 19 Nov 2021
Event type	Other
Location	Sharjah, United Arab EmiratesShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International

Documents & Links

The Africa Institute, in collaboration with the June Givanni Pan African Cinema Archive, present a film program titled Decolonizing African Cinema: A History. Launching October 21, this program sought to situate influential works of African cinema in relation to contemporary films, and highlight the trends and developments that have defined the critical conversations and debates around this cinema. Decolonizing African Cinema: A History examines the influences that have shaped the foundations of African ideas about cinema. By positioning these perspectives in a broader context, the program discusses how various interventions have been informed throughout history. Presenting a curated selection of films and critical perspectives–which echo across contemporary debates on filmmaking throughout Africa and the African diaspora– the program explores the impact of the past on present-day African cinema, with its various intersections, continuities and discontinuities. Structured over four webinar symposiums, each session focused on a theme to be explored by expert discussants. Each symposium was accompanied by a complimentary set of films for both essential and recommended viewing. The theme of each symposium provided a framework for the discussions and creates a dialogue around the foundations of African cinema, and its significance for contemporary and on-going debates. The recorded symposiums are open to the public, and will be of particular interest to students of African cinema. Both The Africa Institute and the June Givanni Pan African Cinema Archive acknowledge the lack of knowledge and resources for the study of African cinema in Africa, and hope this program serves as an accessible contribution to the field. There is also a recognized need for a reframing of contemporary debates, inviting and encouraging new perspectives that prioritize issues pertinent to the African cultural economy and its future. Week 01 | Foundations of African Cinema Week 02 | Cinema Cultures in Africa Week 03 | Historicizing the Decolonizing Principle Week 04 | Continuity and Change