Lovers of engaging documentary films have a great opportunity to watch – free of charge – many of such between March 21 and 29 in Lagos. This is courtesy of the iRep International Documentary Film Festival holding at Freedom Park, Onikan..
With the theme, “Storylines’’, this edition hinges of the ability to construct and reconstruct stories.
According to the organisers, alongside deep conversations, IREP film festival will rouse discourse on how people have attempted to tell their stories without compromising the truth.
Here are top of the films to be shown:
Hi there!
We are very excited to present the carefully selected films representing some of the best new works relevant to our theme of Africa-in-Self-Conversation. Films screening at the festival would happen across two venues; Freedom Park, Lagos, and Nigerian Film Corporation, Ikoyi. Films scheduled for Freedom Park would screen alongside plenary and other discussions, while the screening at the NFC would be an uninterrupted run of films for up to 6 hours every day of the festival. Films selection is in conjunction with our co-curating partners; African World Documentary Film Festival (AWDFF), AGDOK, and German Documentaries.
76: THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY (60min) Adeola Osunkojo NigeriaIn 1976, the supreme military council condemned some of the Soldier implicated in the 1976 coup to death. Over 40 years later, the family members of the deceased have some unanswered questions concerning the death of their loved ones, some of which the then Military Head of State, General Olusegun Obasanjo responds to.
ABOVE AND BEYOND, NASA’S JOURNEY (90min) Rory Kennedy USA, 2018As NASA celebrates its 60th anniversary, Discovery shines a spotlight on the historic institution taking us to the moon, to the surface of Mars, to the outer edge of our solar system and beyond. Directed, produced, and narrated by Academy Award®-nominated and Emmy®-winning Rory Kennedy, ABOVE AND BEYOND: NASA’S JOURNEY TO TOMORROW, examines the extraordinary ways NASA has changed not only our vision of the universe, but also our planet, and ourselves. But more than a moving portrait of NASA’s many accomplishments in space, the film also sheds light on the agency’s lesser-known area of focus— the vital role NASA has played in measuring the health of our home planet. However far NASA may travel, its gaze has always returned to Earth—monitoring our seas and skies, our ice and sands—in an ongoing struggle to meet today’s great challenge—protecting our planet. ABOVE AND BEYOND premieres on Discovery in October 2018.
ANOTHER SUNNY DAY (4min) Tim Huebschle Namibia, 2017.Imagine how life must be for someone whose skin has no protection from the sun. And now imagine living in a country that averages over 80% sunshine during any given year. Welcome to Paulus’s life in Namibia.
ARTIST. ACTIVIST. ADMINISTRATOR (57m15s) Afolabi Adesanya Nigeria, 2019.A documentary that chronicles the artistic and activism life of Oba Gbenga Sonuga, Member of the Order of Academic Palms (Chevalier dans L’ordre des Palmes Academiques), from a precocious child to a full fledge artist, activist, and administrator, interwoven with global and local events in tandem with his birth, and growing up; working life, and people, such Gbadebo Sonuga (his father), Kunle Sonuga (his brother), Hubert Ogunde, Wole Soyinka, Demas Nwoko, Segun Olusola, Air Cmdr. Gbolahan Mudasiru, etc., who impacted on his life.
AWANI (38m23s) Aderonke Adeola NigeriaAwani is a documentary that serves as a timeline that examines the evolution of the role of Nigerian women, starting from pre-colonial Nigeria to the present day. The documentary uses a blend of archival footage and expert commentary to explore how colonialism has shaped political and social attitudes towards women but to also celebrate women from the past. Awani is a thought provoking documentary that aims to simply answer the question, how did we get here?
AWON BOYZ (38m) Tolulope Itegboje Nigeria, 2018Street boys from three hoods tell stories about coming up, ambition and hope, but will it be enough to change society’s perception of them as Public Enemy number one?
BETWEEN GOD & I (60m) Yara Cosat Mozambique, 2018.Known for its diversity, the Island of Mozambique is a historical multicultural Island with deeply rooted traditions, where a moderate Islam has so far harmoniously coexisted with other religions. As a Muslim independent young woman who advocates for Sharia – Karen’s “pure Islam” doesn’t tolerate the old cultural practices and traditions. Through an intimate glimpse of Karen’s life, Between God and I, sheds light into the humanity of young women who are making radical religious choices and its implications in a broader context of religious conflicts.
BIGGER THAN AFRICA (90min) Toyin I. Adekeye USA/Nigeria, 2018.When the Slave boats docked in America, Brazil, Cuba and the Caribbean’s, hundreds of cultures, traditions, and religions landed with Africans, but only one remains prominent till date in the new world, the culture of the Yoruba’s. Bigger Than Africa Documentary follows the journey of these Africans from the point of no returns in West Africa to the final destinations. Shot in six different countries with research and interviews coming from around the world, this film took us to places like Brazil, United States, Cuba, Trinidad & Tobago and where it all began, West Africa.
FAHAVALO, MADAGASCAR 1947(90min) Marie-Clémence Madagascar, 2018.They were called fahavalo – enemies – because they rebelled in 1947 against French colonial authorities in Madagascar. Today, filmmaker Andriamonta-Paes takes us where the events took place, on a journey to meet the last witnesses. They tell us about their fight for independence and their long months of resistance in the jungle, armed only with spears and talismans.
FIFTH POINT OF THE COMPASS (78min) Martin Prinoth Germany, 2017.Georg and Markus were born in Brazil in the 80s and adopted as babies to Italy. 25 years later, Georg sets out to search for his roots, but he never returned. Years later, also Markus sets out to learn more about his origins and his identity.
FIRMEZA (19min) Paola Zerman Cape Verde, 2018.”We are not poor, but rich in culture” this is the opening sentence of “Firmeza” The most secret aspects of Rap music from the island of Sao Vicente, in Africa, told by the voice of exponents of two generations of artists. The film is a collage of anecdotes and memories where one can feel the love for their city, Mindelo, center of culture and traditions, but also the dreams and hopes that these young people have put in music.
FORGIVENESS : THE SECRET OF PEACE (51min) Katsey Long Rwanda, 2017.A Catholic Priest from Rwanda shares his message of forgiveness as a pathway to reconciliation and peace in the aftermath of the country’s 1994 genocide. This is a documentary film on the life and work of Fr. Ubald Rugirangoga, a survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide who returned to his country to bring healing, forgiveness and reconciliation to the people of Rwanda. The story follows Fr. Ubald, victims and perpetrators as they discuss their journey of reconciliation and peace through forgiveness.
GLOBAL FAMILY (88min) Andreas Köhler, Melanie Andernach Germany, 2018.GLOBAL FAMILY is about a family that lives spread around the world due to the civil war in Somalia. The oldest of the family, Imra, is exiled in Ethiopia under unworthy circumstances. She has to leave. The other family members must find a solution. Where she is going to live or better where she is allowed to live? In Germany, Italy, or Canada? Where the other family members live and follow their own dreams of building a home and a future? Based on that simple question a transnational family drama evolves where the family members attempt and fail to find a home for Imra. At the very end, her only way out is the return to her war torn village in Somalia. FAMILY is a glimpse into the future fate of millions of people still leaving their home countries. They are hoping for a common life with their family, but instead they`ll have to live spread around the world. Most probably forever.
GREEN PASSPORT AT FRANCE ’98 (18min) Ronke Macaulay Nigeria, 2019.Before South Africa, before Brazil, before Russia… There was France “98. The FIFA World Cup event at which Nigeria’s Super Eagles soared and captured the public imagination. A group of supporters travelled to the Stade de France in Paris to watch Nigeria play Denmark. The highs and lows of that electrifying experience are captured, from the perspective of flashbacks from candid interviews in Wembley in 2006. The film ends with a question: where did it all go wrong for Nigeria in international football?
I HAVE A PICTURE “FILM NO. 1001 IN THE LIFE OF THE OLDEST EXTRA IN THE WORLD” (72min) Mohamed Zedan Egypt, 2018.With the help of El Homossany, one of the oldest assistant directors in Egypt, Zedan, a young indie filmmaker, is making a documentary about Motawe Eweis, who has worked as an extra in about 1000 films in the Egyptian Cinema from the forties till now. Zedan finds himself stuck between how he wants to make his documentary and how the two old friends view filmmaking in general. As an extra, Motawe is expecting the director to tell him what to say and do to play his role. As an assistant director, El Homossany finds ways to dramatize every situation and help his friend, Motawe, to get into character. They both have a huge experience in filmmaking but never worked in a documentary before. A game of power rises between ElHomossany and Zedan, where Zedan realises that we are all obliged to live our lives like Motawe; cinema extras. We all live just like accessories in the background image, waiting for a chance to become the star. A chance that may never come, leaving us extras all our lives.
LE CIEL, LA TERRE ET L’HOMME(70min) Caroline Reucker Germany, 2018.”le ciel, la terre et l’homme” tries to get hold of the impressions of the Moroccan desert landscape, through which perpetually blows the wind, as well as of the people living there and to tell their stories. In the reality of the film a space of encounters with Ahmed, Yussef, Lahcen, and Idir is being developed and their stories enable the viewer to witness their daily lives, their desires and their feeling of belonging.
LITTLE HEROES (7min) Gbenga Salu Nigeria, 2018.Football gives street kids get a second chance!
MACOCONI – THE ROOTS OF OUR CHILDREN (35min) Fábio Ribeiro Mozambique, 2017.With the second largest mangrove area in Africa, Mozambique is now witnessing the unsustainable extraction of its resources. This destruction is beginning to have an impact on the climate. And in the the subsistence of families who always relied on the little they could extract from the mangrove.
NEW MOON (70min) Philippa Ndisi-Herrmann Kenya, 2018.Filmmaker Philippa Ndisi-Herrmann embarks on a journey to investigate a gigantic port project that threatens to disrupt the rhythm of a small, Islamic island off the East African coast. As the film unfolds, it becomes apparent, that the real disruption is Philippa’s confrontation of a new spiritual awareness through the Islamic Sufi Path.
NIGHTFALL IN LAGOS (92min) James Amuta Nigeria, 2017.Nightfall in Lagos explores the not-so-underground world of transactional sex in a country where prostitution is illegal. Our motivation is to redirect society’s focus; to elicit a debate, and inspire relevant stakeholders to act to protect, sensitize, and rehabilitate these young women. Society has turned a blind eye to the alarming rate at which the values of parenting are rapidly being eroded, as sex-labor (oftentimes, underage) is used to sustain many households these days. The growth of social media has made the trade more sophisticated and more difficult to define. The health risks are undeniable – HIV and STDs. Advocacy groups need to step in, and help the Government reorganize its priorities.
OKU ‘THE HERBALIST AND SCULPTOR’ (35min) Kwadwo Gyan-Apenteng Ghana, 2018.The documentary film Oku is a preamble and introduction to an epic theatrical film dubbed Oku. Spanning the 1940’s to 1980’s, Oku is inspired by the heroic works of Dr. Oku Ampofo; Ghanaian physician, herbalist, and sculptor. This film sheds light on his perseverance, resilience, passion, and futuristic approach to science, research, plant medicine, and art. Oku’s quest is a rich, visual timeline and precursor for making clinically researched plants available around the globe as an alternative to western drugs. At its core, the film is bigger than Dr. Oku, It is indeed the voice and personification of herbalists, naturopathic doctors, and environmentalists around the globe as a collective attuned to making the world a better place.
SCORE (93min) Matt Schrader USAWhat makes a film score unforgettable? Featuring Hans Zimmer, James Cameron, Danny Elfman, John Williams, Quincy Jones, Trent Reznor, Howard Shore, Rachel Portman, Thomas Newman, Randy Newman, Leonard Maltin, and the late James Horner and Garry Marshall, SCORE: A FILM MUSIC DOCUMENTARY brings Hollywood’s elite composers together to give viewers a privileged look inside the musical challenges and creative secrecy of the world’s most international music genre: the film score. Film composers are tasked with crafting the emotional heartbeat of films, creating a musical storyline that can enhance or even purposely play against the picture to achieve the desired emotional effect on the audience — sometimes inspiring strong emotions from audiences around the world. The documentary contains interviews with dozens of film composers who discuss their craft and the magic of film music while exploring the impact of influential scores throughout history, including James Bond, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, Titanic, The Social Network, Mad Max: Fury Road, and Psycho.
SKIN (80min) Daniel Etim Effiong Nigeria, 2019Skin is a feature documentary about exploring through identity the meaning of beauty in all the different shades of black. It is set in present day Lagos, where Nollywood actress Beverly Naya goes on a journey to learn about contrasting perceptions of beauty. She speaks to school children, traders, artists, beauty entrepreneurs and sex workers. This narrative is interwoven by poignant personal accounts of individuals who have dealt with the pressure to conform to certain standards of beauty, revealing how colourism continues to shape the face of the entertainment industry in Africa. Beverly concludes her journey with a trip to her hometown exploring her rich cultural heritage with her mother and grandmother. Between them, we have three generations of beautiful black women who through sheer hard work and self-love have built useful businesses, laying a solid legacy for her and many like her to build upon.
THE MOON AND THE LAKE OF STARS (30min) Lawrence Luhanga Malawi, 2018.Lake Malawi has always been famed for its main fresh water fish delicacy, the Chambo and recently for Lake of Stars Music Festival. However, on the other side of the coin, Lake Malawi is well known for its Cichlids species, the types of fish found nowhere on earth but Malawi. The recent change of the lake’s status, particularly the levels of water level caught the eyes of the writers. He wanted to find out what happens to the Cichlids fish if the water continues to drop, and that search led to making this film. The story finds out at the heart of the problem lies a complex issue that begins far away from the lake. The rivers that feeds the lake are more critical to bringing the water and nutrients to the lake, but what is happening to the rivers is the other part of the story. Our story attempts to connect the importance of the rivers to the survival of the lake, and hence the cichlids fish.
THE MOON AND THE LAKE OF STARS (30min) Lawrence Luhanga Malawi, 2018.Lake Malawi has always been famed for its main fresh water fish delicacy, the Chambo and recently for Lake of Stars Music Festival. However, on the other side of the coin, Lake Malawi is well known for its Cichlids species, the types of fish found nowhere on earth but Malawi. The recent change of the lake’s status, particularly the levels of water level caught the eyes of the writers. He wanted to find out what happens to the Cichlids fish if the water continues to drop, and that search led to making this film. The story finds out at the heart of the problem lies a complex issue that begins far away from the lake. The rivers that feeds the lake are more critical to bringing the water and nutrients to the lake, but what is happening to the rivers is the other part of the story. Our story attempts to connect the importance of the rivers to the survival of the lake, and hence the cichlids fish.
THE POETS (99min) Chivas DeVinck Sierraleone/NigeriaThe Poets is a documentary that follows two acclaimed West African poets, and lifelong friends, Syl Cheney-Coker and Niyi Osundare as they travel through their home countries of Sierra Leone and Nigeria to explore what has shaped their art. As the film unfurls, they find answers all around them; in the stunning landscapes, the culture, the history, political strife, terrible tragedies, their family homes, and their friendship. Weaved with the poetry of Cheney-Coker and Osundare, The Poets is an exploration of how art is shaped by life experiences, and of the power and urgency of art in the face of political adversity.
TO THE GHOST OF THE FATHER(109min) Marie-Laurentine BAYALA Burkina Faso, 2018.“To the ghost of the father”, is the story of a woman who fights alone to build her life, to give herself an identity, to protect her children. Behind her rebellious character, is hidden a very fragile woman, psychologically and economically weak.
WE BREATHE AGAIN (57min) Marsh Chamberlain USAFor centuries, Alaska Native peoples survived the harsh conditions of life in the far north while their social, cultural, and spiritual practices thrived. Rarely heard of 40 years ago, suicide is now one of the leading causes of death for Alaska Natives. We Breathe Again intimately explores the lives of four Alaska Native people who are determined to break free from personal histories of trauma and suicide.
WHEN BABIES DON’T COME(90min) Molatelo Mainetje South Africa, 2018.When Molatelo finds out she can never fall pregnant naturally, she decides to document her journey. What she discovers, however, is more than just motherhood. When Babies Don’t Come is the filmmaker’s struggle with infertility; an insider’s perspective of the disease in a twenty-first century South Africa. The film follows Molatelo through the grueling IVF, a no-hold-barred look at the procedure. But before Molatelo goes through the highly specialized treatment, she must first face her conservative family. However, When Babies Don’t Come is much more than just a look at science, it’s an examination of the ways in which the 40 year old’s traditional life coexists with modern life and still try to remain relevant in both worlds.
ZERO (66min) MOIMI WEZAM Democratic Republic of Congo, 2018.Alone on her bed, Bénédicte, a thirty-year-old woman, listens religiously to the ZERO tube by Papa Wemba – dead, recently on the FEMUA festival scene in Abidjan. In this candle-lit room, his eyes moisten with tears as his thoughts go into his fourteen years spent in the mythical group of the deceased – VIVA LA MUSICA – before focusing on his fears and on its financial situation. A few days later, Bénédicte, who is known as a dancer, goes to a television station where she talks about her experience alongside the one whom the journalist calls “THE SCHOOLS MASTER ” and affectionately calls him “PAPA” (DAD) Before announcing his plan to remix his tube ZERO. For completing her perilous project, whose aim is both to pay tribute to his former boss and launch his career as a singer, Bénédicte was accompanied by Moli – a renowned vocal coach and Tosha – a masterpiece of VIVA LA MUSICA orchestra.
