| Once year more, and AFRICALA has received an amazing support from a broader domestic audience, and even from the national and international film community |
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On Sunday 13th April, 2008 AFRICALA has finished the Second Edition – evidently this event has gained the people’s sympathy that showed up in most of the 68 films exhibitions. At first AFRICALA was delivered as a small performance, but little by little it’s turning into an international focus of African movies for the whole Latin America.
We feel very pleased to share with you some data. We have added up some 7,138 people in this new edition that is to say a 40% more than the former, as follows:
- 2,572 people in José Revueltas hall.
- 953 in Cinematógrafo del Chopo.
- 65 in Fósforo hall.
- 640 in Centro Cultural de España*
- 220 in Contempo Cinemas
- 1,488 in Lumiere Reforma.
Besides all these figures we feel very grateful to the 1,200 people present at the Opening Night on April 4th in Teatro de la Ciudad in downtown Mexico.
The complete staff of AFRICALA is really grateful to the audience and sponsors, and everyone else who are standing by the project with full confidence.
We expect to meet you all again in the following editions.
Thanks, and until 2009!
* Approx. info. |
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| The - UN - United Nations and AFRICALA commemorate A Day for Reflections on Rwandan Genocide. |
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| The UN Centre of Information and AFRICALA have commemorated together “A Day for Reflections on Rwandan Genocide” the past April 7th in Cinemas Lumiere Reforma in Mexico City.
“UN and prevention of genocide: experiences from Rwanda” presentation was performed after a special African film exhibition on behalf of the UN together with a group of the UN representatives in Mexico and AFRICALA, the African Film Festival in Mexico City. |
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| Front of Cinemas Lumiere at the Event. |
Representatives of UN and AFRICALA |
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| UNAM Film-library has rendered homage to Abderrahmane Sissako |
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Mr. Abderrahmane Sissako, his interpreter and Flavio Florencio, Director of AFRICALA. |
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UNAM Film-library –Filmoteca de la UNAM- has rendered homage to the contemporary African film industry with UNAM Film-Library Medal reward given to Director Abderrahmane Sissako, one of the most important and prolific contemporary African filmmakers.
Mr. Abderrahmane Sissako received it with special proud, as he has been the first African Director specially awarded with this UNAM Film Library acknowledgement. Ms. Guadalupe Reyes, Director of the UNAM Film-library also had the opportunity to exchange presents with Director Sissako as he gave a copy of his film Bamako away for the Film-library stocks. |
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| Opening Night at Teatro de la Ciudad |
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| More than 1,300 people gathered last night |
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More than 1,300 people gathered last night to celebrate the Opening Night of AFRICALA Second Edition at Teatro de la Ciudad. Ms Norma Ortiz, Director of the Drum Musical Festival was in charge of the introductions. The celebration was honored with the exhibition of “Moolade,” the last film of the Founder of the African Cinema, late Ousmane Sembene, and the visit of Ms. Fatoumata Culibaly from Mali, who played the main female character on the movie.
Vanesa Bauche, a well-known Mexican actress met Fatoumata on the back-stage in a small but intimate meeting for both actresses as Vanessa thanked Fatoumata the opportunity to feel closer to the African culture.
After the event had finished the AFRICALA Bus was waiting at the front of the theatre to get the guests to the Opening Party at Garibaldi. |
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| Ms. Fatoumata Culibaly main character of “Moolade” |
Some of the Guests on their way to the Opening Party at Garibaldi |
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| The Press with AFRICALA |
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On April 4th and together with the UNAM Film Library AFRICALA invited the Mexican Press to a special conference at the traditional “El Cardenal” restaurant. Some of the artists present at the breakfast were Fatoumata Culibaly (from Mali), Abderrahmane Sissako (from Mauritania), Mane Cisneros (from Sain), Nody Murphy (from South Africa) and Silvestre Amossou (from Benin). This conference press has been one of many meetings AFRICALA is enjoying with the Mexican Press.
Both the filmmakers and the artists agreed on the importance of these kinds of event and the need of a follow-up and support. The initiative of AFRICALA confirms the interest on a new point of view towards African realities. Director Flavio Florencio thanked all the support given by the UNAM Film Library and announced the Medal Award for Director Sissako. |
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| AFRICALA Opening of “The Heart of Darkness” |
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Last Thursday March 27th, AFRICALA invited to the Opening cocktail and the presentation of “The Heart of Darkness.” This is a photographic performance sensitive and auditory focused on the unfair distribution of electricity. In Africa almost 500 million people live without electric services. In this original exhibition we will be in complete darkness just with a small flashlight to help us walk.
Our ears will be our eyes and only the instinct will lead us in the darkest night. A night to think, feel and create on our own. “The Heart of Darkness” is enhancing consciousness on the consequences of the lack of electricity. Millions of people need urgent sustainable solutions. This continent is expecting someday to give birth to its own brightness.
From March 27th to May 5th
Free admission
Centro Cultural de España
Guatemala Street No. 18 - Centro Histórico
Mexico City
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| Download pdf of the exhibition
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| AFRICALA consolidates internationally and joins together with other African Film Festivals |
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As part of our broader projects AFRICALA has joined three international Festivals so far: Durban International Film Festival (South Africa), the South African Gay Film Festival and the African Film Festival in Tarifa (Spain). These meetings intend to bring to Mexico the best panorama of the African cinema and to join efforts with the international African film community as well. In recognition of Durban International Film Festival career a series of their previously awarded movies will be performed during AFRICALA Festival. Our mate-festival from Tarifa will show up with a Spanish point of view on African issues, and the Gay Film Festival will bring us the best of the Lesbian-Gay African film production. Once more AFRICALA insists on building these kinds of artistic event as an international reference of the contemporary African cinema. |
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| AFRICALA joins “Out in Africa” South African Lesbian & Gay Film Festival to present a Special Section on the African Gay & Lesbian cinema. |
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According to the UN celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights AFRICALA will focus on one of the most hidden Human Rights: the right to a different sexual option. And this will focus on the persecutions many people with different sexual choices have suffered in the African continent. Together with “Out in Africa” Film Festival we will perform the exhibition of a selected array of movies that show the reality of being a gay person day by day in Africa.
We believe the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is the most accurate scenery to insist on the importance of the discrimination and persecution many gays and lesbians are suffering because of their sexual choices. We are sure that these situations must be publicly diffused as thousands of people in Africa are considered as criminals and in danger of death penalty because of their homosexuality.
This section is completed with more than 15 different movies |
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