Zanzibar International Film Fesitval

Added: (Tue Jun 08 2010)

Pressbox (Press Release) - PLEASE USE OUR WEBPAGE TO SEE OUR FULL PRESS PACK WITH ATTACHED IMAGES

What is ZIFF?
The Zanzibar International Film Festival, now in its 13th year and the largest of its kind in East Africa, is renowned the world over for putting African film, music, art and design at the forefront of the international scene.

When & Where?
July 10-18th 2010

Main events are in Stone Town, Zanzibar, with some events on Pemba Island and mainland Tanzania.

Key Facts & Figures in 2009
Audience in Stone Town: 45,000
Audience in Zanzibar and Tanzania mainland: 200,000
Foreign visitors: 12,000
Countries represented: 43
More on ZIFF
The Zanzibar International Film Festival is the biggest cultural event of its kind in East Africa. Now in its 13th year, ZIFF is a Zanzibari institution that focusses on African film while also celebrating the rich variety of culture from the region and beyond. “Tamasha,” (Kiswahili for "festival") is a truly African cultural experience with locals, tourists and film buffs all converging to watch the shows and soak up the atmosphere.

The enchanting port of Stone Town is the Festival’s main venue in Zanzibar and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Films and concerts are held in an outdoor amphitheatre in the Old Fort which dates back to the 1600s. Films and exhibitions are also shown in other listed buildings around Stone Town such as former royal palace, The Africa House, and ceremonial palace, The House of Wonders.

The 2010 Festival theme is "Hopes In Harmony".

FILM

Every year ZIFF brings together thousands of people from the local community and international and African filmmakers and enthusiasts to celebrate African film at it finest. Over the years ZIFF has made a name for itself by showcasing some of the most captivating and cutting edge cinema from Africa and beyond. ZIFF shows films by the big guns (and have had Hollywood actor Danny Glover and African legends, Ntare Mwine and Malic Bowens attend as special guests). ZIFF also promotes and encourages emerging talent and socially oriented films with dedicated special screenings and awards.

CULTURE

Although primarily a film festival, ZIFF believes in blue sky thinking and so in this vein the schedule is packed full with an impressive selection of live music shows, local art exhibitions, and literary events.

COMMUNITY

Community involvement and development has always been integral to ZIFF. The mobile screen visits villages on the archipelago giving both primary and secondary school children an unique opportunity to watch international and African films.

Women Panorama is a longstanding event which holds workshops and film screenings to facilitate discussion of social practices and legal rights issues pertinent to women.
In collaboration with the Danish Film Institute ZIFF also presents a programme aimed to promote and encourage access and understanding of filmmaking to children from the local community.

INDUSTRY

ZIFF is a key industry event for the movers and shakers of the world cinema community. By hosting networking, distribution, promotion and marketing forums, ZIFF promotes international and pan-African filmmaking links and strengthens the film industry in the developing world.

The Festival Forum brings over 30 festival directors from Africa, Europe, the Caribbean and Brazil. The aim of the forum is to discuss the role festivals can play in Africa’s future development. The Forum is being sponsored by the ARTerial Network.

ZIFF 2010
Watch out for...

We are very excited to announce a raft of brilliant films this year.

MOTHERLAND
The African Premiere of MOTHERLAND (ENAT HAGER) directed by award winning director Owen Ailk Shahadah. MOTHERLAND is a bold, epic documentary that fuses history, culture, politics to tell a new dynamic story of a continent. Features Meles Zenawi, Jacob Zuma, Ali Mazuri and Harry Belafonte.

Winner of Best Documentary at the Pan African Film Festival 2010.

... and other world premieres...

MY POLICY (FEATURE FICTION) by PHAD MUTUMBA, UGANDA/CANADA
LAMU'S MAULIDI (DOC) by CHABAI FEHD, TUNISIA
INSIDE LIFE (DOC) by JULIA LANDAU, SOUTH AFRICA
NIPE JIBU (FEATURE FICT) by NADINE LOUISE FESER, TANZANIA/CANADA
WHERE IS MY DOG? (MOCUMENTARY) by YOHANNES FELEKE and MIGUEL LLANSO, ETHIOPIA
... and a sneak preview of...

TWIGA STARS: TANZANIA'S SOCCER SISTERS
In the spirit of this year's football frenzy we are proud to announce a sneak preview of work in progress...TWIGA STARS: TANZANIA'S SOCCER SISTERS.

“Twiga Stars: Tanzania's Soccer Sisters” is a documentary film by Nisha Ligon. The film follows a year in the life of the Twiga Stars, the Tanzanian women’s national football team: team selection, intensive training camps, and finally off to competition abroad... plus all of the obstacles along the way! An energetic and intimate portrait of talented and passionate young women trying to make it as footballers in one of the world’s poorest countries.

For more information
For any questions regarding the festival, please contact Laura at press@ziff.or.tz

For more information about ZIFF visit www.ZIFF.org

For Zanzibar Festival Tours visit www.zanzibarfestivaltours.com

For more information on Zanzibar visit http://www.zanzibartourism.net

For more information about Tanzania visit www.tanzaniatouristboard.com