Cinema and Migration. It’s a magical bond that began over a century ago when filmmakers, many of whom were immigrants themselves, began making movies about a world on the move. Their films brought the dramatic, poignant and comic stories of migrants to diverse audiences, through a language of images and emotions that were meaningful to every culture.
The Global Migration Film Festival was launched by the UN Migration Agency (IOM) in this spirit. The festival features new films that capture the promise and challenges of migration for those who leave their homes in search of a better life and the unique contributions migrants make to their new communities.
IOM’s first Global Migration Film Festival in 2016 took place in 89 countries. Some 10,000 people attended 220 screenings at cinemas, universities, cultural institutions and other venues. The festival hosted 13 feature films and documentaries and nearly 200 short films about and by migrants, as well as dozens of post-screening discussions and side-events.
This year’s festival will take place from 5 – 18 December 2017. For this edition 305 films were submitted from around the world. All screenings will be free of charge.
Goethe-Institut Kigali hosts the Global Migration Film Festival 2017 organised by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Kigali.
Goethe-Institut | Kiyovu
Free Entrance to all events
Sessions
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Mahiu
Tuesday, 05.12.2017 , 6:30 PM
Directed by Ceke Mathenge (2016) | English/Kinyarwanda with English subtitles, colour, 10 min.
A personal, short, experimental documentary film, that explores the symbolism and importance of cows in East African culture; more specifically, it contrasts Rwandan cultural values of the cow with the filmmakers own view.
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The Lucky Specials
Tuesday, 05.12.2017 , 7:00 PM
Directed by Rea Rangaka (2017) | Original English Version, colour, 88 min.
The Lucky Specials are a cover band in a dusty town in southern Africa who dream of making it big in the music industry. When tragedy strikes, the band struggles to hold everything together. Despite the obstacles, the Lucky Specials must find, the strength to make their dreams reality.
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No Problem! Six Months with the Barefoot Grandmamas
Saturday, 09.12.2017 , 3:00 PM
Documentary | English/Hindi with English subtitles, 56 min.
"No problem! Six Months with the Barefoot Grandmamas" tells the story of a rural solar electrification project run by the Barefoot College in the Tilonia village, Rajasthan state, India. Here, numerous illiterate rural women from all over the world, particularly Africa, are being trained as solar engineers. The project symbolizes hope, showing how a simple idea, originating from a village in India has the potential to impact global communities. The film follows the story of a group of African women from Tanzania, South Sudan, Malawi, and Liberia, living and learning together for six months in Tilonia — having left their families and countries for the first time in their lives. They are unable to speak the same language, but share a unifying goal: to become solar engineers and bring electricity to their villages, which have never had light. Through the stories of these women, a fascinating tale of sustainability and social inclusion unfolds.
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The Weight Of The Blanket
Saturday, 09.12.2017 , 4:00 PM
OTOXO Productions | English/Spanish with English subtitles, 35 min.
On the streets of Barcelona immigrants struggle to survive through illegal street selling. After many years of relentless racism and constant persecution by the police, they have finally found a voice and created a union. Their demands are simple: more understanding, more awareness and more dignity. This documentary follows their struggle.
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Misafir A Guest
Saturday, 09.12.2017 , 5:00 PM
Directed by Mariam El Marakeshy | English/Arabic/Turkish with English subtitles, 26 min.
"MISAFIR A Guest” is a documentary film about the stories of three teenage refugees from war torn countries (Palestine, Syria, Afghanistan) who fled to Istanbul in search for better lives. The movie highlights their background story, how they adapted to life in a multicultural city, their contributions, and how Istanbul embraced them as "guests" rather than "refugees".
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Dem Dem
Saturday, 09.12.2017 , 5:30 PM
Directed by Pape Bouname Lopy | English/French/Wolof with English subtitles, 25 min.
Matar, a Senegalese fisherman, finds a Belgian passport on a beach in Dakar. He decides to use it. He crosses paths with N’Zibou a crazy wise man who measures the clouds. He questions Matar about his search for identity. One day, Matar disappears.
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Keza Lyn
Wednesday, 13.12.2017 , 6:45 PM
Directed by Philbert Aimé Mbabazi (2017) | colour, 27 min.
Keza Lyn lives with her cousin Dudu, and works as a waitress in a bar, where she secretly records customers conversations with her dictaphone... a world around her inhabited by a feeling of rootlessness.
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Imfura
Wednesday, 13.12.2017 , 7:15 PM
Directed by Samuel Ishimwe (2017) | colour, 29 min.
A young man returns to the village where his deceased mother was born. He seeks o adopt a bruised collective recollection. Intoned chants all present voices of possible reconciliation.
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Panel Discussion
Wednesday, 13.12.2017 , 8:00 PM
A conversation about migration perception and misconceptions with the film makers, Swiss Regional Head of International Cooperation, actress Carole Karemera and IOM migration experts.
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