Sound workshop with Michel K. Tsagli and Alioune Mbow

November 9th: 9:30AM-12:00PM - @ ALLIANCE FRANCAIS

CNIFF’s master class picks one of the essential elements of film; sound, for this year’s workshop. The acclaimed sound engineers Michel K. Tsagli and Alioune Mbow will be giving a workshop for sound technicians and editors on the fundamental elements of sound.
 
Michel K. Tsagli was born in 1968 in Dakar (Senegal). He left his native Senegal at age 15 to join his family in France. Tsagli graduated school in Paris where he studied computer engineering. But soon after he made a drastic move pursuing a music career. For ten years Tsagli played guitar in both Paris and than New York where he moved permanently in 1992.  In New York he enrolled into NYU and studied sound production. Tsagli worked on various projects including documentaries, commercials, feature films, reality television and fashion.  Among Tsagli’s film projects are feature film entitled "The Athlete”, the life story of the Ethiopian born Olympic marathon champion Abebe Bikila. (filmed in Ethiopia ) as well as a documentary " Ghana 50th Independence "  shot on locations in Ghana and Togo, a film that explored Marcus Garvey's influence on Ghana's first elected president, Kwame Krumah. One of Tsagli’s recent projects TEY (directed by the prominent French/Senegalese filmmaker Alain Gomis) is a critically acclaimed  production which participated in competition at Berlinale 2012 and since then won numerous awards. Besides the professional base in NY Tsagli also  co-founded  CINEGAL FILMS in his native Dakar (Senegal),  the company which specializes in sound production, music scores,  sound design and is successfully migrating between American, European and African film industries.  Michel Tsagli work have been featured on Lifetime, HBO, VH1, Speed Channel and Canal +.
In addition to his native Wolof, Tsagli is fluent in English and French.
Alioune Mbow has worked on various productions as a sound engineer, assistant sound engineer and boom operator. His most recent project, TEY (directed by the prominent French/Senegalese filmmaker Alain Gomis) is a critically acclaimed production which participated in competition at Berlinale 2012 and since then won numerous awards. Amongst many other feature length, short films and documentaries, he has also worked on Kenu (Le Canon), Relentless, Ramata, Teranga Blues and Ezra (2007), which was the first film to give an African perspective on the disturbing phenomenon of abducting child soldiers into the continent's recent civil wars.
He has worked in several countries in Africa and Europe for BBC Television, France 2, BTBF and TV5.
 

 

Distribution: co-production workshop with Alla Verlotsky

November 8th: 9:30AM-12:00PM - @ EMPRESS TAITU HOTEL

Founder and president of the New York based programming and distribution company Alla Verlotsky will share her vast experience in distribution  and co-production supported with best international practices.
 
Alla Verlotsky was born in Kiev, Ukraine. She  moved to the United States in 1991. After working as the freelance curator in 1999 she created Seagull Films, New York based company that provides  quality programming and distribution for art, independent and innovative cinema, both classic and contemporary. Ms. Verlotsky holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the Moscow State University, and a bachelor's degree in Central Asian and African film study from the Russian State Institute of Cinematography, VGIK. In addition to her work at Seagull Films Ms. Verlotsky was a curator of the NY Jewish Film Festival, NY Jewish Sephardic Film Festival.

Ms. Verlotsky was an associate producer for Russian Ark, the award-winning film by internationally acclaimed director Alexander Sokurov and is currently producing a feature documentary "Red Fantasies" by the Academy Award Winning Special Effects Artists Robert Skotak. She serves as the advisor to numerous international film initiatives & film festivals and is fluent in Russian, Ukrainian, English.

www.seagullfilms.com

 

Film Critique Round Table with Donald Dewale Omope

November 8th: 9:30AM-12:00PM - @ ITALIAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE

We are pleased to announce the special film critique round table with Donald Dewale Omope. The workshop focuses on the fundamental elements of film critique plus the use of new media in African cinema.
 
Don Dewale Omope is a Film Critic and Editor of the popular African film publication, African Screens Magazine. A ground breaking and unique magazine of its kind, African screens celebrates the African sense of self through cinema. It fills a gap in the market for a rich discourse that brings together a plurality of views, contextualizing African films. With the use of articles, video interviews, photography as well as great design, African Screens brings a different approach to experiencing the African cinematic experience online. Prior to working as a film critic, Don worked in television for many years and still currently does as a producer/Director. Trained at the BBC, Don went on to work as Africa producer for Sir David Frost at Aljazeera News, Don left to set up his own production company Boombox television and produced the award wining television show Afrika Rising, which air in 47 African countries. Don was subsequently appointed as an arts columnist for Nigeria’s largest circulating newspaper the National Mirror in recognition of his depth of thought and analysis of African popular art. Following his deep interests in narratives and visual aesthetics Don is an avid photographer. His pictures have been published in over 15 countries and he was short listed for the International Photo Africa awards in 2010. Don’s images are celebrated for its strong narratives and profound impact and his works have been published in some of the biggest newspapers in the world. Don is a member of the British Film Institute's committee on African cinema and speaks regularly at numerous international events on African films. Don has worked as a critic and member of award jury at many African film festivals around the world. Don graduated with a first class degree in film and television production from Westminster University, and was awarded the AHRC scholarship to pursue a Masters degree in Art journalism at Goldsmith College. www.donomope.com

 

Script writing workshop with Dwayne Johnson-Cochran

November 8th: 9:30AM-12:00PM - @ ALLIANCE FRANCAIS

We are pleased to announce the script writing workshop with Dwayne Johnson-Cochran.
 
Dwayne Johnson-Cochran is a director, writer, producer, educator and journalist living in Los Angeles. He has written and is producing 'THE BOOK OF THE YEAR’, Angela Bassett’s directorial debut to be co-produced by Bassett Vance Productions and T.D. Jakes in 2012; wrote and will direct ‘BIBI’ to be produced by three-time Oscar-nominated director Sergei Bodrov (MONGOL) in 2012 and co-wrote ‘MARIA’ with Sergei Bodrov, to be produced by AR FILMSin 2012.
Mr. Johnson-Cochran wrote, directed and produced ‘SIDE BY SIDE’, a film about the dynamic 50/50 Group of Sierra Leone, West Africa executive produced by former Secretary of State Madeline K. Albright. In postproduction are the documentaries ‘THE STORY OF A VILLAGE’ about a small village in Kona, a small district in Sierra Leone, West Africa starring actress/producer Regina King; BE KNOWN, a film on Chicago jazz innovator Kahil El Zabar. His feature film LOVE AND ACTION IN CHICAGO (currently in rotation on HBO) features Kathleen Turner, Courtney B.Vance, Jason Alexander, Regina King and Ed Asner. ‘MY TRIBE IS LOST,’ a film script sold to Steven Spielberg is in development at DreamWorks. Mr. Johnson-Cochran co-created the television series MINOR ADJUSTMENTS for NBC and was a staff writer on the series ANGEL STREET, produced by John Wells for CBS.Mr. Johnson-Cochran also wrote FREDERICK DOUGLASS, a teleplay for TurnerNetwork Television andSLAM THE NIGHT, a teleplay for Fox Television Movies.
Born in Chicago, Mr. Johnson-Cochran earned a B.S. in Geophysical Sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in the Master's Program for filmmaking, is active in many community and civic-based organizations. A lover of music, tennis, baseball and cycling, Johnson-Cochran returns to Chicago often to make films and see family and friends.

 

Masterclass on Documentary Filmmaking with Henry Corra

November 10th: 9:30AM-12:00PM - @ ALLIANCE FRANCAIS

An award winning documentary filmmaker, veteran of independent American cinema, Henry Corra's mentorship gets an international spin. He has just completed a series of very successful masterclasses given to art and film students in Russia called "LIVING CINEMA: I am a performance artist trapped in the body of a documentary filmmaker." Using illustrations of his work, he opens up lively and inspiring discussions about process, motive, method, the importance of not knowing, failing beautifully, necessary crisis, taking EVERYTHING personally, and creating a permission bubble for yourself as a working artist. We are excited to offer this masterclass at the Colours of the Nile IFF 2012.
 
Henry Corra is a New York City-based documentary filmmaker. His work is influenced by cinéma vérité filmmakers David and Albert Maysles (Salesman, Grey Gardens, Gimme Shelter) whom he collaborated with from 1981-1994. Since 1994, Corra has had a thriving production company. He draws on the talents of some of New Yorkʼs most innovative and original filmmakers, editors, artists, musicians and designers.
Corraʼs films (such as George, Same Sex America, Frames) have been exhibited worldwide in theatrical venues in New York City, San Francisco, Paris and Berlin and in broadcast venues including HBO, Showtime, LOGO, CBS, PBS, VH1, ARTE andChannel 4. His works have also been exhibited in museum and cultural venues including the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the Louvre (Paris) and the National Gallery of Art(Washington, DC), as well as the Pacific Film Archives in San Francisco.
Heʼs created episodic TV projects (such as “True Life: Iʼm Ex-Amish”) for broadcasters including MTV, VH1, Bravo and the Sundance Channel and heʼs been singled out as one of their foremost directors of ʻreal-peopleʼ commercials in America, creating compelling broadcast/web content for brands as diverse as Mercedes Benz, Mastercard & Wal-mart. Corraʼs latest feature documentary, The Disappearance of McKinley Nolan, supported by the Sundance Institute and co-produced by NY based Louverture Films (Black Power Mixtape, Bamako), had its World Premiere at Silverdocs in June 2010. Michael Atkinson of The Boston Phoenix wrote, “An investigative doc brimming with cultural resonance and historical savvy, Henry Corraʼs film has a hold of a pungent story – that of the titular black Texan fella who vanished in Vietnam 40 years ago.”
Currently Corra is finishing Farewell to Hollywood, expected to premiere Spring 2013.

 

Production workshop with François d'Artemare

November 9th: 9:30AM-12:00PM - @ ITALIAN CULTURAL CENTRE

We are pleased to announce the production workshop with François d'Artmare.
 
François d’Artemare established the Portuguese film company Filmes do Tejo in 1996, presenting a library of more then 70 titles, such as ARENA, by João Salaviza - Palme d’Or for Short Film and films by Manoel de Oliveira and Flora Gomes. In 2001 he established Les Films de l’Après-Midi in Paris and coproduced films from all over the world, like Snow by Aida Begić and The Hero by Zeze Gamboa (World Cinema Dramatic Jury Prize at Sundance FF).

 

Apply to CNIFF Workshops

To apply for the workshops please e-mail a one page motivation letter and resume to:

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or send them by mail to:

Colours of the Nile International Film festival
P.O.Box 25576 Code 100
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia

Please mention the workshop you would like to apply for.

Participation Conditions

All workshops are free of charge! Please note that participants are expected to cover their travel expenses including their stay in Addis Ababa. The festival will facilitate booking of accommodations and provide transportation in Addis Ababa.  We are also happy to write a letter of recommendation to you to apply for funding from relevant institutions in your country.