Africa Utopia !

Africa Utopia is a month-long festival of music, theatre, film, literature, dance, fashion, talks and debates programmed by Southbank Centre in conjunction with renowned Senegalese singer and human-rights campaigner Baaba Maal, as part of Southbank Centre’s Festival of the World with MasterCard.

Throughout the festival there are performances by iconic musicians who share Baaba Maal’s belief in the power of music for social change.

You can also hear from writers who provide insight into the reality of contemporary African culture. Meanwhile an invited group of young delegates – guided by ‘elders’ including Baaba Maal and Lemn Sissay – explore how art projects can be mobilized to bring about social change.Come along, join in and be part of this brand new festival!

Examples:

Queen Elizabeth Hall

Oumou Sangaré & Béla Fleck

Wednesday 18 July 2012 - Thursday 19 July 2012

A genre-bending collaboration between banjo virtuoso and 18-time Grammy award winner Béla Fleck with Malian diva and Wassoulou singer Oumou Sangaré, here performing tracks from Fleck's 'Throw Down

The Clore Ballroom

The Ultimate Afrobeats Utopia

Saturday 21 July 2012

The very best in Afrobeats comes to Southbank Centre for one night only. 

The Front Room at QEH

Art Connect: Contemporary African art and Global art market

Saturday 21 July 2012

Sound and video artist Emeka Ogboh, visual artist Mary Evans and other distinguished artists and curators discuss contemporary African art and the global art market.

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More:

Africa Utopia explores where the continent can lead the world, including the role of music and theatre, sustainable technologies and the spirit of innovation and hope of the continent’s young people.

Senegalese singer and human rights champion Baaba Maal leads a council of elders of international musicians, artists, writers and activists in a three-week cultural summit, to show what Africa has to offer the world.
Taking the imagery of a traditional African village as a forum, 30 young people will be invited to discuss some of the world's pressing problems, using examples of groundbreaking projects in Africa to suggest solutions. The Royal Festival Hall will be at the heart of the village with a wide range of music, theatre, dance, talks and debates.
Baaba Maal is a Senegalese singer and guitarist born in Podor, on the Senegal River. In addition to acoustic guitar, he also plays percussion. He has released several albums, both for independent and major labels. In July 2003, he was made a UNDP Youth Emissary.
Africa Utopia is produced with support from Arts Council England. Part of the Southbank Centre’s Festival of the World.

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Southbank Centre

Belvedere Road

Southwark

SE1 8XX

http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk

'Half a Yellow Sun' - the movie

The acclaimed novel by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Half of A Yellow Sun is becoming a movie.

It is currently filmed in Nigeria, as this article shows in Arise Magazine:

http://www.arisemagazine.net/articles/half-of-a-yellow-sun-in-nigeria/119587/

It is adapted for screen by Nigerian theatre director, playwright and novelist Biyi Bandele.

The production stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton and Genevieve Nnaji. It is filmed in Calabar, Nigeria. Filming ended on 23 June, according the Arise.

More details ont the story: Adichie´s bestselling story is set during the Nigerian-Biafran war during the 1960s. It then follows the lives of Olanna and Kainene, glamorous twin sister from a wealthy Nigerian family who must deal with a new reality amidst war.


So, it is the British-Zimbabwean actress Thandie Newton who has been chosen to take on the role of Olanna, one of the main character.

We can note that there's been a polemic about the choice of actress Thandie Newton to play the main character, an Igbo Nigerian woman facing war and hunger among other plagues. See for instance here:

http://afripopmag.com/2012/01/can-thandie-newton-play-an-igbo-woman/

I remember meeting Newton about 9 months ago, for the premiere in London of the brilliant documentary An African Election, by her actor friend Jarreth Metz. She was very happy to support this film reporting the 2006 Ghanean presidential election with brightness and talent. She was restless and very Hollywood... Mertz is Swiss Nigerian and grew up in Ghana. One of the interesting part of their discussion introducing the documentary was their shared experience of mixed origins between Europa and Africa, and the hassle of being a coloured actor in Hollywood, both being pretty good at relevently joking about it...

I guess we'll see about her performance once the film's out, let's give her a chance.

British-Nigerian Golden Globe nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor plays the role of revolutionary professor Odenigbo, with John Boyega as his 'houseboy' Ugwu.

The wonderful singer-songwriter Keziah Jones is also said to be involved in the production, creating original music for the soundtrack.

The film is set to be released in 2013.

A website is dedicated to the book, if you want to know more:

http://www.halfofayellowsun.com/



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More here: 


http://afripopmag.com/2012/07/half-a-yellow-sun-the-movie-wraps/

Updates on DR Congo's conflict in North Kivu

This past few days I have been following along the team of journalists from BBC Afrique at the BBC World Service the latest event in Eastern Congo.

M23 rebels have started taking control over a few vilalges around Bunagana, neat Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu.

Today in our main evening programme I interviewed the Congolese Ambassador Barnebe Kikaya bin-Karubi in Great Britain about the latest statement from the Congolese governement in Kinshasa. You can listen to the interview on our website in :

• BBC Soir 1800 30:00
  
• or here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/afrique/

The interview is in French on our network, in English on Focus on Africa:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/2011/04/000000_focus_on_africa.shtml

Barnebe Kikaya bin-Karubi accuses Rwanda of backing the rebels, who, according to him, are not defectors from the Congolese army (FARDC), but Rwanda milicians trying to destabilise Eastern Congo.

He also assures that stability has now return to North Kivu.

We'll have more reaction from DR Congo in the next few days. Stay tuned. 


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See also from the BBC World Service:

BBC News - DR Congo: M23 ‪rebels threaten to march on Goma:
bbc.in/N01bLH  ‪

In French, Q&A on the rebellion in DR Congo:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/afrique/region/2012/07/120711_rdc_questions_reponses.shtml

BBC Afrique

Hello all,

back at the BBC World Service's headquarter in Central London, I am currently presenting our news bulletins today on BBC Afrique. You can listen from our webpage here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/afrique/

On the top right corner of the page are our audio links:

Nos principaux journaux

• • BBC Matin 0430Umva30:00
  • BBC Matin 0600Umva90:00
  • BBC Midi 1200Umva30:00
• Le Journal de 1600Umva15:00
• BBC Soir 1800Umva30:00
• Nos bulletinsUmva05:00

Our main headlines today: Egypt's Parliament, DRC rebels leaving Ruthsuru amd Mali security issue.

Stay tuned.

"Black Out"

Just discovered the trailer of this documentary film shot in Guinea: "Black Out"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpGJ0FnJwwU

Details from the producers:

Only about a fifth of Guinea's people have access to electricity. With few families able to afford generators, children have discovered the international airport, petrol stations and traffic roundabouts as unlikely places to revise. They are amongst the only places where they will always find light.

A literal and metaphorical journey towards enlightenment, "Black Out" shows the obstacles these children have to overcome to achieve their dreams in one of the world's poorest countries.

With the children's resourcefulness and determination acting as a metaphor for the country at large, the film asks whether Guinea can at last fulfill its potential and secure a better future for its people.

Directed by Eva Weber

Produced by Claire Neate-James & Kat Mansoor

A co-production between HSI London, Odd Girl Out Productions and Animal Monday in association with Britdoc, Puma, Chicken & Egg Pictures and Rooftop Films.

I spent my Saturday between Hampstead, up North, and Ladbroke Grove, in the West side of London.

What a change!

I went from a pub with friends discussing about Israel and the US, where they had almost all recently travelled or are going to, to a local youth centre where another friend from London/Ghana/Nairobi was showing his documentary film about hip hop and resistance against occupation in Palestine.

This is London!

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More about the documentary film:
  
Existence is Resistance Presents: 

Hip Hop is Bigger Than the Occupation

The film has been produced by the collective 'Existence is Resistance' and realised by my colleague from Vox Africa (among others of his activities!) Nana Dankwa.

It is about a musical tour in Palestinian territories where hip hop musicians and dancers were teaching resistance through the arts.

It features M1 of Dead Prez, Lowkey, Shadia Mansour, Marcel Cartier, Mazzi of S.O.U.L. Purpose, DJ Vega Benetton, SWYC, University of Hip Hop, Jody McIntyre and many more....

You can watch the trailer here:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGvP0OREI2E

It is a very moving and dynamic documentary following artists meeting Palestinians along their tour to promote peace and resistance. 

The film was shown in Lancaster Youth Centre on Saturday, after viewing in the US.

For more information on upcoming tours and about the organisation, you can check their website:
http://www.existenceisresistance.org/
or email questions@existenceisresistance.org

From New Broadcasting House

My first week in New Broadcasting House has gone smoothly and excitingly. T

he whole of the BBC is supposed to move in the building in central London from June 2012 to January 2013, and this month it is the World Service's turn.

So here we are now all the African services together on the 5th floor of this brand new building, broadcasting to the whole of Africa for the radio programmes in English, French, Swahili, Hausa, Somali and Kirundi/Kinirwanda.

You can listen online:

For BBC Africa (English programmes):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/2011/04/000000_focus_on_africa.shtml

For BBC Afrique (French service):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/afrique/

For the whole of the World Servcie:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/

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News

For our updates online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world/africa/

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Check also our Facebook pages:

In French:
http://www.facebook.com/bbcafrique

In English:
http://www.facebook.com/bbcafrica

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BBC Afrique also have a new daily online video news summary, produced from New Broadcasting House, you can watch here:


http://www.bbc.co.uk/afrique/nos_emissions/2012/07/120706_1minutevendredi.shtml

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As for me, you can also follow me on Twitter for more African news, in English and French:

https://twitter.com/melissachemam

Blogging

Hello folks.

This blog has now reached more viewers than my previous one from Nairobi and it's exciting to know people are getting interested in my travels, reports and African-European stories...

Now, I would love to know who are the readers of this little blog, especially in the USA, in Africa and in Asia. 

Please, let me know if you do!!

 http://melissa-on-the-road.blogspot.co.uk/

Cheers from London, UK.

Caine Prize for African Writing: Rotimi Babatunde wins 2012 award

Rotimi Babatunde wins 13th Caine Prize for African Writing

 

 

http://www.caineprize.com/news.php

 

As the Prize announced yesterday evening, Nigeria’s Rotimi Babatunde has won the 2012 Caine Prize for African Writing, described as Africa’s leading literary award, for his short story entitled ‘Bombay's Republic’ from 'Mirabilia Review' Vol. 3.9 (Lagos, 2011).

Here is where to read the text:

http://www.caineprize.com/pdf/2012_Babatunde.pdf

The Chair of Judges, Bernardine Evaristo MBE, announced Rotimi Babatunde as the winner of the £10,000 prize at a dinner held on Monday, 2 July, at the Bodleian Library in Oxford.

Bernardine Evaristo said: “Bombay's Republic vividly describes the story of a Nigerian soldier fighting in the Burma campaign of World War Two. It is ambitious, darkly humorous and in soaring, scorching prose exposes the exploitative nature of the colonial project and the psychology of Independence.”

Another Night on Earth (London East End Film Festival)

It's summer and it's still raining, so what more to ask for than a film festival and foreign documentaries?
Nothing according to me. So I'll be seeing this Spaning film about Cairo on Sunday in East London:

East End Film Festival: On the Road to Downtown & Another Night on Earth (UK Premiere)

Sunday 8th July | 14:00 | tickets £8.50

http://www.genesiscinema.co.uk/comingsoon.php

It's at the Genesis Cinema:

93-95 Mile End Road, London E1

Tube: Bethnal Green (Central Line)

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More on the film:

'Another Night on Earth'

http://www.eastendfilmfestival.com/programme/1989/another-night-on-earth-otre-noche-en-la-tierra