Decolonising Film Festivals and Curating African Cinemas: Networking Event – 6 and 7 March 2023

Decolonising Film Festivals and Curating African Cinemas is a two-day networking event sharing practices and methodologies in film festival research and practice.

Highly experienced guest speakers from the film industry and academia will speak at this event, including:

Dr Ana Camila Esteves (Co-founding director and co-curator, Mostra de Cinemas Africanos in Brazil)

Prof Lindiwe Dovey (Leader, Screen Worlds, SOAS)

Desta Haile (Festival Director, Film Africa London)

Dr Rachel Johnson (Researcher, University of Leeds)

Amayel Ndiaye (Coordinator, Festival Films Femmes Afrique in Senegal)

Dr Robin Steedman (Researcher, Copenhagen Business School, research collaborator)

Prof Sheila Petty (Researcher, University of Regina) – online

This is a free networking and educational event open to students, researchers, festival-goers, cinephiles and the broader public in order to:

• strengthen and broaden existing and new collaborations between African film festivals, researchers, and students, namely, Film Africa (London), Festival Films Femmes Afrique (Senegal), the Leeds International Film Festival, the Mostra de Cinemas Africanos (Brazil), and rearchers from the Screen Worlds Project at SOAS, University of Leeds, University of Regina, Copenhagen Business School, and King’s College London.
• offer a collaborative and productive performative and discussion space, through the co-curation and co-organisation of a series of film screenings followed by discussions, with the presence of curators and researchers of each of these festivals.
• transfer knowledge to pedagogy and research, extending the impact of the research project ‘Decolonising Film Festival Research Methodologies’, led by Prof Sheila Petty (NPI, University of Regina) and Dr Estrella Sendra (Co-PI, King’s College London).

The programme includes three different events across two days (6 and 7 March 2023).

DAY 1: MONDAY 6 MARCH 2023

1) Presentation of the New Frontiers in Research Fund Project ‘Decolonising Film Festival Research in a Post-Pandemic World (Dr Estrella Sendra, King’s College London, in person, Dr Ana Camila Esteves, in person, King’s College London, and Prof Sheila Petty, University of Regina – joining online).

Monday 6 March, 4:30-6 PM (GMT)

The Stamford, 127 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NQ

This presentation draws upon research supported by the Government of Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF). The project ‘Decolonising Film Festival Research in a Post-Pandemic World’ addresses the crucial issue of the urgent need to decolonize both research and research methods. It proposes a first step in the process of revamping film festival research by bringing together an international and interdisciplinary team of African film festival researchers to investigate innovative methods to decolonize this important work, making it less extractive.

It will start with a 50-minute presentation followed by a 40-minute Q&A with the participants. An innovative methodology currently being trialled across a range of festivals will be shared with participants to encourage self-reflexivity in the research design. Staff and students will be invited to share their practices and experiences conducting ethnographic research and interviews in arts and humanities. There will be opportunities to share feedback on the presented methodologies.

DAY 2: TUESDAY 7 MARCH 2023

2) Short Film Programme: a co-curatorial experience by Film Africa in London, Festival Films Femmes Afrique, and Mostra de Cinemas Africanos de Brazil (Desta Haile, Film Africa; Amayel Ndiaye, Festival Films Femmes Afrique; and Dr Ana Camila Esteves, Mostra de Cinemas Africanos de Brazil).

Tuesday 7 March 2023, 2-3:30 pm

B5, Franklin Wilkins, Waterloo Campus

A series of short films co-curated by each festival participating, introduced by each of their curators.

3) Round-table: ‘Decolonising Film Festivals and Curating African Cinemas’ (Desta Haile, Film Africa director; Amayel Ndiaye, Festival Films Femmes Afrique coordinator and communications manager; Dr Ana Camila Esteves, King’s College London Co-founding director and curator of the Mostra de Cinemas Africanos in Brazil; Prof Lindiwe Dovey, Screen Worlds, SOAS, University of London, research collaborator; Dr Robin Steedman (Copenhagen Business School, research collaborator; Dr Rachel Johnson (University of Leeds, research collaborator; and Dr Estrella Sendra, King’s College London, CO-PI).

Tuesday 7 March 2023, 3.45 – 5 PM (GMT)

G73 Franklin Wilkins Building, Waterloo Campus

A round-table composed of curators and researchers reflecting on diverse understandings and approaches on decolonising film festivals and curating African cinema.

This presentation draws upon research supported by the Government of Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF). It has been organised by Dr Estrella Sendra with funding from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities Small Project Scheme in King’s College London.