(ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT)

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

Philip Ngunjiri

NAIROBI, Dec 17 1996 (IPS) - With its beautiful scenery and abundant wildlife, Kenya used to be an irresistible location for international film and documentary makers.

“Kenya’s most precious legacy is her beautiful scenery and the wildlife reserves where animals live in balance with nature,” Virginia Mackennen, star in the pioneer movie ‘Born Free’ — shot on the slopes of Mount Kenya 30 years ago — said during a recent trip.

Award-winning movies shot in the East African state include, ‘Out Of Africa’ that starred Robert Redford and Meryl Streep, and ‘The Wilby Conspiracy’ that had Sidney Poitier playing the lead role. Even the less noteworthy ‘Sheena Queen Of The Jungle’ was also made in Kenya.

The immense trickle-down benefits of the film industry are demonstrated by the fact that the eighties’ tourism boom here is ascribed to the success of ‘Out Of Africa’.

But now, the East African nation is being supplanted as a film location by countries like Zimbabwe and South Africa. Conditions in those places are believed to be more conducive. Festivals such as the M-Net All Africa Film Award held in Cape Town a month ago have been used to promote the countries as film locations.

The problem seems to be unnecessary red-tape imposed by officials who are insensitive to the needs of the film industry.

“In terms of location, Kenya is gold mine and offers more than Hollywood,” says Adrian Coleman, a location agent based in Nairobi. “The ignorant lot at the helm don’t know what this portends to the future Kenya film industry and the millions the country is losing.”

For instance, ‘Ghost and The Darkness’ which is based on a Kenyan story about the Man-eaters of Tsavo (lions) that used to maul and unleash havoc on the Indian Coolies hired as cheap labour during the construction of the Kenya-Uganda railway, was slotted to be shot in Kenya.

However, the movie, starring Michael Douglas, which has won accolades as an outstanding adventure movie was relocated to South Africa when producers became fed up with the red-tape.

“This was a disbelieving shock to the Kenya-based film producers and agents,” says Coleman.

But local and international film producers and agents are fighting back. They have formed two professional bodies to push for changes in the industry’s commercial environment — the Kenya Producers’ Association (KEPA) and the Kenya National Film Producers (KNFP).

Despite recent setbacks, KFPA chair and celebrated film producer Anne Mungai, whose film ‘Saikati’ won an award at the 1994 M-Net film festival, believes Kenya can still compete effectively with the best in the industry.

“Our endowment with outstanding locations and sound infrastructure places us in a better position to compete in the international arena,” says Mungai.

Most players in the film industry are highly sceptical of the commission the government — which has invested a lot in training film professionals at the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication — has promised to set up to probe the industry’s problems.

“The government obviously will pick a politician as the commissioner while professionals smart over the decision,” fears Joan Matu, a producer at Fore-Front Production company, who believes the commission like others formed by the government, would ultimately skirt, rather than tackle issues.

(ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT)

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

Murtaza Mandli

NEW YORK, Dec 17 1996 (IPS) - With a finger popping and moving bass line, strong, snarled and superfly vocals, the “Godfather of Superfunk” grooves to the beat of a different rhythm. The music here is funk and the beats are supplied by George Clinton and the P-Funk All Stars.
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