Filmmaking is a powerful tool for creating positive change in society. Independent films and documentaries, which offer unfiltered perspectives, can play a particularly important role in sparking change. The Emerging Filmmakers Initiative brings together early-career documentary filmmakers in a series of boot camps, mentoring sessions, and final film production and distribution. Our Thematic areas of focus include Human Rights, Social Justice, and Gender mainstreaming.
Emerging Filmmmakers Pilot Phase
The first edition of the EFI brought together 3 first time film directors, three mentors and 4 technical support team to work on 3 incredible film ideas under the theme Contested Colonial Legacies. Watch video of the residency below. This project is in partnership with Red Green Films Germany.
Report of EFI Season 1: Contested Colonial Legagies
Decolonizing Africa is more than just a physical departure of colonial powers for irrespective of their leaving, Africans still suffer the extraction of resources, the continued disruption of traditional systems, economic stagnation, and the forceful imposition of foreign ideologies. The scars of colonisation are still visible in the struggle to reclaim and reconcile with modern realities, lost cultural traditions, and suppressed economies. Moreover, neo-colonial influences further exacerbate power dynamics in African politics, undermining sovereignty and self-determination. The process of decolonising Africa requires an understanding of historical injustices and a deep commitment to addressing them. It involves the reconstruction of the African Identity, restoration of the indigenous cultural systems and radical changes across the economic sector.
In this light, the power of film as a tool in fostering change in our societies is undeniable. A single film can serve as a catalyst for action, thereby inspiring audiences to engage with critical societal issues and work towards positive transformation. RegARTless Studio embarked on a journey of using the camera lens to shed light on pressing decolonial issues. It initiated a film project solely focused on Cameroonian society to address the subjects of colonial looting, the impact of the devaluation of the Francs CFA and the relationship between Bafoussam’s political past and present. The filmmakers involved in this film are first-time filmmakers interested in addressing the topical issues of decolonisation.
