SIERRA LEONE IN THE PICTURE

Charles Taylor’s (former Liberian president) trial started on the 4th of July. He was also known as Pappie among his child soldiers. One of the accusations against him, by the Sierra Leone tribunal, is for using child soldiers during the bloody civil war (1991-2001). On August 11 Sierra Leone is also organizing its presidential and parliamentary elections, which is another step forward in the country’s peace process.

These events are the incentive for Africa in the Picture to call special attention to Sierra Leone in its programme. The focus will be on the healing process of the country and its people after the civil war. Central is the screening of EZRA by the Nigerian director Newton Aduaka. EZRA tells the gripping story from the point of view of a boy, who is kidnapped by rebels and moulded into a merciless soldier. After the war EZRA tries to distance himself from the atrocities he witnessed and participated in.

In the writing of the screenplay Newton Aduaka was able to draw on his own experience as a child during the civil war in Biafra. EZRA was screened and laurelled this year at various international film festivals like Cannes, Sundance and Fespaco. Similar problems are tackled in a series of five short films, which were part of a community project in Sierra Leone. The programme also includes the documentaries BLING: A PLANET ROCK and THE PEOPLE ARE NOT HAPPY.

Public interviews
An evening about the current evelopments in Sierra Leone and the consequences of the civil-waraftermath on daily life.
A public interview with Mohammed Ali Bah by Sybilla Claus, Africa Specialist for the newspaper Trouw This former childsoldier will give his vision on the feature film Ezra in relation to his own experience. After which Solomon Moriba, spokesman of the SPECIAL COURT FOR SIERRA LEONE, will explain about what the court is doing and why it’s in The Hague. The interview with Jonathan Bundu, director of KING OF THE STALLS and INSIDE THE SALOON will be followed by screening of an episode of INSIDE THE SALOON, a sit-com about the elections which was broadcast on national TV and shown in cinemas in Sierra Leone.

Do Sept 13 commences at 19 hrs in Rialto cinema, Amsterdam. A tickets costs € 5 (3,50 with discount). Free admission with a ticket of the film EZRA.

Program

City		Location		Date		Time
Amsterdam		Rialto (hoofdlocatie/main venue)		13-09-2007		19:00