The Gambia’s premier international professional film festival is on the brink of earning a breakthrough on the global stage.
Cinekambiya International Film Festival which was launched here in Gambia in December 2016, could get support from FILMINITIATIV KÖLN, one of the most respected cultural development organisations in Germany.
This was confirmed in a letter Filminitiative President Karl Roessel addressed to German-based Gambian film maker, Prince Bubacarr Aminata Sankanu, who founded the film festival.
Karl expresses excitement over the Cinekambiya festival initiative and pledged his organisation’s support.
“As organisers of Germany’s oldest Africa Film Festival, we hope, that the festival, CIFF, will have a long and bright future. It is very important that films by African filmmakers first of all reach their African audiences and CIFF is an important contribution in achieving this aim.
“FILMINITIATIV KÖLN therefore is prepared to support the founder of CIFF in the preparation of future editions of these film festivals in The Gambia. We had the pleasure to get to know Prince Bubacarr Aminata Sankanu, when he studied at Cologne’s film school. He also assisted as volunteer in the organisation of our Africa Film Festival. In reverse, we are eager to assist in the organisation of CIFF providing contacts to filmmakers, producers and distributors of films around Africa and in the African diaspora.”
Since 1992, FILMINITIATIV KÖLN has presented the "OUT OF EUROPE" African film festival in Cologne, Germany. Initially being held at irregular intervals, the festival has taken place every two years since 1996. The 14th edition will be held from September 15th to 25th presenting about 70 films from 20 African countries and 30 guests.
During the last two decades more than 650 films from 40 African countries have been screened in Cologne, and 130 filmmakers have been invited to present their works and hold discussions with the general public.
Today Cologne’s Africa film festival presents the most comprehensive range of contemporary African cinema to be found anywhere in Germany. (See: www.films-from-africa.com)
“FILMINITIATIV KÖLN hereby gladly confirms its partnership with the CINEKAMBIYA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (CIFF). Long live African cinema and the partnership of the Africa film festivals in The Gambia and Germany” Karl Rössel concludes.
It can be recalled that prominent Gambian international filmmaker and scholar, Prince Bubacarr Aminata Sankanu pioneered the first ever annual domestic film festival to secure The Gambia on the global film map. The maiden edition of the Cinekambiya International Film Festival took place between the 26 December 2015 and 03 January 2016 at the Global Hands Development Hub in Manduar village, West Coast Region under the theme of African Cinema and Gender Valuation.”
Dr. Isatou Touray of GAMCOTRAP served the grand patron of the 2015 edition. The second edition of CIFF 2016 themed “The Youth Factor” will have the Pan African Screen Awards (PASA) as part of its key highlights.