VELINGARA THEATER
Spain, 2012, 56 min
Javier Arcos & Javier Jarillo
25.01.2013 21:40
In Velingara, southern Senegal a group of teeneagers struggle to do theater. To go on stage and be part of the trip that will take them through the region of Casamance, they must fight against their fears and their own families, choosing between tradition and modernity.
Javier Arcos, doctor and filmmaker, is actually combining his work as a filmmaker and as a doctor in health humanitarian emergencies. In 2007 he created the company Synechia Film with Javier Jarillo, filmmaker and producer, specialized in Social Cinema. "Shame in the time of Cholera" is their first feature film. During 2011 they have been working in four documentaries of the International Library of Huanitarian Medicine (in collaboration with World Health Association and the Spanish Agency of Cooperation).
Director: Javier Arios & Javier Jarillo
Production: Sinechia Films
Language of dialogues: French, wolof & poulard
Language of subtitles: English, Czech
Launching of Film:
Festival Internacional de Cine y Video Alternativo y Comunitario "Ojo al Sancocho" (Columbia)
Festival Di Cinema Africand Di verona (Italy)
Montana Cine International Film fetsival (United States)
Film "Úsvitu " tries to infiltrate into the life of one group which protests " against current political situation, consumerism and uniformity". By distribution of posters the group tries to enter to public media sphere of streets and point out what people in this group feel like oppresion or attack on freedom of a man. This battle against capitalism is headed by three guys of „Úsvitu“. Dissatisfaction, opinions and emotions felt from society are main things which connect these guys. Using "film language", the authors try to convey the viewer not only their collective beliefs and feelings, but also specific and personal vision of the world.
When inhabitants of rainforest walk under its canopy, they see resources for life. The ways of collecting, processing and utilization of these resources are based upon traditional indigenous knowledge which is for „western“ science examined by ethnobotany. The discipline generally focuses on cultural, social and economical relationships between plants and indigenous peoples. Movie camera is during field research used very rarely.Among the other goals of scientific expedition Wayvana Peru 2011 we have strived to answer the question: „Are methods of visual anthropology for preservation of traditional indigenous knowledge applicable? If so, what are pros and cons of this approach?“ The movie is part of „visual ethnobotany“ series and depicts „the story of resource“ piassaba palm (Aphandra natalia).
