Tag Archives: Rwanda

Italian Magazine Features Open Air Cinema’s Outdoor Movies in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda

by Open Air Cinema on 18. Mar, 2009 in Humanitarian, Open Air Cinema, Open Air Foundation, Outdoor Movie Events, Rwanda Cinema Center

Glad you are here! If this is your first visit, you might want to subscribe to the Outdoor Movie Feed or email updates to make sure you don't miss a thing on the Open Air Cinema blog!

Outdoor Movies in Kenya, Tanzania, and UgandaIn a recent issue of the Italian magazine, D la Repubblica delle Donne, Open Air Cinema’s inflatable movie screens were featured in a special African spread. Open Air Cinema’s past work bringing outdoor movies to refugee camps in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda caught the magazine’s eye. As mentioned in the article, Open Air Cinema’s inflatable screens will be used in Rwanda’s Outdoor Film Festival, “Hillywood”. In rural regions of Africa, where a whole village shares one old TV, movies and Public Service media are rare. Open Air Cinema traveled to Africa to bring film entertainment and also educational media to these rural areas. You can read the blog post about Open Air Cinema’s outdoor movies in Africa here. The following is the article from the Italian magazine, D la Repubblica delle Donne.

Outdoor Movies in an Italian MagazineDopo i pop up store, i pop up cinema. La compagnia americana Open Air Cinema fornisce tutto l’occorrente nella formula dei “CineBox”: uno schermo gonfiabile da dodici metri, generatori, proiettori digitali, lettori dvd, altoparlanti e custodie per il trasporto. “E dal momento che possono essere installati ovunque, perché non cominciare dalle zone più remote dell’Africa, con l’aiuto delle Ong, per unire l’intrattenimento all’informazione su temi come l’Aids o i diritti delle donne”, ha pensato il presidente Stuart Farmer. “Già usati nei campi profughi di Kenya, Tanzania e Uganda, gli schermi gonfiabili saranno installati a giugno a “Hillywood”, il festival di cinema itinerante del Ruanda (openaircinema.us).

Photo of Outdoor Movies in Africa from Insert

Photo of Outdoor Movies in Africa from Insert

After the pop up store, the movies pop up. The American company Open Air Cinema provides everything you need in the form of the  “CineBox”: an inflatable screen twelve meters in dimension, generators, digital projectors, DVD players, speakers and boxes for transport. “And since they can be installed anywhere, we can take them to the most remote areas of Africa, with the help of NGOs; joining entertainment with information on topics such as AIDS or the rights of women,” he thought President Stuart Farmer. “Already in use in the refugee camps of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, inflatable screens will be installed in June at “Hillywood”, the film festival touring Rwanda (openaircinema.us).

Source: “Life e Tendenze” by Stefania Medetti -D la Repubblica della Donne. Read full (Italian) article at: http://dweb.repubblica.it/dweb/2009/02/21/lifeetendenze/lifeetendenze/058lab63458.html.

Read full story • Comments Off

Open Air Cinema Provides Inflatable Movie Screens to NGOs in Africa at Subsidized Rate

by Open Air Cinema on 21. Nov, 2008 in Humanitarian, Open Air Foundation

Outdoor Movies in Refugee Camp in Ndutu Refugee Camp in Tanzania, AfricaIn Africa, movies can be more than a night out; they can be a step up. Making and watching films can change lives and empower individuals with information and ideas.

Outdoor cinema is an ideal medium for people in many parts of Africa and is growing in its use.

To show a film, they don’t have to own the land or build a building-the screens can be set up in an open field.

A provider of large inflatable movie screens, Open Air Cinema is making it possible to provide this medium for NGOs and small business owners in Africa at a discounted rate.

With the inflatable screens, projectors, speakers, sound equipment and generators everything is completely transportable.

For example, in Rwanda, Open Air Cinema has partnered with the Rwanda Cinema Center which has a program to showcase the talent of the brilliant local filmmakers at several locations across the country.

Meanwhile, Open Air Cinema, the world leader in outdoor cinema equipment, is announcing a humanitarian effort that includes a subsidized program to provide Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and small business owners in Africa with its inflatable movie screens to show films in an outdoor environment.

The Open Air Cinema CineBox product comes equipped with everything needed to offer NGOs a portable, durable solution to distribute information, education and entertainment via outdoor movie screens.

The systems are simple enough to set up and use for small events with a few people, yet large enough to easily accommodate gatherings of several thousand people.

“With the infrastructure challenges that are common throughout Africa, we are offering NGOs an effective and enticing new medium to deliver critical information and needed entertainment,” said Stuart Farmer, president of Open Air Cinema.

“Our inflatable movie screens and systems can be made available anywhere, even in the bush, so NGOs can now deliver consistent messages-through training films about AIDS awareness or women’s rights or an entertaining movie to help elevate the morale of those in the audience.”

Inflatable movie screens from Open Air Cinema have been used by the United Nations and FilmAid in refugee camps in Kenya and Tanzania.

The screens are also used for “Hillywood,” the traveling Rwandan film festival. Movies featuring filmmakers from Rwanda and other African states are shown on the inflatable screens in seven locations over seven days.

Up to 10,000 people attend each showing. Each community has the opportunity to feature their own stories, in their own voice.

“We take our film festival to remote areas of Rwanda to bring the magic of cinema to a people who desperately need it,” said Eric Kabera, founder of the Rwanda Cinema Center.

“Many people in this region have never seen a film, and we are working to educate and inspire them and open their eyes to the world of achievable possibilities.”

“Outdoor cinema is an ideal medium for many parts of Africa,” Farmer said.

“To show a film, you don’t have to own the land, it can be in an open field.

“Everything can fit in a Land Rover including the screen, projector, speakers, a sound mixer and a generator for remote outdoor viewing.”

The Open Air Cinema subsidized program is for use by NGOs and other organizations that desire to use the cinema equipment for humanitarian efforts in Africa.

The program includes detailed training, technical support and reduced pricing for participating organizations.

To apply for the program and for more information, visit www.openaircinema.us/humanitarian.htm

Read full story • Comments Off

CEO of the Rwanda Cinema Center Tours the US- Update

by Open Air Cinema on 13. Oct, 2008 in Humanitarian, Outdoor Movie Events, Rwanda Cinema Center

Outdoor Movies in RwandaPlease see previous post for more info: Eric Kabera, CEO of the Rwanda Cinema Center, is currently touring the US to meet with important partners and friends of RCC. These entries were taken from the RCC blog, which can be found at http://rwandacinemacenter.wordpress.com/

I am glad to let you know that on Monday, 22nd, the events that were scheduled went very well!

We met the 4 scholastic kids from Rwanda, the Minister of Culture Joseph Habineza, Jennifer, Dante and Nadine the kid’s chaperon at the Marriott Markis on Broadway for breakfast. This was the start of the day!

As we talked, I introduced myself to Dante who had not yet gotten the video we made of the kids in Rwanda! To our relief, the video only came in by mid morning. It will be edited and presented at the Gorillas summit on Friday.

Off we went for our first meeting at the Essex hotel. We were introduced to Craig Hacktoff, Jennifer and Tom the father of the famous baby tigers! (For those who do not know this extraordinary story, check the web: baby tigers adopted by two dogs!) We all know cats and dogs do not mix, but this is an incredible story that can give the rest of mankind a lesson: We can mix and tender for one another as long as we give that bit of love and care we all have! Or so goes Tom’s story…

About ten of us crowded the room where Tom freed the 3 baby tigers from their cage! We were allowed to touch them, give them milk and experience the bond the tigers had with the dogs. What a treat! Photos were taken and the kids from Rwanda had a blast! This was an incredible encounter!

After the interaction with the tigers, our group went for lunch and had to prepare for our next meeting and encounter! Guess what, the Scholastic Kids of Rwanda met their counterparts from the USA to sign a declaration protecting mountain gorillas in the presence of the 42nd President of the most powerful nation on earth! Former President Bill Clinton!

Sweating, as we were about 9 people crammed in a small room,we waited to be ushered into the room where we would shake the hands with Clinton. But shaking hands was not part of my agenda. The Rwanda Cinema Centre and I had been among the team that facilitated the program of the Scholastic Kids,so not only did I have the responsibility of following the kids and be part of the delegation but to also record their special moments (with Jennifer Brunetti’s camera). In the end I think my presence with all these cameras was too noticeable so our friends from the Clinton Global Initiative kindly suggested that we do not video record the event but only have pictures of the former president taken. So like many photographers on TV and movies, I decided not to line up and shake hands with Clinton but rather walked behind him flashing away!

Minister Joe had a chat with Former President Clinton, and it was fun to see the kids from Rwanda have an interaction with him too and even ask questions! As some of you may recall, I have filmed Bill Clinton before for one of my haunting documentary films on the survivors’ account of the 1994 Genocide. The footage of Clinton is featured in a sequence of an under toned Mea Culpa! A very strong sequence.

Clinton is such an amazing orateur! He spoke with the kids on conservation and even on the current McCain and Obama campaign! It was interesting, one of the Scholastic kids from American came forward and to ask questions but forgot the content, a bit intimidated he had to go back. Clinton was kind enough walk up to the kid and request that he ask the question again. “How bad or good is this campaign compared to the others?” the boy finally asked. This ended up being one of the best questions from the kids.

More photos were taken to the point we had to use a second camera. (Peter from the BBC had given me his camera to take pictures of him with Bill Clinton!) It was fun and I was glad that I did not only get to meet Clinton again, but that I took so many pictures that some of his security guys whispered to me that it is enough! “Your flash is too strong,” they had told me.

Finally, the Scholastic Kids and I went to another event. Back to back, from one President to another. This time it was the President of the Republic of Rwanda in an event organized by the Macy’s Stores. Macy’s sells the famous Peace Baskets of Rwanda. These are known to be the best baskets, better than what Japan, China and other places that are putting out on the market. Cecile Kayirebwa (famous Rwandan singer) performed at the event, speeches were made by the CEO of Macy’s followed by President Kagame… it was a great event!

Again, I was flashing away. Upon reaching my President and shaking his hand, he recognizing me and quietly asked how I was, to which I replied, “I am fine your Excellency.”

Having an interaction with 3 baby tigers in a New York Hotel with dogs taking care of them, meeting two Presidents in a day, watching an Opera in an open space on Broadway, what else can excite kids of 11 and 12 years old? In a nutshell, this was too much for them! They were soon worn out! However it was all worth it as they were given five MacBook laptops by Craig Hacktoff the co-founder of Tribeca Film Festival. Nadine, their chaperon got one too! A very welcomed ‘goodnight kiss’ for the kid’s last evening.

Read full story • Comments Off

CEO of the Rwanda Cinema Center, Eric Kabera, Touring the US

by Open Air Cinema on 13. Oct, 2008 in Humanitarian, Outdoor Movie Events, Rwanda Cinema Center

Outdoor Movies in RwandaThis entry was taken from the official blog of the Rwanda Cinema Center and its CEO, Eric Kabera. For more information check out http://rwandacinemacenter.wordpress.com

CEO and founder of the Rwanda Cinema Center, Eric Kabera, will be touring the US from September to November this year.

Eric’s main aim on this tour will be to meet with potential partners and supporters of RCC and reinforce their relationship with the TRIBECA Film Institute.

RCC along with the TRIBECA Film Institute are working to create an exchange program which will enable Film students from Rwanda to visit the US and get a first hand experience the US film industry. Film students from the US will get the same opportunity in Rwanda.

Eric will be visiting universities that have shown an interest in RCC and Rwandan films namely; the University of Southern California (USC) and some universities in Michigan. He will be meeting up with groups from Hollywood to further develop our relationship and will be talking especially to comedy writer Edward Greenberg.

This tour will also serve to present our achievements and prospects to the interested parties. Our progress on the independent movies theatre will especially be presented to Philip and Monica Rosenthal, who helped materialize it from a simple idea.In addition, Eric will be meeting with the manufacturers of inflatable screens in Utah to discuss and further explore the use of this technology.

Upon the success of Eric’s tour to the US, RCC hopes to officially launch film classes at the first film institute in Rwanda (Rwanda Film Institute) by next year. We hope to have updated a yearly calendar and to have recruited mentors to kick-start this phenomenon.

Finally we hope to have introduced, to potential producers, our first comedy feature called CBB (formerly under the title ‘Dodou Goes to the World Cup‘).

If any of this has inspired or even made you a tiny bit curious, please get in touch by leaving a comment on Eric’s blog (http://rwandacinemacenter.wordpress.com/) or by contacting Eric himself at erickabera@yahoo.com

If you are a producer and are interested in film from Rwanda, Eric would be over the hills if you were to contact him or better yet meet up with him on tour.

Here are some dates and locations for those interested:
New York (20th – 28th September, 22nd and 27th October,7th – 8th November)
Michigan (28th September – 3rd October)
Los Angeles (4th – 11th and 14th – 22nd October)
Utah (11th – 14th October)
Boston (22nd – 26th October)
Atlanta (27th – 31st October)
Washington (1st – 6th October)

The Rwanda Cinema Center

The Rwanda Cinema Center was created to facilitate film and video production; to deliver informative, entertaining, and educational content; and to explore a wide spectrum of issues and raise awareness on local and global development agendas, community outreaches, and socio-cultural, political and economic development. Film is one of the most popular forms of entertainment, but it also represents an industry that is growing- thus creating trades, foreign investments and job opportunities. Rwanda is now a country on the move and their cultural diversity and creative energy is finding the space to flourish.

In addition, Rwanda Cinema Center is putting up Rwanda’s first independent movie theater. This will be the scene of workforce training and include a sound stage that can be used by public and private entities. The main hall will be built to the same standards used for Los Angeles and Hollywood facilities. There, filming of major motion pictures, television documentaries, commercials and independent films will take place. It is hoped the complex will meet every aspect of a production company’s needs. This investment will mean more jobs and opportunities for the Rwandan people, and will facilitate the growth of Rwandan cinema.

Read full story • Comments Off
Older Entries »