By Sainabou Sambou
Wiebke Oeser, the deputy head of mission at the German Embassy in Banjul, on Friday, attended the 5th edition of the Cinekambiya International Film Festival (CIFF) at the University of The Gambia (UTG) Kanifing Campus on Friday. She joined other film enthusiasts and UTG School of Journalism and Digital Media (SJDM) students.
Founded in 2015, the Cinekambiya International Film Festival (CIFF) is a contemporary platform for promoting authentic films. The festival, organized every December by the Sanxaanu Kaggoro Film Kaffo (SANXAAFI), is a member of the Federation of Pan African Filmmakers (FEPACI).
This year’s event theme is “The Advancement of Creative Freedom Under the Barrow Administration since 2017.”
During the opening ceremony, Ms. Oeser expressed her excitement about seeing stories from UTG film students and other young professionals showcased on the big screen.
“I’m proud that German cooperation has supported the storytelling and story-making with German colleagues that came here to conduct a workshop with UTG SJDM students, and I’m very excited to see some of the results,” she said while referring to the ‘Weltfilme eV’ capacity building projects supported by the German Government.
Ms. Oeser mentioned that when she arrived in The Gambia, she searched for a movie theater but could not find one. She expressed her delight that Sankanu organized an event showing films on large screens for people to enjoy.
Prince Bubacarr Aminata Sankanu, a lecturer in Film Studies at the University of The Gambia, founder of the CIFF, and president of the Film Producers Association of The Gambia (FPAG), expressed his gratitude to the German Government, the Weltfilme e.V. organization in Berlin, and his colleagues at the University of The Gambia for their genuine and continued support.
“Germany has been a perfect and reliable partner in building the capacity of our young film industry. We will strive to have our movie theater as part of the legacies and impacts of The Gambian German Cooperation in cultural diplomacy. Germany should know that their taxpayer’s money is well-spent and investment in something meaningful here in The Gambia within North-South Development Cooperation and international understanding. The talented youths at the Cinekambiya International Film Festival have given tangible testimonies on the impacts of German support on our nascent film arts sector; Mr. Sankanu explained while reflecting on film that it is a universal language.
Professor Melchizedec Onobe, the Dean of UTG SJDM, stated that filmmakers are not only creators but also activists. “They serve as the last line of defense for culture; without them, society risks losing its identity. Historians preserve people’s stories and values today, but they are now taking the form of identity and scriptwriting. In some African countries, these histories are rarely discussed, and many have vanished from our schools,” he said.
Dr. Samba Faal, a Senior Lecturer at the UTG School of Journalism and Digital Media, encourages young people to utilize the platforms established by Mr. Sankanu to showcase their talents and address societal issues. “The future of The Gambia’s cultural and creative economy is bright, with Prince Sankanu as a pioneering leader,” he states.
Speaking on behalf of the National Center for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Ms. Matty Jobe, Performing Arts Officer, said that the creative industry is one of the areas that needs to be touched in this country. She said she works with artists and artistic groups, individuals, cultural groups, festivals, and anything related to the creative industry.
She mentioned that NCAC has been working to develop the creative industry over the years.
The 5th Cinekambiya International Film Festival (CIFF) team will continue screening Gambian, African, and other films on the following dates: Saturday, December 7; Sunday, December 8; Friday, December 13; and Saturday, December 14, 2024, at the UTG Kanifing Campus. This year’s theme is “The Advancement of Creative Freedom Under the Barrow Administration Since 2017.”
