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“Unquestionably, the success of the Scenarios from Africa films is due to two key things. First of all, the films are useful both for prevention activities – for the general public and also for specific, particularly vulnerable groups – and for fostering better support and care for people living with HIV. And secondly, the Scenarios films are truly African products – conceived by Africans, written for Africans and produced by Africans. By Africa and for Africa. And that’s really important. One of the strengths of the Scenarios from Africa films is that they are relevant and, once they’ve been dubbed into local languages, culturally appropriate all across sub-Saharan Africa.” Dr. Abdon Goudjo of Benin, FCI/AFD Technical Advisor to the National AIDS Control Program of Congo/Brazzaville “Young people identify with the process and with the films. Even if a given film wasn’t written by a Malian, kids here identify with it because they realize that it was written by a fellow young person, and young people often see things in similar ways. That’s the most interesting aspect in my eyes, and it makes Scenarios from Africa unique.” Moulaye Ismael Dicko, CESPA, Mali "The films fundamentally strike a chord with their audience. The characters embody our own—often hidden—struggles and emotions, and give an example of how we too may respond. They portray a very real world—an African world, where HIV is raging and heroes are learning to fight back.” Rebecca Vander Meulen, Conhecimento é Poder, Lichinga, Mozambique "People take the message of the films on board and it's not rare to hear young people shouting to their friends in reference to the behaviour of characters from the Scenarios series." Teacher, Dapaong, Togo, to external evaluator “I am not surprised with the popularity of the Scenarios films. ... They portray and say messages of what one has always wanted to say but did not know how. Scenarios films are hot cakes.” NGO partner, Malawi [The Scenarios films are] "...an extraordinary, attractive, seductive, convincing, versatile tool that we have used over and over again on different issues, in different situations, with different audiences, in different languages and always with the same extraordinary impact." Gary Engelberg, Africa Consultants International, Senegal, to external evaluator “I find that this is a good way to talk about the AIDS pandemic...: inform young people, but at the same time provide them with paths for personal action in a given situation; don’t overwhelm them with information, but rather help them to see a new horizon. For these same reasons, I find Scenarios to be most positive; it’s an intelligent way to address the question.” Kidi Bebey, Cameroon, Radio France Internationale "Beautifully made, sensitive and rich. ... They really are extraordinary - some very special gems among them. ... Your stories allow people to find healing. In fact, I know your stories allow for this as I have watched it in my classroom when using them. What I am saying is that you are not part of the information game like many others, but part of people's processes of healing, and that is what distinguishes Scenarios from Africa for me and why I like the work." University Professor, South Africa "It’s important to recall what goes into the creation of a Scenarios film. Once a young person’s text is selected as a contest winner, it is carefully adapted before it is shot. That adaptation process includes consultations with PLWHA [people living with HIV/AIDS] and heads of associations who work in the field at community level and who know best of all how to talk about these subjects. Watching a Scenarios from Africa film, one quickly gets a sense of the work and the strategies that went into the production process and that make the messages so strong." Olga Kiswendsida Ouédraogo of Burkina Faso, international Scenarios contest winner in 1997 and 2000, international juror in 2008 “The reduction of stigma is a crucial component not only of prevention, but also of care, treatment and support. In the Scenarios films we see all kinds of HIV+ and HIV- people – old and young, men and women, boys and girls. And the films show infected and affected people who have good jobs, important positions, and a high level of education. In short, the films help people to see HIV+ people as normal. I have enormous appreciation for Scenarios’ contribution in this regard.” Boniface Hlabano, Matabeleland AIDS Council, Zimbabwe “I think that the most important thing about Scenarios from Africa is that it shows positive images of PLWHA. There isn’t a single Scenarios from Africa film that shows a PLWHA who isn’t dignified and responsible." Dr. Fatim Louise Dia Mme Diack, ACI, Senegal “I'm a Peace Corps volunteer serving in Zambia as an HIV/AIDS educator for deaf populations. I received a copy of Scenarios from Africa from my PEPFAR Director. I found the films to be of incredible quality and was very impressed overall. I especially want to applaud you on your attention to providing the videos with a sign language interpretation (and a very skilled ASL interpreter at that!)" “Half the work has been done by making the films widely available. Now, it’s up to those who work in the field to use them, and those people need relevant training. It is of capital importance for the success of the project to provide training to those who will use the films in prevention work and in activities designed to improve the lives of PLWHA.” Benjamin Mbakwem, CYDI, Scenarios National Coordinator in Nigeria |
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The Films
Since the project was launched in 1997, a total of 33 SCENARIOS FROM AFRICA films based on winning contest ideas have been produced – an average of three films per year. Some or all of these films, which vary in length from 2 to 15 minutes, are now available in 27 languages (including sign language).
The SCENARIOS films are created by Africa’s most celebrated filmmakers, among them the continent’s premier female director – Fanta Régina Nacro of Burkina Faso – and four men who have won the grand prize at the Pan-African Film Festival (FESPACO, Africa’s Oscars): Cheick Oumar Sissoko of Mali, Newton I. Aduaka of Nigeria, Idrissa Ouédraogo of Burkina Faso, and Abderrahmane Sissako of Mauritania.
The films are effective at generating dialogue and personal reflection about AIDS; at improving attitudes towards those most affected by the epidemic and so helping to combat stigma and discrimination; and at encouraging people to protect themselves from infection. They are highly valued by broadcasters, NGOs and CBOs, schools and businesses across the continent and beyond.
Documents containing synopses of the SCENARIOS FROM AFRICA films and tips on using them effectively, as well as a one-page table showing the 33 film titles and the HIV-related topics covered in a given film, can be found in the film users' guide section. The scripts (dialogues) of the films in English, French and Portuguese are available on the film dubbing page.
Production of additional SCENARIOS FROM AFRICA films, based on winning entries from the 2007/8 contest and addressing key current HIV-related topics, will commence in the course of 2009.
Follow
the links to view individual films in streaming media (high speed connection
recommended). Download free RealPlayer.
We would be grateful for your critical comments about SCENARIOS FROM AFRICA films, especially so that we can make sure that future SCENARIOS films are as useful as possible. Please share your thoughts with us at info@globaldialogues.org. Thank you. Enjoy the films!
THE SCENARIOS FROM AFRICA FILMS:
The
Shop (2'21"), directed by Idrissa Ouédraogo, based on an
original idea by Olga Ouédraogo, aged 20, Burkina Faso
Reasons for a Smile (7'25"), directed by Fanta Régina Nacro, based on original ideas by: Ndlangamandla Phindile, aged 20, and Ndlangamandla Zanele, aged 16, Swaziland; Léandrine Baganda, aged 23, Democratic Republic of Congo; Sheikh Omar Taal, aged 15, The Gambia; Danga Essigué Désiré, aged 20, Chad; Samira Gomes Furtado, aged 17, Cape Verde; Madiène Niang, aged 21, Senegal; Celestine Nnodim, aged 22, Nigeria; Ninelle N’Siloulou, aged 23, Brazzaville, Congo
Iron
Will (5'09"), directed by Fanta Régina Nacro, based on an idea
by Malick Diop Yade, aged 18, Senegal
Safe
Journey
(7'56"), directed by Newton I. Aduaka, Nigeria; based on an original
idea by Marcel C. Sourou Gninkinme, aged 24, Benin
Just
Once (2'17"), directed by Idrissa Ouédraogo, based on an
original idea by Diarra Diakhaté, aged 17, Senegal
The
General Assembly of Diseases (8'46"), a cartoon by Pierre Sauvalle, Cameroon,
based on an idea by Mamadou Macki Bah, aged 17, Mali
The
Champions (14'57"), directed by Fanta Régina Nacro, based
on original ideas by Abdoul-Razakh Cissé, aged 22, Burkina Faso,
and Facely Jefami Millimono, aged 19, Guinea
The Bottom Line (12'55"), directed by Hamet Fall Diagne, based on an original idea by Fatimata Ba, aged 21, Senegal
Sexually
Transmitted Marks (6'54"),
directed by Abderrahmane Sissako; based on original ideas by Kossi Yesunyo
Gossou, aged 18, Togo, and Régis Nkouma, aged 20, Republic of Congo
The
Tree and the Wind (8'56"), directed by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun; based on ideas by
Adama Ouédraogo, 20, Burkina Faso; Aïchata Diallo, 21, Mali; Badibalaki Wembie, 18, Togo
The Warrior (2'39") by Idrissa Ouédraogo, based on an original idea by Amy Badiane, aged 14, Senegal
No
Time to Drop Your Guard (9'17"), co-directed by Hamet Fall Diagne and Olga Kiswendsida Ouédraogo;
written by Hamet Fall Diagne, Senegal
Looking for a Brave Man (6'10"), by Kidi Bebey, based on an idea by Salimata Sy, aged 11, Senegal
Never
Alone (1'41"), directed by Fanta Régina Nacro; based on an original
idea by Christian Abidi Businge, aged 10, Uganda
The
Expert (5'00"), directed by Newton I. Aduaka; based on an original idea by
Jean Vincent Digbé Grobly, aged 18, Côte d'Ivoire
A Love Story (7'25"), directed by Fanta Régina Nacro; based on an orginal idea by Jean-Paul Brice Affana Affana, aged 17, Cameroon.
Under
Pressure (5'58"), co-directed by Olga Kiswendsida Ouédraogo, Burkina
Faso, and Hamet Fall Diagne, Senegal; based on an original idea by Oby Akaneme,
aged 23, Nigeria
To listen to a 7-minute radio report about SCENARIOS FROM AFRICA, with special emphasis on the film Under Pressure, please click here. This report was produced by Felicity Thompson in Bamako, Mali, in 2008.
For
Aicha (4'12"), by Cheick Oumar Sissoko, based on
an original idea by Dieudonné Ouedraogo, aged 16, Burkina Faso
A
Ring on her Finger (4'12"), by Fanta Régina
Nacro, based on an idea by El Hadji Malick Seck, aged 20, Senegal
Shared Hope (5'53"), by Cheick Oumar
Sissoko, based on an idea by Andréa Ouédraogo, aged 21,
Burkina Faso
The
Voice of Reason (4'50"), by Fanta Régina
Nacro, based on an idea by Haby Fall, aged 20, Senegal, and her team
My Brother, (8'13"), by Cheick Oumar Sissoko, based
on an original idea by Justin Correa, aged 23, Senegal
Advice
from an Aunt (2'26"), by Idrissa Ouédraogo, Burkina Faso, based on
an idea by Arame Dièye, aged 16, Senegal
Uncle Ali (6'32"), by Cheick Oumar Sissoko, based
on an original idea by Cheikh Birahim Ndao, aged 17, Senegal
Good
Reasons (5'05"), directed by Abderrahmane Sissako; based on original ideas
by Ndèye Diasse Samb, aged 18, Senegal, and Guy Merlin Wayap, aged
21, Cameroon
A
Call to Action
(7'54"), directed by Fanta Régina Nacro, Burkina Faso; based
on ideas by Grace Dovi Nassiva, aged 15, Ghana, and Maman Lawali Tankari,
aged 20, Niger
Rhythms
of Friendship (3'06"), directed by Cheick Oumar Sissoko, Minister of Culture of
the Republic of Mali; based on an original idea by Chibuzo Mbata, aged
23, Nigeria
The
First Step (6'26"),
directed by Abderrahmane Sissako, Mauritania; based on original ideas
by Médard Kiénou, 20, Burkina Faso; Liliane
Sipouwoua, 18, Cameroon; and Carmelle Nadège Hounnou, 20, Benin
Peace
of Mind
(8'33"), directed by Fanta Régina Nacro; based on an original
idea by Olivier Kaboré, aged 22, Burkina Faso
The
Heart of the Matter (8'41"),
directed by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun; based on an original idea by Sandra
Nsambi Nzali, aged 20, Democratic Republic of Congo
The Volcano (8'38"), directed by Hamet Fall Diagne; based on original ideas by Liboke Limpho, aged 22, Lesotho; Egbeleye Azeezat, age 23, Nigeria; Ntamba Alon Johnas, age 18, Tanzania
African
Solidarity
(10'30"), directed by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, Chad; based on original
ideas by Ibrahim Barry, aged 14, Mali, and Margaret Marire, aged 18, Kenya
To
the Rescue (4'21), by Cheick Oumar Sissoko, based
on an original idea by Olga Ouédraogo, aged 22, Burkina Faso
| home | the contests | selecting the winners |
| the films | film distribution | film users' guide |
| film dubbing | the team | replication |
| contact us |