Waking up in a slightly shaky and confused Sweden hasn’t been the best of times. I’ll admit that, and so will the better half of the Swedish voters who were just like me hoping for a rasist-free country. The recent Swedish Elections have left the Swedes frowning and cursing upon the aftermath of the result as the Nationalists (SD) keep advancing and gaining their right to be ignorant by entering the Swedish Parliament majorly this time like la-di-da. Yes, national newspapers keep covering the turmoil cover after cover, yes TV-channels couldn’t exhaust the ordeal more thoroughly 24-7, and of course social media channels are being splattered with feeds, hashtags and stories that speak of a population whom can’t nor won’t accept the current political backlash. Wherever there’s ignorance brewing – xenophobic, homophobic, afrophobic and genderphobic as they may be (anything ending with -phobic) there’s always someone carrying the banner of blissful enlightenment.
Putting that aside for a while, always remember that as this backlash dawns upon us – there are politicians, parties, whistleblowers and organizations in Sweden thriving for fighting ignorance and spreading awareness and shedding light on topics and fields that aren’t brought into the limelight properly, where challenging preconceptions and stereotypes is a calling.
As you know Stocktown’s goal is to share and spread public awareness about global video productions, away from the Americanized media landscape and to focus on non-western, undiscovered movements or cultures. Well, Stocktown’s founder and editor-in-chief Teddy Goitom has launched something extraordinary and we’re stoked about revealing the result. One such initiative (as described above) is the forthcoming Afripedia project, Afripedia is a new five-part documentary series reshaping the image of Africa offering compelling, intimate stories, told by African visionary artists who are pushing the boundaries of creative self-expressions.
– We want to bring forward voices and stories that weave together a challenging, unconventional and inspiring view of Africa. Beyond the stereotypical images of war, famine and sickness that we are fed on a daily basis – says film director Teddy Goitom, who has launched the project along with his fellow colleagues Benjamin Taft and Senay Berhe.
After viewing each episode and grasping the concept, the production team assures us that preconceptions can be opposed through the art of documentary filmmaking. Not only that, the series also invites the viewer to get swept away by inspiring stories:
– The people we’ve met throughout all films are dedicated and passionate about their work, these are all people who have been faced with setbacks but have despite that managed to pursue their dreams, they’re determined and independent individuals who thrive on being creative. Hopefully, that kind of determination alone will inspire the viewers to be the same, says Senay Berhe.
Besides producing documentary films, the project also serves as a platform and a visual guide to art, film, photography, fashion, design, music and contemporary culture from African creatives worldwide. Its a platform and future forum enabling promotion and instigating collaborations across boarders with a new generation of storytellers leading the way.
This groundbreaking initiative works as a valuable source of information and inspiration providing an essential must-see for viewers who are eager to discover the cultural scene across the metropolises in Africa. To date, there are multiple organizations operating worldwide who share the same cause and strive for putting Africa on the map as a continent and not as a country, but only a handful of documentary films have managed to document such unique stories and portray individuals as intimately and as up-close as Afripedia has.
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– When Africa is changing, when the world is changing and the perspective is shifting, the image of Africa and Africans needs to change too, says Teddy Goitom.
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Behind the scenes shot ‘Olha o Boneco’ performed by Titica
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The directors’ behind Afripedia have managed to produce one of the most striking film series of our times, documenting some of the most memorable and mesmerizing personalities the African continent has to offer.
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– Our goal is to inspire and engage through creatives by showcasing talented African role models, says Teddy Goitom.
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Afripedia is an on-going documentary-project covering Africa’s contemporary culture scene. It covers the most significant and prominent creators in the cultural sphere, celebrating the achievement of African creators’ determination, DIY-ethic and talent. Shot on location in Kenya, Ghana, Angola, Senegal and the Ivory Coast, Afripedia delves into the world of African musicians and artists bringing the latest and hottest characters in Africa to the screen. And more is to come:
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– We’re currently working on a full-length Afripedia documentary feature film which will drop during 2015 incorporating various parts from the series. We’re in the middle of post-production and will be promoting it as soon as we’ve sent a final copy to various international film festivals worldwide, says Benjamin Taft.
Afripeida X Angola Teaser
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Afripedia opens with Angola, featuring a range of creatives such as kuduro superstar Titica, wordsmith genius Nástio Mosquito, producer MC Sacerdote and 3D animator Andrew Kaggia and it is planned to air on Swedish Television (SVT Kunskapskanalen) on September the 25th at 10.20 pm. Viewers abroad can also catch the episodes on Afripedia.com later this year. So keep an eye out for Afripedia.com
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Follow Afripedia’s behind-the-scenes blog covering the creative scene in West Africa, Senegal, Ghana and others. stocktownfilms.tumblr.com
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Don’t miss out on hitting the release party on Sep 27th Debaser Strand (STHLM) a definite must to all club cats out there….
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Wax & Gold presents: Jaqe & Marcus Price (live) x Afripedia (release party) x Marimba Roney x Nathan Hamelberg x Namaste x Mike Yangstar & Damion
Where: Debaser Strand
When: Saturday, September 27th @9pm-02am
FREE ADMISSION BEFORE 20.00, 100kr after that (no presale)
More info available on the Facebook event page.
—>> WWW.AFRIPEDIA.COM
PRODUCTION FACTS
Original title: AFRIPEDIA
TV premiere: September 25th at 22.20 on Svt Kunskapskanalen
Format length: 5 Episodes x 28 minutes , HD
Directed by: Teddy Goitom, Benjamin Taft, Senay Berhe
Produced by: Stocktown Films
Year of production : 2014
Filmed in : South Africa, Angola, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Ghana
Original language: English, Portuguese and French
Official page : www.afripedia.com
On FB: www.facebook.com/afripedia
Highlights from Afripedia series include:
• Titica, the transsexual superstar singer taking Angola by storm • Artist Afrogallonism using outdoor performances and dramatic personas to tackle environmental issues • Ree-Burth, kings of the heavy metal scene in Soweto • The visionary futuristic fashion of designer Selly Raby Kane • The action-packed political satire of 3D animator Andrew Kaggia, who proves disability is never inability • Photographer Omar Victor Diop who makes afrocentric reimaginings of Hollywood icons • BMX trick riding innovators Bikelordz • Beatmaker Fanny Beats defying society’s boundaries to create a future for female artists and organizers • Outspoken, self-made, androgynous singer Wiyaala
