AAH-I wins big at the Juba Film Festival
Best Video Scriptwriter, Best Cameraman, Best Video/Film Director and Best Video Editor. These four awards at the Juba Film Festival were won by the film ‘Waja Ta Jena’, (translated ‘Pain of a Child’) and Levi Lubari. The film was produced under Action Africa Help International’s (AAH-I) Capacity Building for Post-conflict Reintegration (CAPOR) project in South Sudan. Levi is an audio-visual technician in the CAPOR project.
‘Waja Ta Jena’ was the best film for 2017, from a total 75 submissions from South Sudan, Kenya and Uganda, winning South Sudanese Pounds 60,000, equivalent to USD $500. The movie is about a schoolgirl who drops out of school due to pregnancy, and is to return to school. She emerges the best in the national senior secondary examinations.
‘Waja Ta Jena’ was selected for its strong theme on the value of education and community orientation. It is commended fro being a good quality local production using a commonly spoken language – simple Arabic.
Levi Lubari (third right) accepting his award at the Juba Film Festival
The awards ceremony took place on 9 September 2017 at Nyakuron Cultural Central in Juba. It was attended by government representatives, artistes and film enthusiasts. It was organized by the Juba Film Festival Association, with support from USAID, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Japanese Embassy, Swedish Embassy, Swiss Agency for Corporation, Internews, Sweden Sverige and at least ten media houses. This was the second year such an event is being held in Juba.
Best Video Scriptwriter, Best Cameraman, Best Video/Film Director and Best Video Editor. These four awards were won by CAPOR’s film ‘Waja Ta Jena’, (‘Pain of a Child’) at the Juba Film Festival.
“I do not have formal training or education in film production. I am self-taught. What carries me through is a passion to tell stories. I was confident that I was going to be the best. I believed in what I was doing and this is just the beginning. My next step is to compete at the African stage. I appreciate the support of MINYA group, project staff and the local authority for supporting CAPOR,” said Levi on his win.
Stephen Lukudu, the country Director for AAH South Sudan said, “I am elated to see the three medals and certificates and to learn that we have such untapped talent in AAH South Sudan, and therefore South Sudan. Colleagues at the Country Office were equally surprised and overjoyed to learn of Levi’s success. Waja Ta Jena showcases uses talent for a greater good to relaying messages targeting the youth.” A bigger celebration for the awards will be held in Maridi County South Sudan with the groups that acted the movie.
AAH South Sudan Country Director Stephen Lukudu (left) congratulating Levi
AAH South Sudan initiated the Capacity Building for Post conflict Reintegration (CAPOR) project in 2007 to support communities’ capability to participate in peaceful reconstruction and reintegration. The project has been working in the former Central and Western Equatoria States in (Juba, Yei and Maridi, Mundri-West counties) respectively and is active in 4 Payam (locations) and 15 Bomas (sub-locations). The use of various creative media approaches such as drama, music, puppetry, art and football tournaments to reach out and educate communities have remained the main focus of the CAPOR project targeting especially the youth, women groups and men on peaceful coexistence and involvement in productive activities for self-reliance.