Rehearsals for KIBERA KID - THE PLAY

KIBERA KID - THE PLAY focuses on issues of violence, crime and tribal tensions in Kibera, to promote awareness and reconciliation. The play is scripted, directed, produced, and acted by youth of Kibera. Performances will start at the end of June in the streets of Kibera, at schools, and other locations around Nairobi. Funded by Changamoto and Hot Sun Foundation. WATCH FOR IT!

Filmmaking Workshop at WAPI

Hot Sun Foundation gave a workshop as part of WAPI’s ‘Skills Factory’ on June 21 2008 at the British Council in Nairobi.

The workshop, CREATIVE STORYTELLING FOR FILM, facilitated by Nathan Collett, focused on creating effective and compelling stories for film/video.

WAPI stands for Words And Pictures - a meeting for artists, founded by Buddha Blaze, held monthly at the British Council in Nairobi.

Participants’ feedback was very positive. Members of Hot Sun Foundation in Kibera were in attendance! Evans, displaced during the post- election violence, has now returned to Kibera and came to the workshop (on far left of picture at the bottom). We were happy to see him!

Thanks to Blaze, Janet, WAPI and the British Council for setting up the workshop.

Viewers Feedback to KIBERA CONNECTION video

Viewers at the Adobe Global Youth Voices exhibit in San Jose were attracted to the video KIBERA CONNECTION by the setting and images of Kibera. They asked many questions, like "Does a train really go through Kibera?" People commented that the video showed a way of life they were not familiar with. Several viewers said they would be interested in knowing more about Kibera. Others thought that the KIBERA KID feature film project is a great idea. Thanks to the Kibera youth team, many people connected with Kibera. Keep up the good work!

Congratulations to KIBERA CONNECTION video team!

Youth in Kibera, with the coordination of Goddy Ojiambo, invited viewers at the Adobe Global Youth Voices exhibition in San Jose, to visit Kibera with Chris Olwenyi aka Jah Hill as their guide. The KIBERA CONNECTION project showcases the work of youth as artists and filmmakers. Congratulations to Goddy, Chris, and all the Kibera youth team who worked on KIBERA CONNECTION, including Khadija Mohammed, Asha Ali, Cecilia Mwikali, Stephen Oloo,Prosfino, Mabel Ayitso, Beatrice Akengo, Ismail Zura, Anthony Shikon'golo,Amina Mohammed and Ignatius Juma!

Kibera Connection in San Jose California, USA

Saturday June 7, 2008,
Great day in San Jose! Kibera Youth connected with visitors and other youth through their video KIBERA CONNECTION at the Adobe Global Youth Voices project, part of the 01SJ
Digital Arts Festival held every two years. Hot Sun Foundation was one of 18 international projects selected to participate. The Adobe Global Youth Voices exhibit was held at the TECH Museum in downtown San Jose.

Reflections on the Screenwriter’s workshop

In March 2008, Hot Sun Foundation held a six day workshop at the Kenya Film Commission for youth from Kibera. Below are some reflections by the workshop facilitator, Mary Beth Fielder, senior lecturer, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA.

The workshop began with a discussion of what makes a good story. Building on the idea that every story is about a character in crisis, we asked the participants to introduce themselves by sharing a crisis point from their own lives . . . They then broke into groups and brainstormed ways to develop them into compelling scripts for short films.

Participants reported feeling "transformed" by the process of searching for meaning within their own experiences. They also felt empowered by contemplating how a character in a similar set of circumstances might react and the choices they could make to confront the "crisis." This process of using their imagination to explore the characters' options caused them to contemplate how they might take a more active role in their own lives.

CHARCOAL TRAFFIC official selection DURBAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL in South Africa

CHARCOAL TRAFFIC has been selected by South Africa's longest running film festival, the Durban International Film Festival. The 29 th edition of DIFF will take place from 23 July to 3 August 2008.
Stop by http://www.cca.ukzn.ac.za/Durban_International_Film_Festival.htm for more information.

CHARCOAL TRAFFIC official selection LEITH Film Festival

Hot Sun Films is delighted to announce that CHARCOAL TRAFFIC, a dramatic story of two brothers trapped in a murderous cycle of environmental and cultural devastation in Somalia is an official selection at the LEITH FILM FESTIVAL. Goddy Ojiambo, Kibera resident and trustee of Hot Sun Foundation, flew to Somalia to assist in the production of CHARCOAL TRAFFIC. Visit http://www.leithshortfilmfestival.co.uk for more information.