A Lola Kenya Children's Screen Film

A Lola Kenya Children's Screen Film Represents Africa in Global Competition

Still fresh from the continental Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) in Nigeria (April 4, 2009), a Lola Kenya Screen production, LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS DANGEROUS, has been selected to represent Africa in the Global Kids For Kids Competition that runs in Montreal, Quebec, Canda.
LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS DANGEROUS, made by Samora Michelle Oundo, Adede Hawi Nyodero and Karama Kilibwa Ogova during the annual Lola Kenya Screen film production workshop in Nairobi, Kenya in 2007, has so far won the Most Creative Project Award in Nairobi (August 2007), Special Jury Prize at Jugend Medien Berlin (May 2008) and Kids for Kids Africa competition (August 2008). It was in contention for Best Animation Award at the just concluded 5th Africa Movie Academy Awards.

LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS DANGEROUS is one of the 48 films that made it to the list of 48 finalists from the more than 500 films entered for competition from all over the world.

Dianne Dagenais of the Centre of Cinema for Children and Youth (CIFEJ) and Kids For Kids Competition says, "We are preparing the Global Kids For Kids competition for this year. As the film LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS DANGEROUS has won the KFKF Africa competition, it is invited to be part of the Global competition. This year, children from around the world will receive the DVD compilation and cast their votes. The catalogue of the competition will be online."

Though made by children under 13 years, LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS DANGEROUS is competing in the Animation 13-16-year-old category against Poor Joshua Verde (Australia), Mancipia (Belgium), Carta Animada pela Paz: Os Dois Lados da Favela/The Animated Charter for Peace: The Two Sides of a Shanty Town (Brazil), Peace of Mind (Canada), Sul Filo dei Diritti/Let's Knit on Human rights (Italy), Corn in the USA (USA) and Perspective: The Chicago Trains (USA).

"This film," says Lola Kenya Screen director Ogova Ondego, "has done well, having won the Most Creative Production award at Lola Kenya Screen (August 2007), the Grand Prize at 2nd Kids For Kids Africa (August 2008), and the Special Jury Award at the Jugend Medien Festival Berlin, Germany (May 2008)."

LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS DANGEROUS, like all other Lola Kenya Screen productions, has been screened on virtually all continents where it has won accolades and collected awards along the way.

Other Lola kenya screen productions at AMAA 2009 included MANANI OGRES
(2008) and CHEPRONO (2008) that competed for Best Animation Award and SANTOS THE SURVIVOR that sought to win the Best Short Documentary Award.

Director Ondego says what was important for Lola Kenya Screen was not really winninhg the prizes but being nominated at the AMAA 2009.

"Our films are made by children aged 6-14 years on zero budget and over a four-day period. The fact that they are nominated to compete against high budget products made by adult professionals is an indication that we at Lola Kenya Screen are onto something good," Ondego told the media in Lagos, Nigeria.

Here, Ondego had accompanied Samora Oundo and Adede Nyodero (Little Knowledge is Danderous), Joseph Kangethe and Norrick Mwangi (MANANI OGRES) and Charmaine Ndolo, Charlene Ndolo and Crystal Ndolo (CHEPRONO) to the awards ceremony. Also with Ondego were Lola Kenya Screen festival assistant Bethsheba achitsa and MYSA Shootback coordinator Peter Ndolo.

The 10 Lola Kenya screen members were among 17 film professionals who attended the 5th AMAA in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.