TANZANIA: SIGNIS Awards a film highlighting the problem of youth radicalization at Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) 2016
Radicalization of young people into terrorist activities has become an international phenomenon and a concern for everybody. Unemployment, poverty and political marginalization are some of the contributing factors to the Islamic radicalization of youth people in the region; a situation in which according to reports experts say must be addressed through economic empowerment and inclusive policies.
It is upon this backdrop that SIGNIS Jury at Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) 2016 awarded the SIGNIS Prize to Watatu, a film directed by Nick Reding and depicts the problem of youth radicalization in the Kenyan Coastal city of Mombasa. Watatu is a Swahili word meaning three and it revolves around three personalities caught up in conflict. The three include; Salim, a Muslim chicken vender, his friend Jack a Christian and a police officer and Yusuf, Salim’s nephew who is a graduate and is jobless.
The film made by Kenyan’s leading art for social change organization-SAFE Kenya examines the rise of radicalization amongst young Muslims in the Kenyan Coastal city of Mombasa. Part drama, part documentary the film brings out the realities youth radicalization and painful loss of life due to terrorism activities.
Film emphasizes on the fact youth radicalization are often funded by rich people who use young men who have anger issues to fight their own religious wars and also use these desperate young people as their foot soldiers. Watatu encourages young people to articulate their issues through the right channels that would ensure harmony in the society for instance putting to task elected leaders and representatives such as governors, senators and members of local assembly so that issue affecting the you such as massive unemployment can be adequately addressed.
During the same event, held in the island of Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous archipelago of Tanzania the SIGNIS Jury awarded the SIGNIS East Africa Talent Award to the film A Place for Myself, a 21 minutes documentary film Directed by Clementine Dusabejambo from Rwanda. The film depicts the life of a five year girl with albinism who upon joining elementary school faces the reality of her being different. Due to her skin color her classmates make her realize that being ‘different’ is more a problem than a special trait. When her neighbors back home treats her as a stereotype, her mother encourages her. Together they fight back and raise their voice to find a place for themselves in the society that is characterized with stigma and stereotype.
ZIFF is East Africa’s largest film festival, where each year, some of the most captivating and cutting-edge cinema from Africa and beyond is screened in venues across the island. From world-premiers to local shorts, the festival showcases the highest quality film from all over the world. Films are submitted based on a yearly theme – this year is was this journey of ours. The festival ran from 8th to 17th July.
SIGNIS is a World Catholic Association for Communication officially recognized by the Vatican and includes members from 140 countries. The Association organizes SIGNIS, Ecumenical or Interfaith juries in more than 30 film festivals around the world, including Cannes, Berlin, Venice and ZIFF among others.
The SIGNIS Jury’s decisions at ZIFF were based on the following Criteria: Artistic Quality, Message of the Gospel and Human Values, Universal Impact, Inventive Expression and finally Usage for ministries.
The SIGNIS Jury for ZIFF 2016 included Pamela Adinda from AMECEA Secretariat (Kenya), Fr. Andrew Kaufa, Director of Luntha TV (Malawi) and Ms. Barbara Brugmans coordinator of Afrika Filmfestival (Belgium).
By AMECEA Online News Correspondent
