The Pan Afrikanist Watchman

The Alliance Française of Gaborone and the delegation of the European Union to Botswana and SADC are pleased to present the fourth edition of the European Film Festival in Botswana.

Through this cinematic event, we highlight the importance of different themes: women in 2018, stigmatisation in 2019, and nature and the environment in 2021. This year’s theme is family.

Family is the glue that binds societies together. The films will allow us to explore the theme of the family from different backgrounds and angles. Through the European Film Festival, we hope to share stories that tackle issues we all face and inspire us to strive toward our vision for a better future.

This year the festival includes five different films and two local short films. Her Job is a thought-provoking and motivational film that addresses a prevalent issue in society today.

My Brother Chases Dinosaurs takes on an underexplored challenge in a beautiful story.

Our Struggles is a touching film that shows a different perspective for a film in this genre.
Romy’s Salon allows us to see the different relations and bonds between women of the same family across generations and the challenges that come with that.

Don’t forget to bring your children to the exciting animated movie The Son of Bigfoot.

Last but not least, we are proud to host local short films Dithunya Tsa Rona and Ka Nswazwi in order to celebrate the creativity of Batswana film directors.

We will also host a discussion with the directors of these short films. We are happy that for the first time, this year, the European Film Festival will show in Maun.

ORGANISERS
EUROPEAN UNION DELEGATION TO BOTSWANA AND SADC

The Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Botswana and SADC is part of the European Union External Action Service and is one of 139 EU Delegations around the world. The delegation has the status of a diplomatic mission and officially represents the European Union in Botswana and SADC.

The Delegation was opened in 1981 for the purposes of cooperation with Botswana. In 1991 it acquired a regional role with SADC and established a durable and dynamic partnership with Botswana and SADC. The focal areas of cooperation with Botswana are on Human Resources Development Economic Diversification and Green Transition.

The Delegation plays an essential role in providing information on the policies and institutions in the European Union. In doing so, it works closely with Member States’ embassies in Botswana and participates actively in the donor coordination with the Government of Botswana and with SADC.

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE DE GABORONE

Alliance Française is a non-profit making association, part of an international network of over 1,000 centres worldwide, established in 1883. The Gaborone branch was established in 1980 and celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2020.

Today, Alliance Française of Gaborone teaches French and offers Setswana and English courses. For more than four decades, this language teaching platform has been benefiting many Batswana over the years and expatriates as well.

Furthermore, Alliance Française is not only well known for its quality language teaching programmes but undoubtedly as one of the major promoters of art and culture in Botswana. Alliance Française hosts several important international cultural events such as Francophonie celebrations in March, Fête de la Musique/Music Day Celebration in June, and Beaujolais Nouveau in November, as well as exhibitions, film festivals & screenings and invites artists of international repute from all over the world to Botswana.

This extraordinary venue already known and appreciated in the country aims at bridging the gap between cultures, communities, and people.

POETAVANGO COLLECTIVE
The Poetavango Collective is an ARTS organisation based in Maun whose major mandates include the development, promotion, and enhancement of the arts – performance, literary and visual.

Poetavango has been in existence since April 2008. In 2011, the Collective started the first Maun International Arts Festival (MIAF), a gala that celebrates the arts in their entirety. As a community-based organisation, the Poetavango Collective supports the Maun community in various areas through a number of projects geared toward youth and artistic development.

Poetavango also works extensively with local schools to develop literature and the arts from an earlier age. The Collective hosts regular workshops and symposiums for students as well as for other members of the community.

The Collective continues to work closely with the Maun community to strengthen arts, culture, and tourism networks between the locals and other communities.