The Afrika Culture and Development Club (ACDC) will be hosting a media launch for their Film Club Project on the 10 August 2012. Those attending will have the opportunity of meeting the youth leaders who have been driving this exciting project. They will speak about how the film club project has changed their lives and what it is doing to make a difference to youth in South Africa. This is an inspirational project that focuses on the very real issues of joblessness, skills development and social enterprise.
The last few months have been very important for the ACDC, with the newly formed film clubs galavinising the project with their first public screenings. Young audiences were invited to enjoy films likeSlumdog Millionaire,The Wooden CameraandZulu Love Letterwhichwere screened at six different venues around Johannesburg. Special screenings of theSouth African documentary Soweto Sneezed and then we caught the feverand the Danish filmThe Experimentwere held on Youth Day.
The vision of Benjy Francis, the ACDC is the devolvement of the Afrika Cultural Centre. It aims to establish independent, voluntary film clubs for children and youth around the country. Through the Afrika Cultural Centre’s vast collection of local and international films, these clubs will inspire their young audiences with entertaining, thought provoking films relevant to their lives and situations.
Afrika Culture and Development Club (ACDC) is partnered internationally with the Association of Danish Film Clubs for Children and Young People (DaBUF). Established in 1952, the DaBUF holds the belief that the medium of film is an excellent vehicle for promoting dialogue around vital issues in young people’s lives.
With members in Denmark, Greenland and Luxembourg, the DaBUF represents approximately 70 film clubs and exposes over 60,000 children and young people to film every year. The DaBUF work with members of the film industry to ensure that educative and inspirational children’s films are being made in Denmark.
With the DaBUF model as the starting point and funding from the Danish Youth Council, Francis intends the ACDC to go beyond screening films into positively engaging the youth in their communities. The film clubs will become a vehicle for young people to learn critical skills and rebuild structure into their lives. To do this, Francis insists the project must be driven by the young people themselves. They will be the ones to lead the clubs, build the individual club’s membership and manage the screenings.
The value of social enterprise lies at the heart of the project; participation is voluntary and there is no expectation of financial gain for the members or the leaders of these film clubs. The film club would become a place where young people can learn and develop their entrepreneurial, management and leadership skills – all critical in today’s job market.
The first phase of the project has been to develop the leaders that will be turning this vision into a reality. Through an intensive interview process six young people were chosen as youth leaders for the ACDC; three from South Africa and three from Denmark.
At the beginning of this year Busisiwe Mchunu, Siphokazi Sitsha, Sizwe Clement, Astrid Lindgreen Hjermind, Fredrik Dupont and Kia Rask participated in an International Project Management Course in Denmark. Since their return to South Africa, they have lived and worked together, building the foundations of the ACDC film clubs.
In May they conducted four-day workshops transferring their knowledge, skill and experience to fifty-three film club participants. These members will, in turn, become the next generation of youth leaders with knowledge and experience to share.
“In the few short months that these young people have come together and worked together, they have grown immeasurably. It has been a culture shock for them all and a massive learning curve that is going to change their lives,” said Francis.
For more information on the Afrika Culture and Development Clubs visit ACDC – Film Clubs Facebook page. Alternatively contact the office at 011 447 4738 or 079 774 0221 or 011 346 2268 or by emailing acdcfilmclubs@gmail.com or maleme2@gmail.com or visit ACC website:www.afrikaculturalcentre.com.
