Synopsis of the Films Selected

The 18 selected films for the festival are; Widows @ War and WildLife Palavar produced and directed by Chop Samuel; Vice & Virtue as well as Asoni directed by Keka Sylvester; Tears from an Angel by Ihehon; Perverted Angel and Une Vie, Une Histoire by Alfred Amandy, Elemo by Nchoutu Rami, The Evidence by Ngato Noutosii, Before the Sunrise by Agbor Gilbert, Your Mother My Wife by Molimi Cletus; The Woman’s World by Itambi Delphine,  Atonement Calabash by Akuro Titus, Pension by Nyincho James, The Storm by CHRAC, Thinking Out of the Man Box by Anthony Porter, Rape and Incest produced by Aunties Association and the German Technical Cooperation, GiZ.

Synopsis of some selected films:

WIDOWS AT WAR

Film by Sammuel Chop, 2012, 92, subtitled in French.

The screening in the presence of the producer shall be followed by a panel discussion.

Widows At War depicts a culture of the North West Region of Cameroon in which when a man dies his wife is given to any member of his family. In Widows At War, the widows rebel and kick against the tradition and they want to marry the men they like.

Mbong losses her husband and denies to marry another man from her husband’s family. She gets widows who enter into the bush and rebel against tradition.

The Fon sends Juju which the widows seduce and in the end the widows plan and kidnap a girl which was a favorite to the palace.

At the end the widows conquer tradition and they all marry the men of their choice.

BREAKING OUT OF “THE MAN BOX”

Documentary produced and directed by Anthony Geathers of Wholly Moses productions USA, 2010, 45’

“Breaking Out of The Man Box” radically challenges the socialization of men by examining the social norms, culture and traditional images of manhood that has created an environment that supports, tolerates and encourages men’s violence against women. The Founder of A Call to Men, Tony Porter and Ted Bunch provide concrete solutions and practical approaches toward ending violence against women by men in the United States of America. Insight is provided into the construct of sexiom, challenging the privileges and entitlements given to men by society. The documentary is unique in its ability to be affirming and respectful to the experiences of women while expressing genuine care and hope for men. Tony Porter and Ted Bunch invites “Well-Meaning” men to leave sidelines of silence for the playing field of action in ending violence against women. While “Breaking Out of The Man Box” may force men out of our comfort zone, watching it can lead us into the end zone of positive change in our relationships with women, children, other men and ourselves”. It is a MUST-WATCH piece of work.

RAPE

Rape: break the silence and denounce the rapists

Film, 32 mn, 2009

GTZ/RENATA

(French, English and Pidgin)

In Cameroon, rape affects 5.2% of girls and women. The victims are forced into silence by their perpetrators or those around them. The National Network of Aunties Associations with support from the German International Cooperation helps and guides the victims of rape. Four of them, raped at age 8 or 11 years have decided to break the silence by telling what happened to them by a thief, teacher, neighbor or stepfather. A painful secret they have kept for long, but which has not stopped haunting them many years later

5.2% of girls and women have been raped in Cameroon. In total, these are 432.833 victims. 14% of girls and women have experienced rape attempts. Among the victims, 18% (1 girl out of 5) were raped by a family member. 9% are victims of collective rape, i.e were raped by more than one person at a time. Moreover, 11%of the victims were raped more than three times by different persons. The victims are on average 15 years and12% of them are age 10 or younger. Besides shock and trauma, 18% of the victims contracted a sexually transmitted

infection and 24% got pregnant as a result of rape. The rapists are rarely punished: only 5% of therapists (1 out of 20) are condemned by justice. The incidence of rape is exponentially increasing and has a worrying and preoccupying tendency. 

INCEST

Like rape, incest remains a big problem in Cameroon. The North West has not been left out. This documentary is a new campaign by the National Network of Aunties Association, RENATA, to bring victims to speak out. The several women and girls tell their stories with the intention of calling society’s attention to incest which is on rise in Cameroon. Today in Cameroon, we are witnessing explosion of sexual attacks, targeting adolescents in particular.

Vice and Virtue

Directed by Keka Sylvester

The evil that men do lives with and after them. Megan is such a victim from her mother’s past and God ceases to exist because he causes the rain to fall and the sun to shine on the just and the unjust alike.

The only narrow way to escape is to avenge but unfortunately, vengeance is of the Lord.

But now, how can a lost pride be recovered.

                                     The Will

By Chop Samuel

This is a situation where children succeed through matrilineal line. The man dies leaving his will to the family. In his will, he stressed that his children will succeed him.

Three cousins come to fight over successionship. Ngonga who is an illiterate steals the will and Peter who can read is looking for the will to change the name of the successor and put his name.Chie is another illiterate who is trying to succeed.

The councilors sit down to solve the problem but drunk as they ask the cousins to go and bring the dead man’s will.

At the end the cousins get medicines and kill one of the children taking him for the successor.

The Gendarmes come and arrest the cousins.

Medicinal Wild Life Palaver

By Chop Samuel

The Film deals with the protection of medicinal wild life. Nora has burns which can only be treated by using the hair of a bush baby. The law is against the killing of animals. Zama, the king hunter is detained for hunting animals. Nora’s husband tries to make research and comes out with the idea animals can be reared and used as food and for medicines.

The king hunter, Zama is now released and the King is made to educate the villagers on how to rear animals.

PEVERTED ANGEL

By Alfred Amandy  

Angel is an orphan .A Good Samaritan has taken her in and brought her up, as his own. When she goes to campus, she gets involved with the wrong company. Thereafter, she begins to date married men. It is a very heart wrenching story.

THE STORMS OF THE LAND

By KWAI JOSHUA; Project coordinator (CHRAC)

The social interactive Drama, titled “The Storms of the land” is aimed at encouraging people to communicate with those in conflicts in order to facilitate the reconciliation of their differences. It seeks to recognize the rights of pastoralists to land and natural resources while stressing their responsibility for active participation in community affairs. It seeks to improve Fulani’s understanding of their rights. This play is blended with a series of campaigns on basic human rights fundamental principles, HIV/AIDS, domestic violence against women, child abuse, and exploitation. It is CHRAC’S working instrument for managing farmer/grazer conflicts in the field.

Atonement Calabash

By Tikum Titus Akuro (Duration: 70 mins)

Sango in his forties thought the only way he could put an end to a serious financial problem was to kill himself. Little did he know that killing himself was unavoidably going to multiply the financial problems and add curse to it.

Fru, Sango’s only child wouldn’t take the shame of allowing his father hanging on a rope because of no money to pay for Atonement rituals. Hence, he chose to bury his father against all odds thereby invoking curses and more problems upon himself. Subsequently, his fate became so precarious as only the Atonement Calabash and the mercy of God could redeem him.

My Wife, Your Mother

Produced and Directed by Molimi Cletus

Mrs Ngwa is very sick and it seems there is no money the husband Mr Ngwa has to go borrowing, her Children are all very sad thinking their mum will die because of lack of money, but what happens is that Mrs Ngwa actually has money but is refusing to help her Husband pay her bills, when the husband realizes this he puts her to the utmost test
which she of course failed resulting in her death