| Dance Up From the Street (28 min) Rwanda/South Africa |
[watch trailer] |
Wednesday 10/22, 3:15 PM (Session 17)
UNAFF in Schools Program (FREE ADMISSION for student and teachers)
Director/Producer: Peter Goldsmid
Description:
Successful Canadian choreographer, Rebecca Davis, spends months of every year teaching dance to homeless former street kids of Kigali, Rwanda, twenty years after one of the bloodiest episodes of ethnic cleansing since World War II. This compelling documentary from award-winning director Peter Goldsmid shows how dance can transcend barriers of language, race and age and inspire a lost generation to aim for the stars. Former street children like Eric Mugiraneza and Patrick Bihoyiki movingly share their stories - as they work towards realizing their dreams of a better life.
Biography:
Following degrees in politics from Wits and Oxford and a bachelor’s degree from the Polytechnic of Central London, Peter entered the industry as a film editor, but soon went on to produce and direct, first as an employee of the South African Broadcasting Corporation and thereafter through his own company, Southern Exposure. His focus and that of his company has always been on creating empathy, dialogue and understanding through great storytelling. He wrote and directed the international feature, The Road to Mecca, based on the play by Athol Fugard. It stars Kathy Bates and won national Vita Awards for Best Feature, Best Art Direction and Best Screenwriting. It was also nominated for Best Direction. Peter is writer, director and producer of more than seventy hours of prime-time broadcast television. These include four seasons of a human rights legal drama series, Justice for All, a sitcom and a miniseries on forced removals, and Riemvasmaak, that won him awards for Production, Directing and Scriptwriting. Peter’s thirteen-part drama series (with Margaret Goldsmid) for the South African Broadcasting Corporation, Fallen, has already been rebroadcast three times. Difficult Love, his recent documentary with black lesbian activist Zanele Muholi, has been seen in over sixty film festivals worldwide (including UNAFF), winning awards at eight of them.
Contact Information:
Southern Exposure
e: southex@netactive.co.za
©2014 United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF)
