FilmAid�s Programming:
The People�s Choice
�It has been an honor to be involved with FilmAid�there are so few agencies that really focus on what they (the refugees) want and need, rather than what the agency wants to give them� FilmAid has limitless potential� —� Steve Smith, FilmAid Advisory Committee member
Consequences, It�s Not Easy, Neria, More Time, Everyone�s Child, Yellow Card � Odds are you haven�t heard of these films, but these are among the most popular films in FilmAid�s library. What these films all have in common is that they are African stories about African people and the issues they face, issues such as human rights, domestic violence, teenage pregnancy, HIV and AIDS.
In addition to our staff and refugee advisory committees on the ground, FilmAid benefits from an ongoing collaboration with African film experts Steve and Sally Smith. The Smiths are the founders of Media for Development International (MFDI), a non profit agency using media to facilitate social change and development in Africa. They have helped FilmAid to identify and secure films that are culturally sensitive, contain important information and are entertaining.
The refugees themselves, however, ultimately decide what is most relevant and most needed in their communities through their participation on advisory committees. This feedback ensures that the films are not only relevant, but also engaging. As Steve Smith notes, �We work by the principle that the film is only as good as the number of people who see it.�
African films now make up over 90% of those screened by FilmAid in East African camps. FilmAid�s philosophy of providing non violent, culturally appropriate films continues to drive the selection process. So far this year over 100 titles have been added to our library of over 500 titles.
