Factors determining annual trend of documentary film production in the country, and why

• Funding
• Government censorship

The Eritrean film industry roughly produces twenty films a year.

Producers’ funding methods

• State funding
• NGOs
• Corporate funding

Producers’ documentary film production budget estimation methods

It is difficult to determine such methods because of heavy government involvement in anything to do with media.

Most successful producers

The most successful producer is the Film and Drama Branch of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the PFDJ because it is a government controlled organ.

Local documentary production funding sources

As per above, the government funds most of the documentaries produced in the country.

Funding eligibility criteria used by local documentary funding sources

The documentary must toe the government line.

Submission requirements used by local documentary production funding sources for funding consideration

A full script and film treatment must be submitted to the authorities for censor approvals.

Current professional development methods in the country

Courses are provided by the Film and Drama Branch of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the PFDJ.

Professional development service providers for the filmmaking community in the country

Film and Drama Branch of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the PFDJ

Film schools in the country and their levels of attendance

• Audio Visual Institute of Eritrea
• Most filmmakers in Eritrea are self

Documentary film production training programmes in the country

Courses are provided by the Film and Drama Branch of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the PFDJ.

Film festivals in the country

Eritrea has three annual film festivals:

• The China-Eritrea Film Week
• The European Film Week
• The French-Eritrean Film Week

Film festivals by continent and their level of attendance and participation from the country

(The Beautiful Ones) was selected to represent Eritrea at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008 (not as an official election of the festival). It was directed by Rahel Tewelde, an employee of the Film and Drama Branch of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ).

Mesghun Zerai ‘s (aka Wedi Feradai, who is director of the Audio Visual Institute of Eritrea) latest feature film, Ablel, was screened in the African Film Festival of Yokahoma, Japan, on May 22, 2008. Through the efforts of Eritrea’s then ambassador to Japan, Wedi Feradai’s film was selected for the prestigious film festival in Japan.

Business management schools in the country

• Eritrea Institute of Management
• University of Asmara

Journalism schools in the country

Eritrea Institute of Technology

Technical schools in the country

• Eritrea Institute of Technology
• Sawa Technical Training Centre

Professional and peer mentorship in the filmmaking community

This for the most part exists within the confines of the Film and Drama Branch of the Cultural Affairs Bureau.

Filmmaking community advisory groups in the country

Eritrea Film Rating Committee

Nature of involvement of advisory groups in the professional development of documentary filmmakers

Authorities in Eritrea realized that if Eritrean films are to compete in the world market, they needed to improve in quality. Recognizing this fact, the Eritrean Film Rating Committee (EFRC) was set up in 2007 to assign stars depending on the quality of the film that is being produced (four stars being the highest). Every film produced in Eritrea is submitted to EFRC for artistic rating, and the Committee uses six categories in its rating system: 1) Screenplay, 2) Acting, 3) Makeup, Costume and Set Design, 4) Cinematography, 5) Editing, and 6) Directing.

Existing forms of documentary film distribution in the country and their capacities

• TV
• Theatrical release
• Internet (though censorship is an issue)

Distribution options taken by local documentary filmmakers

TV, as most documentaries made are state sponsored.

Measures in place to deal with copyright piracy in the country and their effectiveness

Copyright laws are in force.

Internet penetration in the country

• Internet users: 200,000 (2008)
• Population: 5,939,484 ( July 2011 )
• Internet penetration: 2%

Potential subscribers for an online local documentary library and/or Internet channel for locally produced documentaries

At a 5% subscriber take-up, 10,000.

Internet usage by local documentary filmmakers

Some filmmakers have uploaded clips of their films on video hosting sites.

Political sensitivities

The wading into the political situation in Eritrea is akin to walking on eggshells as all views contrary to the official line are dealt with ruthlessly, according to reports.

Eritrea is described by Human Rights Watch as the world’s largest prison. It tolerates “no freedom of speech, no freedom of movement, no freedom of worship, and much of the adult male and female population is conscripted into indefinite national service. Detention, torture and forced labour await anyone who disagrees with the government, or anyone who attempts to avoid military service or flee the country without permission”. http://www.hrw.org/world-report-2012/world-report- 2012-eritrea

Modes of communication between local documentary filmmakers and funding sources

• Face-to-face communications are also

Channels of communications that allow private exchange of information in the country

A great deal of surveillance is going on in the country apparently, so nothing is guaranteed.