AREAS APPLICABLE TO ALL COUNTRIES

SURVEY OVERVIEW

WORKING DEFINITION OF DOCUMENTARY

A production that takes a non-fiction approach to representing reality by providing an original audiovisual treatment, informing the audience and offering an analysis, perspective, context, interpretation on a given subject.

Number of films per year

Most of the documentaries produced in the Djibouti are by the national broadcaster, RTD. There are no independent broadcasters in Djibouti. There was a documentary made by a Djibouti filmmaker on “q’aat”, but she lives in Canada. It is not clear whether Civil Society commissions any documentaries, so the trend is heavily determined by RTD. These kind of documentaries are therefore mostly public information documentaries. Another important factor is availability of skilled filmmakers locally.

The Eritrean film industry roughly produces twenty films a year according to some sources. However government censorship makes sure that the numbers of freely made documentaries produced in Eritrea are very few.

In Ethiopia several factors were identified, including budgetary constraints, red-tape and bureaucracy, understanding of film production, availability of trained filmmakers, screening opportunities, piracy, and digital technology, which has made filmmaking more accessible across Africa.

Most of the documentaries produced in Kenya have been commissioned works from NGOs operating in the country, corporate organisations, and government departments. Some Kenyan film producers have also successfully applied to international film funds with documentary proposals, but these productions are not common. All in all, budgetary considerations are the key factor in Kenya.

Documentary film production in Seychelles is mainly by commission, either from government agencies, NGOs, or private corporations. This means that funding emerges as the single most important factor influencing the trend of documentary film production in the Seychelles. The availability of qualified filmmakers is also a great handicap.

Being without an elected, able government for many years documentary output production in Somalia has had to rely on commissions from NGOs.

As with most other countries, the level of funding available, coupled with the availability of keen film producers and filmmakers, has had a great effect on documentary film production. In addition, South Sudan is also the world’s youngest country and has much to do in terms of getting its film industry going.

In Tanzania funding has been the main factor determining the annual output of documentaries in the country.

In Uganda financial considerations loom large. Shorter films on the whole cost less.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT

Potential funding partners in Africa and beyond

The IDFA website has conveniently compiled a list of potential funding partners who already provide funding to the developing worlds filmmakers:

Film / Documentary Funds

• IDFA Bertha Fund
• Alter-Ciné Foundation
• Asian Cinema Fund
• Fonds Sud Cinéma
• Göteborg Film Festival Fund
• Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund
• Hubert Bals Fund
• ITVS: International Media Development Fund
• Just Films (Ford Foundation)
• National Geographic All Roads Film Project
• PUMA Creative Catalyst Award
• Sundance Documentary Fund
• Visions Sud Est
• World Cinema Fund (Berlinale)
• Cinereach

Africa

• Africalia
• Hotdocs Blue Ice Film Documentary Fund
• OIF

Arab Countries

• SANAD
• AFAC
• Screen Institute Beirut – Film Fund
• Dubai Film Connection
• Cultural Resource

Latin America

• Cinergia
• Programa IBERMEDIA
• IBERDOC

Europe

• Eurodoc International (NEW)
• Berlinale Talent Campus
• Documentary Campus
• Media Program
• KORDA fund database

Women Filmmakers

• Chicken & Egg Pictures

Other Funds

• Movies that Matter Support Programma
• HIVOS
• Mama Cash
• OXFAM
• Prince Claus Fund
• Rockefeller Foundation
• One World Media Awards

Film schools, training programmes in Africa and beyond

• Whistling Woods, India – whistlingwoods.net.
• Mohamed Amin Foundation
• Film-in-a-box at the African Movie Association Awards

Study of rights issues for distribution in Africa both broadcast and online.

Does the law of copyright have an international dimension? Yes and no. Generally speaking, copyright is governed by domestic law, with each country having its own copyright regime, including enforcement mechanisms. However, since many copyrighted works are exploited internationally, i.e. across national boundaries, there is a need to ensure that sufficient protection is afforded to them even outside the country from which they originate. This is done through a treaty-based system which relies on reciprocity and mutual recognition. It is worth noting that the responsibility for giving effect to treaties rests, in the first place, with national authorities. The legal systems of some countries allow for treaties to become part of domestic law as soon as they are signed and ratified; in other countries, treaties have to be ‘incorporated’ into domestic law, usually through the enactment of legislation specifically to give effect to their provisions.

What are the main international treaties on copyright?

There are essentially three major treaties:

1. The Berne Convention;
2. The Universal Copyright Convention;
3. The Rome

Are there any other international treaties relevant to the media in relation to copyright?

Yes, the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs), in particular, which is part of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) legal regime. This agreement, concluded in 1994, lays down minimum standards of protection and enforcement for various intellectual property rights, including copyright, for those countries which are part of the WTO system.