2010 AiM Festival draws near

This year's festival plans to showcase films from some of the 17 African countries celebrating 50 years of independence. The festival will also focus on African music and dance, sport, ceremonies, environmental progress, food, fashion and beauty, Mandela, children and youth, and poetry.

Haroun opens festival

The event will open with the Scottish premiere of Chadian director Mahamat-Saleh Haroun's Sex, Okra and Salted Butter (Sexe, Gombo et Beurre Sale, 2008). Earlier this year Haroun was internationally rewarded with the Jury Prize at Cannes for his latest film Un homme qui crie (A Screaming Man).

Attendees include Jean-Marie Teno from Cameroon and Alfred Muchilwa from Kenya. Teno will be present at the festival to introduce audiences to some of his films and lead a masterclass for film students at the Edinburgh College of Art. Teno has been producing and directing films on the colonial and post-colonial history of Africa for over 20 years and his films have been honoured at festivals worldwide, including Berlin, Toronto, San Francisco and London.

Animation workshop

Muchilwa, an animator from Kenya will attend the festival and lead an animation workshop for Scottish children. The main focus of Muchilwa's animation work has been on creating content with a strong African flavour that is accessible to a global audience. He is currently lead animator for Tiger Aspect's Tinga Tinga Tales, East Africa's first full animation production airing on CBeebies at the moments.

Several African music and dance documentaries will explore the range of musical styles and genres from across the continent; Senegalese Sabar and Tanzanian Taarab, Moroccan hip-hop, the rhythms and musical fusions from Cape Verde, Congolese musician Papa Wemba's musical extravagance, Sufi sounds and songs from North Africa, Egypt's Umm Kulthum's musical legacy, Angola's Kuduro, and colourful choirs from the Cape Peninsula.

Celebrating the DRC

An evening dedicated to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, celebrating 50 tumultuous years of independence, plans to shed light on Africa's 'heart of darkness', with young Congolese directors sharing their vision of their country and a hard-hitting BBC documentary on Congolese women.

A wide range of events will take place across the city; an Afro-Scottish poetry afternoon at the Scottish Poetry Library, a dance workshop at Dance Base, a painting on film workshop open to all ages and abilities, and an African fashion extravaganza.

A selection of films from the 2010 programme will tour to the Scottish Highlands and Islands throughout November. It will stop off at Colinsburgh in Fife, Cromarty, Orkney and Skye. Funded by Regional Screen Scotland and Awards for All, this addition to the festival aims to promote African cinema amongst film-loving communities who have very limited access to African films.

Upcoming events
Take One Action Africa-themed films:

• Friday, 24 September at 5.45pm: Michael P Nash - Climate Refugees, USA, 2010 - 1h35m
  
• Sunday, 26 September at 6pm: Richard Pakleppa - Three and a Half Lives of Philip Wetu, Namibia, 2009 - 1h
  
• Monday, 27 September at 5.45pm: Mary Olive Smith - A Walk to Beautiful, USA, 2007 - 1h27
  
• Tuesday, 28 September at 5.45pm: Marcus Vetter & Karin Steinberger - Hunger, Germany, 2010 - 1h30
  
• Wednesday, 29 September at 8.25pm: Joel Marsden - World Vote Now, Spain, 2010 - 1h18m
  
• Friday, 1 October at 6pm: Sandy Cioffi - Sweet crude, USA 2009 · 1h33m
  
• Friday, 1 October at 8.40pm: Landon Van Soest - Good Fortune, USA, 2009 - 1h13m
  
• Tuesday, 5 October at 6pm: Jennifer Arnold - A Small Act, USA, 2010 - 1h28m

African Street Dance with Denise Stephani at Dance Base, Grassmarket:

Denise Stephani plans to share Traditional, Gumboot and Kwaito: African Street dancing. Anecdotes, music and a smattering of language will provide insight into African society. Wellies, scarves or skirts, comfortable loose clothing and indoor trainers are preferred. Suitable for all levels. Thursday, 16 September - Thursday, 2 December 2010 - 7pm - 8.30pm.

A conference at John McIntyre Conference Centre: Making the most of Scotland's aid: Debates on aid effectiveness - Public policy network/Oxfam Conference - a conference in partnership between the University of Edinburgh's Public Policy Network and Oxfam Scotland. Friday, 10 September 2010, 9am - 5pm.