The Making of a President

Documentary Production with focus on the 2014 Presisdential Elections

Background:

In a young democracy, such as Malawi in 2004, with a strong dictatorial past, freedom of expression has many challenges. Also, in an electoral process, different stakeholders have different interests. The country witnesses its’ third general elections. This time with a stronger opposition. While the international community observes the process ,ordinary citizens struggle to get themselves informed. The population is bombarded by the government controlled media with biased information.

Activities:

  • Recording over 65 hours of raw footage;
  • Interview with main stakeholders, from candidates to international experts;
  • Production of a DVD with subtitles in English and in Chichewa;
  • Distribution of 500 VHS/DVD-copies to various Civil Society organisations, Malawian society, international community & researchers via the Malawian based NGO Civil Liberty Committee (Cilic)

Results:

  • Production of an one hour documentary called “The Making of a President”, about the electoral process in Malawi, available in English and in the local language Chichewa.
  • Facilitate media-competence to two Malawian volunteers in the area of camera-work and video-editing
  • More than 2.000 local Malawians were able to watch the movie and discussed about the electoral process via civic education activities promoted locally by the Malawian-based NGO Cilic and its partners. 500 copies of the documentary were distributed in the country.
  • The film was selected within the Document Filmfestival in Glasgow, at the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA)as well as awarded with the special Acknowledgement price at the Black International Cinema-Festival in Berlin.


 

  • Year
    2004
  • Country
    Malawi
  • Duration
    16 weeks
  • Employees
    2
  • Participants
    2
  • Services
    Documentary production
  • Resources
    HIVOS
  • Partner
    CILIC

    Project videos

    The Making of a President-TrailerThe Making of a President-Trailer




    Contact information

    H.-Christian Goertz
    Founder and director
    Länderallee 29
    14052 Berlin
    Germany
       +49 30 605 077 81
      +49 30 269 339 10
      chris@minibusmedia.org

    Mirella Domenich
    Founder and director of Communication for Development
    SHIN CA 08 Bloco E
    Brasilia-DF
    Brasil
       +55 11 616 229 65
      +55 11 616 228 21
      mirella@minibusmedia.org

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