The World is not my Village: 3rd Part
Got the travel bug?!
6. February 2008, 19:00 - 23:00
The World is not my Village: 3rd Part
Got the travel bug?!
A film and discussion event at Sprachenatelier in cooperation with iz3w (Information Center for the 3rd World)
We will be screening the film „Livingstones Erben - Livingstone's Heirs“, a documentary about the local employees working in the field of adventure tourism in Sambesi (Sambia/Zimbabwe) and their perspectives on the post-colonial relationships at Victoria Falls 150 Years after its 'discovery' from the missionary and adventurer Dr. David Livingstone.
Original Version: English with German subtitles, 76 min, 2007 Director: Steffen Schülein, Martina Backes, Thomas Cernay; Script: Steffen Schülein; Interviews: Martina Backes, Steffen Schülein; Camera: Oliver Klein; Cut: Thomas Cernay; Music: Theo Nabicht; Subtitles: Steffen Schülein / Martina Backes / Heiko Fischer / Uwe Hagenlocher; Protagonist: Vincent Mapulanga.
The film takes the viewer on a three day journey to various different places and activities in Victoria Falls, such as white water rafting, bungee jumping, sunset cruise etc. In this documented adventure story at the border between Sambia und Zimbabwe the hierarchies between the locals and the tourists are tested. The film also comments on the stereotypes and preconceptions of „real Africa“ and the problematic economic situation in the city of Livingstone (the centre of tourism in Zambia), in one of the poorest countries in the world. During this cinematic story, which is played exclusively by local actors, revealing the true nature of tourism. Carriers and raft guides tell stories about their work, a museum director talks about the colonial history of the area and the neo-colonnial work relations, the government representative discusses the investment and competitive policies in Zimbabwe. Every actor has their say, and, following in Livingstone's footprints and on their way to being today's „explorers“, have found a way of dealing with the complex colonial heritage as tourism service-providers at the Falls.
The main protagonist and mediator between the two worlds is Vincent Mapulanga, a raft guide, who was promoted from carrier to wildwater rafting guide due to his education in the USA. For two seasons, he managed to work for Lemming Tours in Gunglgrün/Tirol and works as a postman in Holland today. In the film, he talks about his personal journey and the close relationship between migration and tourism.
We will be discussing the film with Lotte Arndt, political researcher from Berlin and employee from iz3w. The abbreviation iz3w stands for Information Centre for the 3rd World and is based in Freiburg. The focus of their work is the magazine. Since 1970, iz3w has been one of the most important independent magazines concerning the north-south relations in the German speaking realm. It discusses themes such as globalisation, migration and racism, development politics, theory, ecology, media, literature, sport and music, social relations in the context of migration etc. The iz3w does not consider itself a neutral source of information and analyser of world events. It criticises the ways of the world, which has provided plenty of material opportunities which guarantee people a good life, although many still live in poverty and oppression.
This organisation is the third in the list of organisations in the sequence „The World Is Not My Village: Mankind in a Globalised World“. Every three weeks (Wednesday at 19:00), we want to show films and hold forums for anyone who is interested in discussing themes such as globalisation, migration and environment in the context of people and their responsibilities.
If you are interested, please let us know at: mail@sprachenatelier-berlin.de (Contact Person: Musa Aktas)
The Travel Bug / „Fernweh“ – a documentary and discussion with Lotte Arndt from iz3w Wednesday, 06.02.08, 19:00 at Sprachenatelier, Frankfurter Allee 40 (U-Bahn-Station Samariterstraße).
This event is free.