Hollywood Academy Delegation Meets Kibera Film School. WooH!

Kibera Film school was privileged to host a delegation of filmmakers from hollywood who came to Kenya for the Film Africa Workshops. Before they came to the school some of the students had the opportunity to attend their screening and the Q&A sessions at the silverbird cinema in prestige plaza Ngong road. During this time they were able to teach and also just show how the films were made and the audience would ask questions. They came with them the richness of hollywood and we actually felt like hollywood was in kenya.

The delegation included -:

 Alfre Woodard: 

Actress who has won almost 26 award in the film industry. She is known for films like A Family That Preys and Crooklyn a legendary film she stirred in 1994.

She first made her debut in this industry in 1974 and since then she is considered to be one of Americas most talented and one of the most successful actress.
Her visit to the film school really inspired many who really look up to her as a role model. Just having her watch the films we had made and actually giving back positive feedback overwhelmed us. Her personality too stood out. Our doors are always open for you and we look forward to seeing you again.

    Carol Littleton:

Carol Has been editing major hollywood features from as early as the 70's. She first stumbled into the industry as an assistant editor and since then she never left the editing room. She has been able to win an award with her editing. Her simplicity in editing is what takes it home. she knows how to hit the emotions of the viewer and that is key in editing. She has edited films such as Country song, Muncharian Candidate etc. We were glad to have her watch our pieces and actually give positive feed back. I think this was the breakthrough moment that the school needed! Really, Hope we meet again this time in hollywood :)

Ellen M. Harrington:

She is the director of Exhibitions, Special Events and International outreach for the Academy. During her 17yrs in this post, she has organized and designed the installation for over seventy exhibitions. A great thank you for her organizing all the events such as the one that saw the academy come alive in Kenya and mostly in Kibera. Thank you again.

John Bailey:

 One of the finest cinematographer and director in hollywood. He has been in the film industry since 1971 till present. The students in Kibera Film School loved him immidiatley because of his good nature and easy to interact. He is well known for sharing the skills he has acquired with the youth and is one of the mentors in the Kodak and UCLA. He is a member of the American Society of Cinematographers since 1985 and is also member of the jury in Venice Film Festival in 1987. Hope you come back and mentor us too

    Phil Alden Robinson:

A film director and a screenwriter. He has won a writers guild of America award and an oscar for the best screenplay adaptation.He was named the screenwriter of the year in 1990.He is currently the vice president of Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. Inspiration and hope is what you brought with you in Kibera Film School and we are proud that you paid us a visit. Your appreciation of what we do here lays humbly beneath our hearts. And the dream continues............... All the writers here in the school are putting their thoughts together. Thank you for coming, It meant a lot for us.

  Stephanie Allain:

Has come along way. She began her carreer as a script reader in the industry and now she is one of Pioneers in the industry and now the president of Homegrown Pictures. She has been produced El Mariachi, Black Snake Moan among other films. Your success is indeed an inspirational story that gave the youth of Kibera Film School hope. Nothing is ever really lost if you work towards it. That was a lesson well learnt and we the Students of Kibera Film School HOPE that we get there too. Asante Sana!

 Wynn Thomas:

Started working in the theaters as a teenager. He became an assistant art director on such films as The Cotton Club, The Money Pit and Brighton Beach Memoirs. And has been the Art director in Breach, Analyze this, Get Smart etc just to name but a few.
He is said that he could turn anything into whatever that is needed. Just watching some of the sets he had designed was really cool. He spells success at what you do and that is exactly what we needed at this moment.You inspired us.

      Willie Burton:

The sound engineer. Two time oscar winner for sound. Is the first black to actually be accepted in the International Sound Technician Union making him one of the pioneers in his field. He has done sound for films such as the Shawshank Redemption, Which actually is an excellent film and Dream girls which also bagged him one of his Oscar award. He trained as an electronic technology and engineering which first him a job at the navy.

 
 Mercy Murugi, The director of Kibera Film School and a trustee of Hotsun Foundation together with Alfrie Woodard at the Hotsun foundation Premises.
This was a great moment for  everyone including our trustees who facilitated the whole event. Kudos and Thumbs up for all of you.

And it was time for a group Photo with everyone in the school and nobody wanted to miss out on this rare memorabilia. A chance that got us to meet Hollywood's finest. And so everyone grabbed a spot. Forever we shall cherish this moment its written in our hearts and minds too.











This was a good experience for the  film student and interns at the foundation. It is with deep gratitude that we want to thank the Guests for taking their time off the busy schedule just to be able to be there and share with us. Indeed we are humbled and we want you to come back again, Welcome and Karibu sana. And to the Trustees Thanks for giving us this rare opportunity. Thank you so much.


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