Maisha film lab accepting applications for 2008 labs

Maisha was founded in 2004 by filmmaker Mira Nair (The Namesake, Monsoon Wedding). Inspired by the rich theatrical and literary traditions she experienced in East Africa, Nair intended Maisha to create a bridge into the cinematic language. Maisha is an annual training lab for filmmaking professionals from East Africa (Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania) and South Asia (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh). We bring internationally renowned mentors to Kampala to impart their knowledge on our participants. Past mentors have included: Mira Nair, Josh Marston (Writer/Director, Maria Full of Grace), Abderrahmane Sissako (Director, Bamako), Barry Alexander Brown (Editor, Inside Man, and Malcolm X), Jason Filardi (Writer, Bringing Down The House), Drew Kunin (Production Sound Recordist, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and Kerwin DeVonish (2nd Unit DP, Inside Man)

Maisha is seeking applications from Screenwriters, Directors, Editors, Sound Recordist and Cinematographers for our 2008 Annual Lab that will be held in Kampala, Uganda. Maisha trains in the short film format and requires a maximum of a 10 page scripts from the Screenwriters/Directors using natural light. The technical crews must send in samples of there previous work. The 25-day Lab begins with 12 selected screenwriter/directors who have been selected by a 35-person international reading committee based on their submitted short film scripts. For 7 days, they participate in intensive screenwriting workshops and one-on-one mentor meetings, also having time allotted to revise their work and discuss films. Simultaneously, 9 trainees in cinematography, sound recording, and editing work with mentors in their own specialties. At the end of this first week, the mentors discuss the projects with Maisha’s administrative teams, and three filmmakers are selected to shoot their projects. The remaining filmmakers become production managers and first assistant directors, and 3 production teams are assembled to start production.

MAISHA IS CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR OUR FILMMAKING LAB FOR JULY/AUGUST 2008. THE APPLICATION DEADLINE IS February 1ST, 2008 FOR ALL APPLICANTS.

This past year, the three short films produced at the Maisha lab were screened during the Kenya International Film Festival, they will also be screened at the People’s Forum in Uganda in mid-November and have been submitted to various film festivals. The 3 shorts are: Must Be A God-Fearing Christian Girl, written and directed by Wanjiru Kairu from Kenya. The Trip , written and directed by James Gayo from Tanzania, and What Happened in Room 13 , written and directed by Dilman Dila from Uganda . Maisha will also be hosting a mini 7 day Lab during the People’s Forum with the support of the Commonwealth Foundation with the theme of “Realizing People’s Potential.” The mini-labs will become a allow Maisha to hold many more labs during the year.

For more information on our 2008 applications process and about our programs, please contact us at [email][email protected] or visit our website at www.maishafilmlab.com .