We want to recognize the art of inspiration and talents shown by some of African women in the movies industry. These female producers and directors have challenged the status quo and remained committed to push through the glass ceiling:

Shirley Frimpong-Manso (Ghana)

Shirley is Ghanaian award winning film writer and director who is noted for being behind sassy, sexy and films with an intriguing storylines. A former radio personality movie presents the real African perspective as seen through the eyes of Africans. Shirley is the CEO of Sparrow Productions and the winner of the category ‘Best Director’ at the African Movie Academy Awards 2010. Among Shirley Frimpong-Manso’s movies that are widely acclaimed include Adams Apples’, ‘6 Hours to Christmas’.

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Sarah Maldoror (Angola)

Sarah on record is one of the continent’s early female movie producers who set the agenda. Her film ‘Sambizanga’ (1972) is an anti-colonial war which profiled a woman who faces colonial oppression head-on after her husband is imprisoned for his revolutionary activities. Some may consider Sarah Maldoror as an outsider. She was born in Guadeloupe, raised in France and married to Angolan MPLA leader. Nevertheless, Sarah believes the liberation struggles in Africa must be produced into motion pictures. Her films focus upon the struggles for liberation of African people since 1971.

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Fanta Régina Nacro (Burkina Faso)

Fanta Régina Nacro is one of Africa’s female personalities to direct fiction film. Burkina Faso native, Fanta Régina Nacro’s first feature film was ‘The Night of Truth” (La Nuit de la Verite) confronts the issues of genocide and reconciliation in African. The film received its North American premiere at the 2004 Toronto Film Festival. It won the Best Screenplay at the San Sebastian International Film Festival 2004. Among Fanta’s 17 short films are Puk Nini (1995), Le Truk de Konaté (1998), and Bintou (2001).

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Anne Laure Folly (Togo)

Togo’s leading female filmmaker, Anne-Laure Folly, won the Silver Medal at the Monte Carlo Television Festival in 1994 for her documentary Femmes aux Yeux Ouverts, Anne’s works have given her the reputation as a documentary filmmaker with a vision for representing African issues from across the continent. Most of Anne’s focus has been highlighting the plight of African women. Her first film revealed women from Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Senegal speaking about the joys and difficulties of their lives. A documentary ‘Women with Open Eyes’ show the vision of the Togolese filmmaker. It is reinforcing call for African women to play a prominent role in Africa's Affairs.

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Safi Faye (Senegal)

Filmmaking may be a male dominated domain, but that did not scare away Safi Faye who has established herself as a talented African woman and stands out in respect of documentary film making in the world. In 1972, Safi Faye became the first sub-Saharan African woman to make a commercially distributed feature film when she directed "Kaddu Beykat". Safi, a trained ethnologist is credited with documenting the lives of local Senegalese. One of her works was a mixture of fiction and documentary that depicts the economic problems suffered by Senegalese village farmers because of agriculture policies.

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Judy Kibinge (Kenya)

“I find it difficult to generally talk about African Cinema because conditions are different in different countries.” Judy said in an interview with ‘Belinda Otas’. But the Kenyan filmmaker thinks African filmmakers need to be leaders and not followers. Project Daddy, Dangerous Affair, Killer Necklace and A voice in the Dark are among the number of documentaries produced by Judy Kibinge. She is the first black Creative Director in Kenya and has been personally responsible for many award winning adverts. Judy has also written the screenplay for and directed a short film for MNET entitled The Aftermath. She won the overall prize at the Zanzibar Film Festival in 2003.

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Roli Okunowo (Nigeria)

In a country filled with talented filmmaker producers Roli Okunowo is working hard to be counted among the finest. A graduate of Agricultural Studies and Master of Business Administration joined the production industry in 1998 as Client Relations Officer and later rise to the position of Production Manager, and later Producer. Roli has co-produced a wide range of projects including TV Commercials, Documentaries, and Movies etc. She also produced the acclaimed Nigerian Television Show ‘Inside Out with Agatha’. The TV show examines issues that affect the society focusing on the family using the youth as a tool. It is currently being aired on stations around Nigeria. It has been nominated for several awards. Roli Okunowo is the Production Manager.

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Sandra Nashat (Egypt)

An Egyptian director Sandra Nashat is best known for her short film Akher Shita; her debut in the cinema. The theme of her first film Mabrouk Wa Bulbol was modern but of a classical style. She is quoted as saying that the film’s script was aimed at being classical and deliberately directed in a cool and simple story style. She received her bachelor's degree in production.

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Manouchka Kelly Labouba (Gabon)

Manouchka Kelly Labouba is the first female in Gabon’s history to direct a fictional film. Her short film, Le Divorce, addresses the clash between modern and traditional values and its impact on a young Gabonese couple’s attempt to divorce. Magloire and Florence got married traditionally, with the approval of their families. Three years later, they face a serious crisis and want to divorce. But it still has to be done with the consent of their families.

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Kidist Bayelign (Ethiopia)

Etse Belese is the latest film of Kidist Bayelign, an Ethiopian born and raised in Addis Ababa. The Film-maker who studied Psychology from Addis Ababa University has appeared on local television commercials and played the leading role in Ye Lot Shishit (1997). She has produced and directed Hiwote Endewaza (1998) which storyline based was on lives of Ethiopian women in the Middle East. Her latest film ‘Etsebeles’ examines the struggle of four Ethiopian immigrants lives in the united states, reflecting various social problems that thousands of Ethiopians are facing today in north America. The film looks at the underlining factors that drive immigrants to addiction, homelessness and petty crime. Kidist is crusading film-maker whose focus on social and cultural issues in the Ethiopian community has gained her some commendation.

Legal obligation of fathers

By A.G. Kleijweg*

Dear Readers,

Usually, I write about immigration matters. However, this time I‘d like to write about another subject. This article may hold valuable information for the ladies - whether they are residing in The Netherland as irregular or regular immigrants or even as Dutch nationals.

However, this article may strike fear in the hearts of some men, because it is about the legal obligations that fathers have towards their children and how these rights can be enforced. Of course I am joking a bit here because I think most men are doing what they are supposed to do. Some are not and this article is about the manners they can be obliged to acknowledge their children and contribute to the cost of the livelihood of the children.

As an Immigration lawyer, I often see women who are single parents with children of which the father is known but does not acknowledge nor support the child financially.

That is sad because the fact that the relationship ended is one thing, but the children are not to blame for that. Often these children end up in an impossible situation. Not only financially, but often without the nationality of the father or even without residence permit.

I have my thoughts about that and I want to share a few of these thoughts with TAB readers.

What is a child?

For the purpose of this article, a child is any person under the age of eighteen years, no matter the nationality or other status. I am speaking about every child, so there is no difference to be made between children of a mother who is an irregular immigrant and children who are regular immigrants or Dutch nationals.

What obligations have a father towards his child?

The minimum is the obligation to acknowledge the fact that the child is his. The child has the right to know the parents. The parents are both responsible for the upbringing of the child and at least its livelihood. So in short, the least thing a child can claim from the father is knowing the father; fact which must be proven by the registration of the father’s name in the birth-certificate. Also, the child can claim, under circumstances even until after the eighteenth birthday financial support from the father.

To avoid all kinds of legal definitions, the basic rule is, gentleman; if you contribute in making a baby, you are obliged to contribute in the upbringing of the baby. If you do not obey this simple rule, the law is at the side of the mother and child to make you contribute. It is that simple.

How could this benefit a child and the mother?

Aside from the fact that the child has the right to know its ancestors for many personal reasons, a child usually receives the nationality of the father as a right of birth.

So, if it is formally established that the father of a child has the Dutch nationality, the child is Dutch. That can make a difference for you if born by a mother who is an irregular immigrant.

Also, the child has the right to inherit from the father. Even if the father is not rich, this can be relevant at some stage in the life of the child. This does not matter where in the world the child will be living then.

Further, the child has the right to receive financial support from the father. This is also relevant, certainly if money is tight. This obligation for the father to support the child remains, no matter where the father and child are living. So, if the child gets relocated to a country in Africa for example, and the father moves to another country as well, the obligation is still there.

All together, a father should acknowledge his children and support them, no matter where in the world these children live. If the father is reluctant, there are lawyers who can encourage him.

What are the circumstances under which to consult a lawyer on this?

There must be a woman with a child, born or not yet born; a man who is the alleged father and reasonable arguments and evidence that suggest this man is the father. It’s the child and the mother that must substantiate the claim that the man is indeed the father of the child. One must have a credible claim that is supported by some evidence of any kind. One can think of letters, text-messages, statements from people who knew of the relationship with the man; anything to support the claim.

What to do to effectuate the claim?

If there is reasonable evidence to support the claim, one can ask the court to declare that the specific man is the father of the child. The court will have a look at the case and if the evidence is compelling enough, and the man still denies being the father, the court is likely to enable the man to do a DNA-test to prove that he is not the father. DNA evidence is very conclusive. If the man refuses to undergo the DNA test, the court is inclined to conclude that the man is the father, unless and until proven otherwise. Against this judgement the man can make an appeal, but it seems rather impossible to win this appeal other than undergo a DNA-test that gives the outcome he is not the father.

What is the result of the court’s decision?

The father becomes the official father of the child. The child gets (also) the nationality of the father and the father is legally obliged to contribute financially. Maybe the court’s decision will even be relevant for the mother’s residential status.

What to do when going to visit any lawyer?

For those who want to visit a lawyer, I advise them to take the following steps: Always ask whether the first visit is for free and always make an appointment. Gather all the correspondence and paperwork about the problem you have. Even if this information is not so flattering for the client, take them. Make sure to tell your lawyer the full story at the first meeting.

What to do when you want to visit our office?

Readers who are in need of legal support are welcome to visit our office for free consultation, but make sure to make an appointment. For an appointment call 070 427 3215 and explain to our Secretary what your question is.

Do not hold any information back because our Secretary will decide if and when an appointment is possible and which lawyer in our office is best qualified for the specific problem.

When you come to the appointment, bring all information that is available. Only then can we judge the case and make good use of the time.

*A.G. Kleijweg. Balen van Andelplein 2^e, 2273 KH Voorburg - 070.427.3215 - kleijweg@skv-advocatenkantoor.nl

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May 2012 Edition

African women behind the cameras telling the African Stories

Legal obligation of fathers

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