CULTURAL diversity will be the major topic of discussion at the world summit (2002) of the Women in Film and Television International (WIFTI). As such, hundreds of industry practitioners from around the world are expected to converge on Montego Bay to be involved in the four-day summit, dubbed 'One Pot Stew'.
Among the issues to be discussed is the importance of physical appearance in news journalism. In a panel titled The Television Journalist: Is It What We Look Like or What We Say? the issue of whether (or how) factors such as age and perceptions of beauty affect whether anchors and field journalists are hired by broadcasting stations.
Yvette Rowe, the moderator of the Caribbean Institute of Mass Communications, Fredricka Whitfield of CNN; Kate Adie of the BBC; and Lone Kuhlmann of WIFT Denmark, will be on the panel.
Most of the summit focuses on issues which deal with the industry in general, not just the female members. One of the panel discussions, which will target this, will be in the form of a lunch and forum in which Del Crookes, Jamaica's Film Commissioner, will present on what the Caribbean needs to move from being mere consumers of films to being producers.
Another such panel discussion will deal with the need for co-production treaties. The latter will include Ina Fichman (moderator), Chair WIFTI; Clare Wise, British Film Commissioner - Director Film Council; Jocelyn Josiah, UNESCO Cultural Director - Caribbean; Vanessa Jansen - Chairperson, Women of the Sun; and Hilary Nicolson, Producer, Video For Change - Jamaica.
Other discussions focusing on diversity will look at whether diversity in film and television involves more than simply showing different faces while another will focus attention on diversity in television.
Several other panels should also be of particular interest to Jamaican (and the rest of the Third World) film and television industry personnel. These include a look at how cheaper technology can be utilised, putting together the finances for a project, and whether 'the rest of the world' is able to capture television time in major markets.
The issue of diversity will also be tackled by the films screened. Four of those films will be coming out of South Africa, brought by a five-member delegation of directors and producers from the Women of the Sun of South Africa.
Joyce Sikhakhane-Rankin's acclaimed hour-long documentary, Zimbabwe: The New Struggle is one of the films to be screened.
Zimbabwe: The New Struggle was produced five years after Zimbabwe gained its independence. The film reportedly discusses issues of modernisation (including an interview with Prime Minister Robert Mugabe), taking into perspective the relevance of telecommunications and culture. Zimbabwe: The New Struggle also provides a historical overview of Zimbabwe. This includes going back to 'the days of Great Zimbabwe'. Great Zimbabwe was a city built by the country's indigenous people in 1200A.D.
The other three films to be presented by the South African delegation are: Malawian Kiss: Tale of the Tukamanies and Wild Women and Angels, and Strong Enough.
Strong Enough is a 30-minute documentary, by Penny Gaines, based on the struggles faced by a pioneering community of fisherwomen just living in the peri-urban area outside of Cape Town.
Wild Women and Angels is also a documentary centered around women. It focuses on South African women and their perceptions of sex appeal. As such, the documentary features a wide range of South African women including politicians, entertainers, artistes and businesswomen.
Along with three days of discussions and workshops, the organisation will present the inaugural Mahogany Awards to the women of CNN. The women of CNN are being presented with the award for their work in the field as anchors and as producers. Fredrika Whitfield, news anchor for CNN Sunday and CNN Saturday, will collect on behalf of the female journalists of CNN. Whitfield will also give the keynote address on Thursday morning.
'One Pot Stew', will last from October 23 -26, at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Montego Bay.
