In a groundbreaking collaboration between Kininso Koncepts and Studio Dries Verhoeven, the digital culture project titled “Dear Beloved Friend” has garnered a prestigious nomination for the Golden Calf Awards at the Netherlands Film Festival.
According to Joshua Alabi, who runs the production company, “One of our recent projects at Kininso in collaboration with Studio Dries Verhoeven, ‘Dear Beloved Friend’ has been nominated for the Golden Calf Awards for Best Digital Culture at the Netherlands Film Festival and is showing everyday until Thursday. If you are or know anyone around Utrecht, please visit and watch”.
This thought-provoking project explores the complex relationship between Africa and the global North through a livestream performance that challenges traditional narratives and perceptions.
The festival’s website says “Dear Beloved Friend” invites viewers to delve into the heart of Nollywood, the African movie industry’s epicentre. Nigerian performers reach out to a European theatre audience, raising questions about how each side perceives the other. The project, it adds, critically examines the archetypical images of Africa often portrayed in Western media, including stories of refugee flows and desperation, juxtaposed with narratives of internet scammers and objectification.
What makes “Dear Beloved Friend” truly unique is its interactive approach. European theatregoers can witness the live performance via a high-speed internet connection, allowing them to engage with the thought-provoking content in real-time. However, as the performance unfolds, the tables turn. With the help of a slow-moving webcam, Nigerian performers begin to examine the European audience, bridging the gap and initiating a dialogue between these two distinct worlds.
The Netherlands Film Festival is proud to showcase “Dear Beloved Friend” daily until Thursday, providing an opportunity for audiences to experience this innovative project firsthand. If you’re in or around Utrecht, don’t miss the chance to be a part of this thought-provoking exploration of culture, perception and identity.
Event Details
Date: September 26 to September 28, 2023
Time: 9 am – 9 pm
Location: Storyspace 3, Utrecht
Price: Free admission
“Dear Beloved Friend” is directed by Dries Verhoeven and produced by Kininso Koncepts. It challenges conventional narratives, offering a fresh perspective on the portrayal of Africa in global media. This thought-provoking project invites us all to reconsider how we perceive the world and ourselves.
For more information and to book tickets, visit the official festival page, https://www.filmfestival.nl/film/dear-beloved-friend.
