Movies News
Cinema is a crime in Somalia
By M&C News
Sep 7, 2006, 9:13 GMT

Toronto, ON (PRWEB)  -- On the eve of the Toronto International Film Festival, Canadian filmmakers lament that it’s suddenly a crime to watch a movie in Somalia -- a movie, a video, or a television show. Even music is now forbidden in this East African country. Over the last few weeks the international media has reported several instances of United Islamic Courts (UIC) gunmen storming into full movie houses and arresting everyone, including women and children.

Hundreds of people, sitting quietly watching a movie are rounded up forcibly and severely punished or even killed. The UIC, who control the capitol and much of Somalia, have decreed entertainment activities such as going to the movies or watching soccer on TV to be prohibited.

For the last 15 years Somalia has suffered through drought, floods, famine and warlords. Day to day life meant violence, fear and bribing gunmen high on quat, (an amphetamine-like leaf that is chewed). So, when the UIC seized military control of Somalia this summer, there was hope for a better life. But this seems to come at a cost in the form of strict controls and restrictions on the Somali people. As reported on SomaliNet as well as other news agencies, the UIC has announced a series of decrees for the local population, -- including one forbidding movies, music, films and television shows.

Storytelling has always been an ancient custom with the Somali people who have a vivid oral history of stories, song and poems. Their love of cinema is simply a modern continuation of their tradition of storytelling. But storytelling via celluloid is now strictly forbidden.

This whole situation doesn’t sit well with documentary filmmakers Laura J. Forth and James A . Smith, whose newly released film, ‘Leopards in the Snow,’ a documentary about Somalia.

“We thought a screening in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu would be a way of honoring them -- we’ve grown to love them so much as a people, says director Laura J. Forth.

“'Leopards in the Snow' features Somalis telling in their own words what they’ve been through in terms of the civil war and the personal suffering they’ve endured. It gives a message of hope and also peace. We support peace in Somalia. We don't believe in violence. We’ve been invited all over the world to show this movie – from Sweden to Minneapolis. Finland TV is considering it, as are the BBC and PBS, but no one in Somalia is allowed to watch it. They’d be given 40 lashes or worse.”

From her Toronto production office Forth adds, ‘I find it incredibly ironic that on the eve of the Toronto International Film Festival nobody here in Toronto seems to care. Innocent people are being hurt and persecuted just for going to the movies. How sad is that?”

‘Leopards in the Snow’ was exclusively funded through OMNI's Independent Producers Initiative. This seven-year funding commitment by OMNI was initiated and made available for independent producers to create third-language/ethnocultural programming. The documentaries are broadcast in their original language and transcribed into English as well as a range of other languages.

Rogers OMNI Television is a free over-the-air system consisting of four regional broadcasters covering nine markets in: British Columbia (Victoria, Vancouver, and Fraser Valley), Manitoba (Winnipeg), and Ontario (Ottawa-Gatineau, London, Kitchener-Waterloo, Hamilton and the Greater Toronto Area). All Rogers OMNI Television stations are owned and operated by Rogers Communications in the Rogers Media division, and have the collective mandate to reflect Canada’s diversity through the airing of inclusive and accessible programming. In addition to specializing in Canadian multicultural, multilingual and multi-faith programming, OMNI TV also carries well-known American and International series and films.