HISTORY
In 1985, Mariet Bakker (lecturer at the Dutch Film and Television Academy) founded the not for profit organisation Notorious Film Distribution to focus on African cinema. What began in 1987 as a retrospective of African cinema, became Europe's first African film festival. Until late eighties there were virtually no festivals devoted to African cinema. Since then African festivals established in France (Angers), Italy (Milan), Switzerland (Zurich) and England (London). In Africa in the Picture Film Festival the emphasis is on new film productions.

Over the years Africa in the Picture has built a loyal audience, an audience looking for different images coming from Africa. In the early years of the festival the focus was on African films and the audience was Dutch or Africans living in Holland. That changed in 1993 when for the first time a selection of films from the African Diaspora was shown. Since then also the Afro-Caribbean audience her way to Africa in the Picture. In 1995 the Festival opened its doors to the cinema of North Africa and thus for the North African communities in the Netherlands. In 2001 the festival was expanded to include the Gay Africa program, initiated by Rudy Chotoe.

In 2005, Africa in the Picture festival became an annual festival and Heidi Lobato (since 2001 financial director of the festival) followed Mariet Bakker as festival director. The festival keeps evolving and changing according to the times. Each year the festival chooses a main theme not only inspired by social actuality but also in the field of African cinema. During the festival, depending on the themes and partners, there are not only films being screened but also (interactive) debates about and sometimes with Africa via live Internet connections, youth projects and parties organized.

A society is never static in a changing globalized world the view on arts and culture evolves. Africa in the Picture is not only a traditional film festival but also a multimedia platform. AITP has a broad, insightfull program that includes established as well as emerging and controversial films and filmmakers.

On Febraury 12, 2019 former director Heidi Lobato officially handed over the baton to artist, director and metteur en scene Oumar Mbengue Atakosso. With the arrival of our new director, the festival can count on a completely new course. AITP will continue focussing on films from makers of the African continent and the African diaspora, but will additionally offer a program of various artistic disciplines of which film and audiovisual productions, multi-media projects and performing arts are central.

With the new course, Oumar Mbengue Atakosso aims to facilitate and anchor the integration of African film, video and multi-media productions, visual art installations and performing art presentations, to create room for discourse on post-colonialism to inform us, to offer socio-antropological perspectives to interest us, and give insights in political culture, economical culture and cultural culture to respond to urgent issues of the avant-garde.

Volunteers
Would you like to work at the festival? We still need volunteers!

We are looking for:
- support for flyer distribution
- assistance in office work
- staff for the information desk
- ushers
- drivers for guest transport

As a volunteer you get free entrance for all the films at the festival and consumption and meal vouchers depending on working hours. You will be asked to work at least three shifts.

For more info you can contact us at info(@)aitp.nl