A goat for a vote
The recent elections in their country have left many Kenyans feeling relieved. Although not free of suspicions of fraud, the elections, held in 2013, proceeded in relative calm compared to the large-scale outbreaks of violence four years ago.
At Majaoni Secondary School a next generation of Kenyan voters learn about democracy. It is the annual school elections, and three students compete for the prestigious position of school president. Magdalene, who has to prove herself in an environment dominated by boys, aims to unite her fellow female students in a fight for equal rights. Harry, who lives in a poor area of town, hopes that becoming school president can help him to take care of his family in the future. And the charming Said, known by his friends as the drill sergeant of the scouts club; he is a fast learner in the game of Kenyan politics.
It is the endless enthusiasm and motivation of these three candidates that predicts a fierce election battle.
- Director: Jeroen van Velzen
- DOP: Stef Tijdink
- Sound: Robil Rahantoeknam
- Production manager Kenya & director's assistant: Esther Eenstroom
- Editor: Daan Wijdeveld
- Sound design: Alex Booy
- Titles and poster: Ingrid van der Meulen
- Grading: Michiel Rummens
- Producers: Maarten van der Ven & Hasse van Nunen
- Broadcaster: IKON
- Sales Agent: Scorpion TV
- Length: 50'
- In co-production with: Venfilm
- Status: finished, 2014
- With the financial support of the Dutch Cultural Media Fund
Awards and nominations:
- Nomination Golden Calf for Best Short Documentary - Netherlands Film Festival
- Nominated for the „Leipzig Ring“ - awarded by the Stiftung Friedliche Revolution for the best documentary about the subject of democracy
- Special mention at Docudays: „A brilliant metaphor of the political scene - which is very local in character - has a universal appeal and a simplicity of message - which proves that sometimes even focusing on whats close by and seemingly insignificant can portray mechanisms that drive politics and societies."
- Opening film at Más Film Festival in Nicaragua
- Won the "Vision Jeune" award at Millenium Festival in Brussels - Belgium
Festivals:
- Traverse City Film Festival - 2014 - USA
- Netherlands Film Festival - 2014 - The Netherlands
- Camden International Film Festival - 2014 - USA
- DokLeipzig - 2014 - Germany
- Document International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival - 2014 - Scotland
- Guth Gafa Documentary Festival - 2014 - Ireland
- VERZIO International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival - 2014 - Hungary
- One World International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival - 2015 - Czech Republic - Romania - Slovakia
- Docudays International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival - 2015 - Ukraine
- Sarasota Film Festival - 2015 - USA
- Pop Up Cinema - 2015 - The Netherlands
- AfryKamera African Film Festival - 2015 - Poland
- One World sister's film festival "Más" - 2015 - Nicaragua
- Tenemos que ver Film Festival - 2015 - Uruguay
- Festival Internacional de Cine de Derechos Humanos - 2015 - Argentina
- DOK Leipzig Lake Festival - 2016 - India
- International Film Festival Monterey - 2015 - CA, USA
- International Human Rights Festival Albania - 2015 - Albania
- Split Film Festival - 2015 - Kroatia
- Filmfest Eberswalde - 2015 - Germany
- CinéDoc Tblisi - 2015 - Georgia
- Beacon Independent Film Festival - 2015 - NY, USA
- Encounters Film Festival - 2015 - South-Africa
- I Will Tell International Film Festival - 2015 - London, UK
- Africa World Documentary Festival - 2015 - VS - Nigeria - Barbados - Jamaica - South-Afrika
A goat for a vote
The recent elections in their country have left many Kenyans feeling relieved. Although not free of suspicions of fraud, the elections, held in 2013, proceeded in relative calm compared to the large-scale outbreaks of violence four years ago.
At Majaoni Secondary School a next generation of Kenyan voters learn about democracy. It is the annual school elections, and three students compete for the prestigious position of school president. Magdalene, who has to prove herself in an environment dominated by boys, aims to unite her fellow female students in a fight for equal rights. Harry, who lives in a poor area of town, hopes that becoming school president can help him to take care of his family in the future. And the charming Said, known by his friends as the drill sergeant of the scouts club; he is a fast learner in the game of Kenyan politics.
It is the endless enthusiasm and motivation of these three candidates that predicts a fierce election battle.
- Director: Jeroen van Velzen
- DOP: Stef Tijdink
- Sound: Robil Rahantoeknam
- Production manager Kenya & director's assistant: Esther Eenstroom
- Editor: Daan Wijdeveld
- Sound design: Alex Booy
- Titles and poster: Ingrid van der Meulen
- Grading: Michiel Rummens
- Producers: Maarten van der Ven & Hasse van Nunen
- Broadcaster: IKON
- Sales Agent: Scorpion TV
- Length: 50'
- In co-production with: Venfilm
- Status: finished, 2014
- With the financial support of the Dutch Cultural Media Fund
Awards and nominations:
- Nomination Golden Calf for Best Short Documentary - Netherlands Film Festival
- Nominated for the „Leipzig Ring“ - awarded by the Stiftung Friedliche Revolution for the best documentary about the subject of democracy
- Special mention at Docudays: „A brilliant metaphor of the political scene - which is very local in character - has a universal appeal and a simplicity of message - which proves that sometimes even focusing on whats close by and seemingly insignificant can portray mechanisms that drive politics and societies."
- Opening film at Más Film Festival in Nicaragua
- Won the "Vision Jeune" award at Millenium Festival in Brussels - Belgium
Festivals:
- Traverse City Film Festival - 2014 - USA
- Netherlands Film Festival - 2014 - The Netherlands
- Camden International Film Festival - 2014 - USA
- DokLeipzig - 2014 - Germany
- Document International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival - 2014 - Scotland
- Guth Gafa Documentary Festival - 2014 - Ireland
- VERZIO International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival - 2014 - Hungary
- One World International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival - 2015 - Czech Republic - Romania - Slovakia
- Docudays International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival - 2015 - Ukraine
- Sarasota Film Festival - 2015 - USA
- Pop Up Cinema - 2015 - The Netherlands
- AfryKamera African Film Festival - 2015 - Poland
- One World sister's film festival "Más" - 2015 - Nicaragua
- Tenemos que ver Film Festival - 2015 - Uruguay
- Festival Internacional de Cine de Derechos Humanos - 2015 - Argentina
- DOK Leipzig Lake Festival - 2016 - India
- International Film Festival Monterey - 2015 - CA, USA
- International Human Rights Festival Albania - 2015 - Albania
- Split Film Festival - 2015 - Kroatia
- Filmfest Eberswalde - 2015 - Germany
- CinéDoc Tblisi - 2015 - Georgia
- Beacon Independent Film Festival - 2015 - NY, USA
- Encounters Film Festival - 2015 - South-Africa
- I Will Tell International Film Festival - 2015 - London, UK
- Africa World Documentary Festival - 2015 - VS - Nigeria - Barbados - Jamaica - South-Afrika