GeoBrief.TV Movies

Tracking Local Development in West Africa: A Holistic and Participatory Approach

k.a.m.vandergeest (Kees van der Geest) — 4 Apr 2009 23:02:47 GMT

In this video Prof Ton Dietz (University of Amsterdam) introduces the methodology of a research project that aims to improve the evaluation of development interventions in Africa. The research approach is participatory and holistic. The video contains an interview supported with images from the field (Northern Ghana and Southern Burkina Faso).

In Search Of Teachers

hkruijer@xs4all.nl (Herman Kruijer) — 14 Jan 2009 05:49:12 GMT

Within the framework of Education for All, Tanzania has implemented a program for free Universal Primary Education in 2002. The results are impressive: the Nett Enrollment Rate increased to more than 97% in 2007. However, this quantitative success created an urgent lack of teachers. ‘There are many schools, but very little education.’ This situation evoked the question: ‘What makes young people decide to join the teaching profession, what are their experiences in the profession and how do they see their future as a teacher? Will they stay, or will they leave?’ In the impressive documentary In Search of Teachers by Herman Kruijer, Tanzanian teachers tell about their work and life.

Forestgarden

K.Kusters@uva.nl (Koen Kusters) — 1 Oct 2008 22:19:33 GMT

Forestgarden is a short documentary about Mister Atori, a 'forest farmer' in Indonesia. He derives his income from trees, without having to cut them. His farm looks and functions like a tropical forest. But, can his environmentally friendly farm stand the test of time and pressures of modernity - what happens when Mister Atori needs more money?

Hong Kong: The political economy of urban development

francesca.miazzo@gmail.com (Francesca Miazzo, Jelle Adamse, & Anna Hult) — 17 Apr 2008 00:52:58 GMT

During the summer 2007, the department of Urban Planning of the UvA organized a study trip in Hong Kong. We decided to realize a research about the political economy of urban development of the metropolitan area. We realized a movie because we wanted to show the incredible variety of images that this city provided to us.

We visited governmental spatial planning and infrastructure agencies, private transport and real estate development companies. Then we attained field trips to the new towns in the periphery of the Hong Kong metropolis. Moreover, we witnessed the strategy behind a project characterized by a comprehensive combination of metro-station-shopping center-and real estate development.

The video summarizes the new experiences and inspirations that Hong Kong gave to us. It is divided in four sections according to the indicators provided by the comprehensive framework developed by H.V. Savitch and Paul Kantor in their book Cities in the international marketplace:

   1. market position
   2. intergovernmental support
   3. public control
   4. local culture

Een Rattenvanger in Amsterdam: Feit of Fabel?

R.T.W.H.Veldhuis@uva.nl (Reyna Veldhuis) — 12 Dec 2007 10:20:14 GMT

The public space of the street used to be a child space, but has been transformed into an adult space. Conversely, private home space -- traditionally the domain of adults -- has become a child space. Over time, children's geographies have become more diverse. In addition to the traditional childhood of outdoor children, we distinguish indoor children and children of the backseat generation. These two new types are characterized by a decrease in playing outdoors and an increase in adult supervision. Although this may be regarded as a loss, new children's activities have emerged, outdoors as well as indoors. Contemporary cities can be exciting places for children, but it is clear that inequality by class has become more manifest. Both new geographical childhoods have resulted in a decrease in children's agency, which may have a negative impact on segregation patterns.

Studies which were based on oral histories, statistical and archive research, and observations in Amsterdam, compared children's use of space during the 1950s and early 1960s with that of today.

The documentary Een rattenvanger in Amsterdam: Feit of fabel? illustrates a small part of Children's studies, one of the fastest growing fields in the social sciences.

Weg van West

info@geobrief.tv (Irene Mokkink, Daniel Gulpers, Rachel Morssink, Joris Lohman) — 8 Dec 2007 16:33:47 GMT

Weg van West is a twelve-minute documentary about Ali Baddaou, who works in Slotervaart, Amsterdam. He organises sports events for children. We get to know Ali and his view on the situation in Slotervaart, a part of the city of Amsterdam which is seen as a problematic and having a low socio-economic status. Slotervaart is inhabited by people of numerous different ethnic, religious and cultural background.

Shit and Chicks

info@geobrief.tv (Kees van der Geest) — 9 Jun 2007 20:45:43 GMT

Shit and Chicks is a peaceful portrait of a farmer in the remote savannah of Northwest Ghana. He uses an age-old technique to feed his small chickens. Detached, and seemingly unnoticed by the farmer, the camera registers the man's activities. Initially, it is hard to tell what exactly he is doing, but in the end, the pieces fall together in a thrilling close-up.

New Ways for China. Car-Based Urban Economy as a Way Forward?

info@geobrief.tv (Marco te Brommelstroet, Renting Xu) — 9 Jun 2007 20:45:43 GMT

China is facing urgent and growing problems. Pursuing economic growth means coping with a strong urbanization trend and increasing traffic problems. As can be seen in western countries, urbanization, urban form and car use are strongly interrelated issues. Are Chinese cities learning from past western experiences or are they making similar mistakes?

Fighting Together: An Ethnography of a Cancer Ward in Kenya

info@geobrief.tv (Benson Mulemi) — 8 Jun 2007 23:47:21 GMT

This short documentary tells about the cancer crisis in Kenya and how the patients and their families are struggling to restore wellbeing despite protracted treatment.

Milonga de los Inquietos

info@geobrief.tv (Eeke Jagers) — 5 Apr 2007 01:16:10 GMT

A short film about how Argentinians and foreigners in Buenos Aires, Argentina relate to the culture of the tango. This documentary is part of Eeke Jagers' thesis Tango dansen of tangorelaties.

Gentrification in Prenzlauerberg, Berlin

info@geobrief.tv (Anne Blankert, Ivo Snijders, Joris Oele, Sara Meek) — 5 Apr 2007 01:14:09 GMT

What is the driving force behind the process of gentrification in Prenzlauerberg, Berlin? Four of our students went to Berlin and produced this documentary.

Urban Renewal and the Olympics - The Barcelona Story

5 Apr 2007 01:10:10 GMT

Five students went to Barcelona to see how the 1992 Olympics had an influence on urban renewal processes. Their documentary shows what relics of the Olymbics are visible in todays Barcelona, and what role they play today.

If you do good

info@geobrief.tv (Marloes Kraan) — 13 Jun 2006 11:00:00 GMT

This ten-minute film portrays a fishing expedition as it currently is done in Ghana by Anlo-Ewe beach seine fishermen. This film, named after the canoe featuring in the film, has been shot on one day, in a village called Akosua Village (Central Region). It is a film that speaks for itself. The only sound is that of the rhythm of the waves and of the singing and talking fishermen. Beach seine fishing is done by the Anlo-Ewe for more than 100 years, after the net was introduced by a woman named Afedima, a female entrepreneur from Woe (Volta Region). She had bought the net from the Europeans around 1860. The local name of the net is yevudor, which means white man's net. The fishermen in the film are migrants, who started fishing in this village about 100 years ago. The film shows clearly that there is no by-catch; all fish caught is used.

Bittersweet

info@geobrief.tv (Anna Laven) — 30 Jun 2006 00:00:00 GMT

In the complex and global cocoa industry, there are vast numbers of cocoa farmers, yet they represent the weakest link in the economic chain. Processes of globalization and liberalization have affected their livelihood adversely; with minimal access to resources, the farmers have difficulty anticipating, understanding and responding to these global developments. One would imagine that the farmers would organize to combat unfair practices. Ghanaian farmers, however, are not particularly interested in working together; they prefer to wait for support from the government, from buyers and from donors, insisting that without this help they would be forced to continue employing their children as farmhands. As we listen to the stories told by the farmers, chocolate, which once tasted so sweet, starts to take on a bitter taste...