Unhappy memories

Kayse talked to the school children about his experiences during the civil war (that broke out after the events in the story of 'QUELEH'.)
Things got even more difficult for him when we drove through a 'guilty landscape.' Here's his reaction.

What's your nickname?

Mohamed Hassan must have been somewhat  underwhelmed by my Somali introduction... In the schoolyard he asked me in English "what is your nickname?" He turns out to be 16 (looking like 12) and the son of an SNM rebel. He goes to the orphan school. He will be present at the pre-casting session tomorrow evening.

Rudimentary Somali...

I was rewarded with applause as well as laughter when I introduced myself in Somali to the children of one of the orphan schools in Hargeisa. A logo on the clasroom wall read: LEARN TO DAY TEACH TOMOROW (sic) so I thought I'd comply. Subtitles are in Dutch but I think the Anglos will understand anyway..

Wise words from Mr Yankee Kilo...

Mr Yankee Kilo is a free-lance public relations manager (visa-fixer) : WE'RE NOT ON THE MOON, WE'RE IN AFRICA.

Casting... how to start

This morning we had our first improvised pre-casting session at a state school. We have yet to find a sensible and effective way to approach the possible Geeles en Nuuras (official Somaliland spelling.) Here are our first two possible candidates.

Words of advice from the government of Somaliland...

Casting preparations

Mustafa and Lula doing the Somali translation of the casting letter. There are no Somali word for 'casting' and 'audition'....

Interesting faces...

University of Hergeisa

Today we were guests at the graduation ceremony of the University of Hargeisa. The president addresses the graduates.

Lobster?

Yes, lobster. Funky, fresh Red Sea lobster. Wine-cold-turkey is kicking in already...

meetings, meetings, meetings...

Today we met with the Secretary General of the Ministery of Information, the head mistress of a state secondary school and the Minister of Education. We are trying to come up with the best way to approach children and their parents... 'Eat fish, it has Omega 3' according to the Fish and Steak restaurant. I complied...

Arrived in Hergeisa

Guillaume, Kayse and Roelof Jan arrived in Hargeisa yesterday after a bumpy overland journey from Jijigga, Ethiopia. It feels good to be back in Somaliland!

We met the new Minister of Foreign Affairs and started location scouting.

In memory of Abdi Ismael Jama

Abdi graduated from the NFTA (The Dutch Film School in Amsterdam) in 2002 with Nolocha (Somali for 'life') which  was shown at the FESPACO film festival in Ougadougou, Burkina Faso. His dream was to make a film about his childhood in Somalia in the nineteen eighties. He managed to befriend quite a few people who were willing to help him make this dream come true: several writers, producers and funders were intrigued by Abdi's unconventional look on life and joined him on his journey.


He died when his dream had come within his reach. It would have been insufferable if his dream had died with him. It was therefore decided that Abdi's film would still be made.                                                                                            Click here for a short film in memory of Abdi.                                                            

Here is a blog about Abdi by fellow film student Ramin Farahani (in Dutch.)

RJ and Kayse on their way to Somaliland by way of Ethiopia

The tickets have finally been booked. Kayse (our Somali-Dutch central controlling midfielder) and I will travel to Somaliland on the 21st of September.

We will return on the 22nd of December. In Hargeisa we will be joined by  Guillaume De Sailles (our French producert) and Lula Ismael (pictured right) our Somali-Djiboutian-Canadian actress/interpreter/casting director.