EGYPTIAN CHILDREN'S VIDEO ANIMATION WORK FEATURED AT BEIRUT FILM FESTIVAL

Making "Rebellion of the Canes"

Cairo, October 14, 2004 – A documentary film produced by UNICEF Egypt featuring the efforts of young Egyptian video animators has received its first public screening at Lebanon's International Film Festival for Children and Youth.

The documentary, entitled "Rebellion of the Canes", directed by British film-maker Oliver Wilkins, was among some one hundred films from twenty-four countries shown at the seven-day Festival, which ended in Beirut on October 14.

"Rebellion of the Canes" follows the experiences of a group of children who spent five days in Minya earlier this year making a series of short animation films on the theme of children's rights. The documentary charts the young animators' progress as their work moves from concept to storyboard and finally to finished animation.

The film's focus is the creation – entirely by the children themselves -- of a two-minute cartoon feature satirizing the use of corporal punishment in Egyptian schools. In it, the teachers' canes come to life, and discover that they have other uses beyond beating children.

Among the audience in Beirut was Erling Ericsson, the Swedish television producer who has pioneered the teaching of simple video animation techniques to children in Egypt and elsewhere.

For further information please contact:

Simon Ingram, UNICEF, Communication Officer / Cairo
Singram@unicef.org
Tel: (202) 5265083-87 Ext 210 / 208
Fax: (202) 5264218