★★★★☆ The wondrously lensed The Supreme Price (2014) is a documentary of particular note. It takes on the threads of the construction of the family unit, the power of the African woman and wife, and the pressures of national history as personal heritage. Director Joanna Lipper provides a crucial window into the lives of politicised women and one woman in particular: the daughter of the former democratically elected Nigerian president M.K.O. Abiola and Kudirat Abiola, Hafsat Abiola. This is a perfectly wrought documentary, teased out delicately and respectfully but also completely. It will challenge viewers' but also serve as a call to action, no matter what cause it may be.
- 5/21/2015
- by CineVue UK
- CineVue
Hafsat Abiola was a student at Harvard when she learned that her father, Nigerian President-elect M.K.O. Abiola, was in prison. Moshood was a Muslim who had managed to appeal to his country's Christian majority and, in 1996, to win Nigeria's most fair and democratic presidential election in decades. A military coup soon after prevented M.K.O. from taking office. While he was incarcerated, his wife, Kudirat, led Nigeria's pro-democracy movement, and Hafsat became an international activist. In the new documentary The Supreme Price, director Joanna Lipper watches Hafsat and her siblings grapple with their parents' legacy, with what it means to be Nigerian and what it would take to make their country a fair and democratic place. No hashtag activist, Lipper does an e...
- 10/1/2014
- Village Voice
In 1993, after years of military rule, Nigerians elected M.K.O. Abiola president. But he never took office — the election was nullified by the military, Abiola was eventually imprisoned, and one of his four wives, Kudirat, took his place as a champion of democracy and women's rights. Soon, she was assassinated. Pairing this history with the present-day efforts of the couple's eloquent daughter Hafsat Abiola, Joanna Lipper's The Supreme Price takes viewers to a country where working for human rights comes with the very real possibility of losing one's life. Though it doesn't answer every question it
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- 6/24/2014
- by John DeFore
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Here's a look at a documentary project we've been tracking for about 2 years, titled "The Supreme Price" - a USA/Nigeria production from director Joanna Lipper, about the pro-democracy movement in Nigeria and efforts to increase the participation of women in leadership roles - which is scheduled to screen at the ongoing traveling Human Rights Watch Film Festival, which is currently parked in Chicago, until the 22nd of this month. Here's the longer story: The Supreme Price tells the story of Hafsat Abiola --- a daughter determined to realize her parents’ dreams of alleviating poverty and bringing democracy to Nigeria. In 1993, while Hafsat studied at Harvard, her father,...
- 6/16/2014
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
The Supreme Price Photo: Joanna Lipper
At a time when the kidnap of girls in Nigeria is making headlines around the world, one woman’s documentary is poised to make people more aware of the wider issues women in the country face. The Supreme Price, set to have its New York première at the Human Rights Watch Festival next month, looks at the story of Hafsat Abiola and, though this, at the need for change so that women’s concerns can be properly addressed by the government. These are issues, says Lipper, that had concerned her for many years. The opportunity to get closer to the subject arose when she was invited to present some of her photography in Lagos. Taking the opportunity to visit Hafsat’s headquarters and meet the staff there, she realised there was a possibility of making a film. What she needed to do was find sufficient funds.
At a time when the kidnap of girls in Nigeria is making headlines around the world, one woman’s documentary is poised to make people more aware of the wider issues women in the country face. The Supreme Price, set to have its New York première at the Human Rights Watch Festival next month, looks at the story of Hafsat Abiola and, though this, at the need for change so that women’s concerns can be properly addressed by the government. These are issues, says Lipper, that had concerned her for many years. The opportunity to get closer to the subject arose when she was invited to present some of her photography in Lagos. Taking the opportunity to visit Hafsat’s headquarters and meet the staff there, she realised there was a possibility of making a film. What she needed to do was find sufficient funds.
- 5/17/2014
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Here's a look at a documentary project we've been tracking for about 2 years now, titled The Supreme Price - a USA/Nigeria production from director Joanna Lipper, about the pro-democracy movement in Nigeria and efforts to increase the participation of women in leadership roles. Here's the longer story: The Supreme Price tells the story of Hafsat Abiola --- a daughter determined to realize her parents’ dreams of alleviating poverty and bringing democracy to Nigeria. In 1993, while Hafsat studied at Harvard, her father, M.K.O Abiola, was elected President of Nigeria. The military annulled the election results and seized power. Hafsat’s father became a renowned prisoner of...
- 5/8/2014
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
To celebrate Mother's Day (May 12), the Chime For Change group has released a new video with celebrities talking about their favorite people, their moms. Chime For Change is a group focused on girl's and women's empowerment, with Beyonce serving as a member of the founding committee and making an appearance in the video.
The clip also features Blake Lively, Cameron Diaz, John Legend, Olivia Wilde, Ziggy Marley and human rights activist Hafsat Abiola all talking about the inspiring traits their mothers have. "To me, she's the greatest celebrity I've ever met," Lively says of her mom.
Beyonce says her mom's gift is "finding the best qualities in every human being," while Diaz says her mother "would have 1,000 balls up in the air at one time and be able to catch all of them." Abiola, whose mother was killed in 1996 while at a demonstration to free her husband, the imprisoned President-elect of Nigeria,...
The clip also features Blake Lively, Cameron Diaz, John Legend, Olivia Wilde, Ziggy Marley and human rights activist Hafsat Abiola all talking about the inspiring traits their mothers have. "To me, she's the greatest celebrity I've ever met," Lively says of her mom.
Beyonce says her mom's gift is "finding the best qualities in every human being," while Diaz says her mother "would have 1,000 balls up in the air at one time and be able to catch all of them." Abiola, whose mother was killed in 1996 while at a demonstration to free her husband, the imprisoned President-elect of Nigeria,...
- 5/10/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
For Mother's Day 2013, Beyonce gathered a slew of celebrities to talk about what their mothers mean to them. As part of her organization, Chime for Change -- which acts to empower and promote girls' and women's issues worldwide -- Beyonce asked Cameron Diaz, John Legend, Ziggy Marley, Olivia Wilde, Blake Lively and Hafsat Abiola to reveal what makes their mothers unique.
"To me, she's the greatest celebrity I've ever met," says Lively at the beginning of the video.
Marley continues: "She's a strong woman who leads by example."
Beyonce: "Her gift is finding the best qualities in every human being."
Diaz: "Somehow she would have a thousand balls up in the air at one time and be able to catch all of them."
Wilde: "She is a true revolutionary."
Abiola: "I still remember what she taught me, I still remember her values."
The video ends with ends with each artist announcing their mother's name.
"To me, she's the greatest celebrity I've ever met," says Lively at the beginning of the video.
Marley continues: "She's a strong woman who leads by example."
Beyonce: "Her gift is finding the best qualities in every human being."
Diaz: "Somehow she would have a thousand balls up in the air at one time and be able to catch all of them."
Wilde: "She is a true revolutionary."
Abiola: "I still remember what she taught me, I still remember her values."
The video ends with ends with each artist announcing their mother's name.
- 5/10/2013
- by Liat Kornowski
- Huffington Post
Here's your first look at a documentary project we've been tracking for over a year now, titled The Supreme Price - a USA/Nigeria production currently, in post, from director Joanna Lipper, about the pro-democracy movement in Nigeria and efforts to increase the participation of women in leadership roles. Here's the longer story: The Supreme Price tells the story of Hafsat Abiola --- a daughter determined to realize her parents’ dreams of alleviating poverty and bringing democracy to Nigeria. In 1993, while Hafsat studied at Harvard, her father, M.K.O Abiola, was elected President of Nigeria. The military annulled the election results and seized power. Hafsat’s father became a...
- 4/12/2013
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
$150,000 in Documentary Finishing Funds to be Awarded to Eight International Filmmakers Chosen from a Record Number of Submissions; Spotlighting Women Documentary Award Presented in Partnership with the Ppr Corporate Foundation for Women’s Dignity & Rights
* * *
Marshall Curry, James Franco, Barbara Kopple and Robin Wright among 2012 Jury Members
The Tribeca Film Institute (Tfi) and Gucci announced the 2012 recipients selected for the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund. The Fund, now in its fifth year, provides finishing finances, year-round support and guidance to domestic and international documentary filmmakers with feature-length films highlighting and humanizing issues of social importance from around the world. Eight projects have been selected from a record 697 submissions from 56 countries to receive a total of $150,000, to be administered by the Tribeca Film Institute.
For the second year, the Ppr Corporate Foundation for Women’s Dignity & Rights has joined the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund to present the Spotlighting Women Documentary Award. Three film projects have been chosen that illuminate the courage, compassion, extraordinary strength of character, and contributions of women from around the world, including Iran, Timor-Leste and Nigeria.
2012 projects were selected by a jury consisting of Marshall Curry, Jesse Dylan, James Franco, Barbara Kopple, Andrea Meditch, and Robin Wright. The committee chose the recipients from finalists selected by Tfi. In addition to funding, grantees will each receive year-round support from Tfi, including one-on-one guidance and consultation to help each film to reach completion, enter the marketplace, and find broader audiences for their work.
“Over the past four years, alumni projects of the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund have gone on not only to receive artistic and critical recognition from around the world, but also to inspire and impact change through the social justice issues within the stories they are telling,” said Ryan Harrington, Director of Documentary Programming at the Tribeca Film Institute. “We are proud of their success and look forward to helping this year’s filmmakers finish and bring awareness to their films .”
The projects that will collectively receive $100,000 total in funding for the 2012 Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund are:
- E-Team (Directors Katy Chevigny & Ross Kauffman)
- God Loves Uganda (Director Roger Ross Williams)
- First to Fall (Director Rachel Anderson)
- Mercy Mercy (Director Katrine W Kjaer)
- Two Children of the Red Mosque (Director Hemal Trivedi)
The projects that will collectively receive $50,000 total in funding for the 2012 Spotlighting Women Documentary Award are:
- Alias Ruby Blade (Director Alex Meillier)
- Stargazing(working title) (Director Berit Madsen)
- The Supreme Price (Director Joanna Lipper)
“It was difficult to choose from among such a strong group of projects, but those we selected for the 2012 Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund and the Spotlighting Women Awards feature strong, engaging characters and an intimate style to tell stories that illuminate the remarkable range of human struggle and triumph around the world,” said Andrea Meditch on behalf of the jury.
Films funded through the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund explore social issues across the globe through compelling and deeply personal stories, including: the intersection of religion and African culture in evangelical communities in Uganda; a fascinating look into the work of three members of the Human Rights Watch’s Emergency Team; the journey of young civilian expatriate rebels to liberate their home country; the complexities of international adoption; and the juxtaposing stories of two children in Pakistan pursuing very different dreams. The grantees projects include:
E-Team
Directed by Katy Chevigny & Ross Kauffman, produced by Chevigny, Kauffman & Marilyn Ness — The E-Team follows the intense and courageous work of three intrepid human rights workers on the frontlines of identifying international human rights abuses. Dramatic and crucial, Human Rights Watch’s Emergency Team work is custom-made for a compelling documentary film with a global perspective.
God Loves Uganda
Directed and produced by Roger Ross Williams, produced by Julie Goldman — God Loves Uganda is a journey into the heart of East Africa, where Ugandan pastors and their American counterparts spread God’s word and evangelical values to millions desperate for a better life. Inspired by his own roots in the African American Baptist church, director Roger Ross Williams seeks to explore a place where religion and African culture intersect.
First to Fall
Directed by Rachel Anderson, produced by Tony Gerber, executive produced by Mike Lerner —First to Fall follows a group of young civilian expatriate ‘rebels’ on their 8-month journey to liberate their home country. They give up comfortable, stable lives in order to take up arms against a corrupt regime and risk their lives in a brutal, chaotic war.
Mercy Mercy
Directed by Katrine W Kjær, produced by Miriam Nørgaard, Sara Stockmann & Vibeke Windeløv —International adoption seems like the perfect solution to a heartbreaking imbalance: Poor countries have babies in need of homes, and rich countries have homes in need of babies. Unfortunately, a lot of the orphans are not orphans at all.
Two Children of the Red Mosque
Directed and produced by Hemal Trivedi, co-directed by Mohammad Naqvi, produced by Whitney Dow and Jonathan Goodman Levitt — After attending Pakistan’s most notorious madrassah, 12-year-olds Zarina and Talha pursue different dreams. Zarina attends school while trying to avoid marriage; Talha remains a madrassah student preparing for Jihad. Their stories personalize Pakistanis’ ideological war.
The Spotlighting Women Documentary Awards highlight the courage and strength of women from around the world including: an Arabian teenage who dreams of a career as an astronaut despite her family’s disapproval; the role of one woman in establishing Timor-Leste as an independent nation; and another woman’s work fighting the corruption in Nigeria’s government. The grantees projects include:
Alias Ruby Blade
Directed by Alexander Meillier, produced by Tanya Ager Meillier — One courageous woman risks everything for the love of the imprisoned leader of a nation struggling for freedom. Together they nurture the tumultuous birth of the world’s newest nation – Timor-Leste.
Stargazing (working title)
Directed by Berit Madsen, produced by Henrik Underbjerg & Stefan Frost— A young Arabian girl wants to become an astronaut. But at her age the nightly stargazing excursions in the desert are a thorn in the side of family and traditions.
The Supreme Price
Directed and produced by Joanna Lipper— The Supreme Price tells the story of Hafsat Abiola. Following the annulment of her father’s victory in Nigeria’s Presidential Election and her mother’s assassination by the military dictatorship, Hafsat faces the challenge of transforming a corrupt culture of governance into a democracy capable of serving Nigeria’s most marginalized population: women.
About the Ppr Foundation:
Since its inception in 2009, the Ppr Corporate Foundation for Women’s Dignity & Rights pursues two objectives: fighting violence against women and promoting women’s empowerment.
Through its partnerships with local and international NGOs, social entrepreneurs or awareness raising programs, the Ppr Foundation encourages staff mobilization to the benefit of women.
The Ppr Foundation is part of Ppr Home.
www.fondationppr.org...
* * *
Marshall Curry, James Franco, Barbara Kopple and Robin Wright among 2012 Jury Members
The Tribeca Film Institute (Tfi) and Gucci announced the 2012 recipients selected for the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund. The Fund, now in its fifth year, provides finishing finances, year-round support and guidance to domestic and international documentary filmmakers with feature-length films highlighting and humanizing issues of social importance from around the world. Eight projects have been selected from a record 697 submissions from 56 countries to receive a total of $150,000, to be administered by the Tribeca Film Institute.
For the second year, the Ppr Corporate Foundation for Women’s Dignity & Rights has joined the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund to present the Spotlighting Women Documentary Award. Three film projects have been chosen that illuminate the courage, compassion, extraordinary strength of character, and contributions of women from around the world, including Iran, Timor-Leste and Nigeria.
2012 projects were selected by a jury consisting of Marshall Curry, Jesse Dylan, James Franco, Barbara Kopple, Andrea Meditch, and Robin Wright. The committee chose the recipients from finalists selected by Tfi. In addition to funding, grantees will each receive year-round support from Tfi, including one-on-one guidance and consultation to help each film to reach completion, enter the marketplace, and find broader audiences for their work.
“Over the past four years, alumni projects of the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund have gone on not only to receive artistic and critical recognition from around the world, but also to inspire and impact change through the social justice issues within the stories they are telling,” said Ryan Harrington, Director of Documentary Programming at the Tribeca Film Institute. “We are proud of their success and look forward to helping this year’s filmmakers finish and bring awareness to their films .”
The projects that will collectively receive $100,000 total in funding for the 2012 Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund are:
- E-Team (Directors Katy Chevigny & Ross Kauffman)
- God Loves Uganda (Director Roger Ross Williams)
- First to Fall (Director Rachel Anderson)
- Mercy Mercy (Director Katrine W Kjaer)
- Two Children of the Red Mosque (Director Hemal Trivedi)
The projects that will collectively receive $50,000 total in funding for the 2012 Spotlighting Women Documentary Award are:
- Alias Ruby Blade (Director Alex Meillier)
- Stargazing(working title) (Director Berit Madsen)
- The Supreme Price (Director Joanna Lipper)
“It was difficult to choose from among such a strong group of projects, but those we selected for the 2012 Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund and the Spotlighting Women Awards feature strong, engaging characters and an intimate style to tell stories that illuminate the remarkable range of human struggle and triumph around the world,” said Andrea Meditch on behalf of the jury.
Films funded through the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund explore social issues across the globe through compelling and deeply personal stories, including: the intersection of religion and African culture in evangelical communities in Uganda; a fascinating look into the work of three members of the Human Rights Watch’s Emergency Team; the journey of young civilian expatriate rebels to liberate their home country; the complexities of international adoption; and the juxtaposing stories of two children in Pakistan pursuing very different dreams. The grantees projects include:
E-Team
Directed by Katy Chevigny & Ross Kauffman, produced by Chevigny, Kauffman & Marilyn Ness — The E-Team follows the intense and courageous work of three intrepid human rights workers on the frontlines of identifying international human rights abuses. Dramatic and crucial, Human Rights Watch’s Emergency Team work is custom-made for a compelling documentary film with a global perspective.
God Loves Uganda
Directed and produced by Roger Ross Williams, produced by Julie Goldman — God Loves Uganda is a journey into the heart of East Africa, where Ugandan pastors and their American counterparts spread God’s word and evangelical values to millions desperate for a better life. Inspired by his own roots in the African American Baptist church, director Roger Ross Williams seeks to explore a place where religion and African culture intersect.
First to Fall
Directed by Rachel Anderson, produced by Tony Gerber, executive produced by Mike Lerner —First to Fall follows a group of young civilian expatriate ‘rebels’ on their 8-month journey to liberate their home country. They give up comfortable, stable lives in order to take up arms against a corrupt regime and risk their lives in a brutal, chaotic war.
Mercy Mercy
Directed by Katrine W Kjær, produced by Miriam Nørgaard, Sara Stockmann & Vibeke Windeløv —International adoption seems like the perfect solution to a heartbreaking imbalance: Poor countries have babies in need of homes, and rich countries have homes in need of babies. Unfortunately, a lot of the orphans are not orphans at all.
Two Children of the Red Mosque
Directed and produced by Hemal Trivedi, co-directed by Mohammad Naqvi, produced by Whitney Dow and Jonathan Goodman Levitt — After attending Pakistan’s most notorious madrassah, 12-year-olds Zarina and Talha pursue different dreams. Zarina attends school while trying to avoid marriage; Talha remains a madrassah student preparing for Jihad. Their stories personalize Pakistanis’ ideological war.
The Spotlighting Women Documentary Awards highlight the courage and strength of women from around the world including: an Arabian teenage who dreams of a career as an astronaut despite her family’s disapproval; the role of one woman in establishing Timor-Leste as an independent nation; and another woman’s work fighting the corruption in Nigeria’s government. The grantees projects include:
Alias Ruby Blade
Directed by Alexander Meillier, produced by Tanya Ager Meillier — One courageous woman risks everything for the love of the imprisoned leader of a nation struggling for freedom. Together they nurture the tumultuous birth of the world’s newest nation – Timor-Leste.
Stargazing (working title)
Directed by Berit Madsen, produced by Henrik Underbjerg & Stefan Frost— A young Arabian girl wants to become an astronaut. But at her age the nightly stargazing excursions in the desert are a thorn in the side of family and traditions.
The Supreme Price
Directed and produced by Joanna Lipper— The Supreme Price tells the story of Hafsat Abiola. Following the annulment of her father’s victory in Nigeria’s Presidential Election and her mother’s assassination by the military dictatorship, Hafsat faces the challenge of transforming a corrupt culture of governance into a democracy capable of serving Nigeria’s most marginalized population: women.
About the Ppr Foundation:
Since its inception in 2009, the Ppr Corporate Foundation for Women’s Dignity & Rights pursues two objectives: fighting violence against women and promoting women’s empowerment.
Through its partnerships with local and international NGOs, social entrepreneurs or awareness raising programs, the Ppr Foundation encourages staff mobilization to the benefit of women.
The Ppr Foundation is part of Ppr Home.
www.fondationppr.org...
- 6/25/2012
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Chicago – Back in 2006, an unprecedented film project took place in Berlin, Germany, in the infamous Bebelplatz, a plaza that once hosted Nazi book burnings. The idea was to get 112 diverse individuals together to answer 100 questions. Their answers were processed by Ralf Schmerberg, the director of the resultant film, “Problema.”
The film has finally seen the light of day this year, distilled from thousands of hours of Q&A footage. The co-moderator of the event was actor Willem Dafoe, who shared the duties of asking the questions with Hafsat Abiola, as a camera at each of the 112 stations recorded the answers. The German plaza in Berlin, once the center of heinous fascist activities, became a specially constructed roundtable of philosophical thought and pragmatic advice.
Ralf Schmerberg (center) takes a well-deserved bow with moderators Hafsat Abiola (left)
and Willem Dafoe in The Bebelplatz, Berlin, in ‘Problema’
Photo credit: © Mindpirates, Problema-thefilm.org...
The film has finally seen the light of day this year, distilled from thousands of hours of Q&A footage. The co-moderator of the event was actor Willem Dafoe, who shared the duties of asking the questions with Hafsat Abiola, as a camera at each of the 112 stations recorded the answers. The German plaza in Berlin, once the center of heinous fascist activities, became a specially constructed roundtable of philosophical thought and pragmatic advice.
Ralf Schmerberg (center) takes a well-deserved bow with moderators Hafsat Abiola (left)
and Willem Dafoe in The Bebelplatz, Berlin, in ‘Problema’
Photo credit: © Mindpirates, Problema-thefilm.org...
- 12/12/2010
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
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