AV Specialist Africa Edition Volume 94 - (Page 22)

Mitsubishi brings the magic of cinema to West Africa An innovative project supported by Mitsubishi Electric is helping to bring the magic of big screen entertainment to remote communities in the African countries of Benin, Niger and Mali. stablished in 2001, Cinéma Numérique Ambulant (CNA) provides mobile travelling cinemas to communities in West Africa - most of which have no electricity, let alone cinemas or theatres. In villages where even TV is a rarity, the social impact of such events is enormous; bringing accessible big-screen entertainment to the wider population and opening an exciting window onto the world for a whole generation of young Africans. Since it began operations in 2001, the CNA has organised around 2,500 film events, in hundreds of villages for an audience numbering millions. From a single mobile cinema in 2001, the CNA is now organised into three divisions serving Benin, Niger and Mali, operating a total of seven mobile units. Each unit is a fully self-contained cinema facility, complete with generator, projection equipment, 4 x 3m screen and sound E system. A team of three CNA crew members travel with mobile units to organise and run the cinema events. Each team operates from a home base in one of several cities across the region. These bases provide workshop and storage facilities to support the local operations, which can cover a radius of several tens of kilometres from each base. Entertainment and social value Each event run by the CNA is intended to provide social value as well as entertainment. The first part of each evening’s performance consists of a mixture of short films, which can include public information and documentary items as well as fictional features. This is followed by the main feature film. This blend of infotainment allows serious contemporary issues to be addressed, while also providing an extraordinarily popular entertainment experience. The CNA carefully co-ordinates its activities with village elders in advance to ensure that the event is well organised and well supported. Since 2006, the operations of the CNA Established in 2001, Cinema Numerique Ambulant (CNA) provides mobile cinemas to rural communities in West Africa. Each event is designed to provide both entertainment and social values with the screening of short films and public information documentaries before the main feature. 22

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AV Specialist Africa Edition Volume 94

HD: the winners and losers
The future of news
De Beers Diamond World gets Christie cut
The magic of cinema
SANDF on recruitment drive

AV Specialist Africa Edition Volume 94