Popcorn

Ah! You guessed. This post is really about movies…

During February, I joined a group of interesting people who care about animals, food, the environment, human rights and life to learn how to make movies.  What a lot of fun we had on Thursdays for three weeks.

We were amazed that we were able to make simple movies so easily too.  You can see my very first effort here:  https://vimeo.com/86287981  An impromptu affair created over a pot of tea (with fennel biscuits) by Nkulu and me.  We cobbled it together from scraps of unintentional footage shot on the first day.

More than half the participants were vegetarian so breaks meant interesting lunch boxes were unpacked and shared. What a joy to spend time with lovely compassionate and mindful people.

So movies are my new big thing. I’ve been inspired by Nkulu’s passion for filmmaking (editing in particular.)  He is really keen to learn more and hopefully become a film maker one day.  Of course, he has watched heaps of movies, but never actually seen one on the big screen.  So yesterday we went to the real movies – and ate popcorn, obviously.

The very first movie I ever saw was Mary Poppins.  So when I discovered that Saving Mr Banks was about how the Mary Poppins movie was made, there was no other choice.  We had to see that one!

I haven’t been to the cinema for years, so actually it was exciting for me too.  I love those low down lights that make your feet glow and help you find your seat, being completely enveloped in sound and the warm, satisfied, smiley feeling watching the credits roll before they switch the lights on.   Nkulu loved that it felt like a cool, comfortable cocoon in the theatre – completely different from outside – an escape from the world.

Now a marvellous group of Midlands activists are organising a film festival right in Howick this month to celebrate Human Rights Day and World Water Day on 21 and 22 March respectively.  Seeds of Freedom/Izimbhewu Zenkululeko, Water of Life/Amanzi Qmphefumulo.    Look it up and come along and join us to watch some wonderful films. http://seedsfilmfest.wordpress.com/

I don’t think there will be any popcorn (unless it is solar popped), but Aumji will have utterly scrumptious samp & beans, salad and wholemeal wraps for sale.

This is the second movie I made: https://vimeo.com/86992519 So get out your parabolic solar cooker and organic popcorn, get popping and watch out for all the Magic Midlands Movies Coming Soon to a Screen Near You!