”Looking for Miza” looks like it’s going to be a major  success. One of the best things we did during this trip to Rwanda was to get the two boys who created the Hipposodes to work with Rwandan children to create two new animations called “gorillasodes” at the Rwanda Cinema Center in Kigali.

We worked with Eric Kabera – the maker of the genocide film “100 days” and inventor of Hillywood – Rwanda’s version of Hollywood.

Caleb was the youngest – only 8!

Planning narratives and music

Going a bit crazy

Joe Summerhays taught the kids to use Istop motion to make the animation – which was quite laborious!

The partially finished product was absolutely amazing. The 2 day workshop attracted about 10 kids and 5 government ministers!

I hope that these pictures reveal the concentration, broken by some intense playfulness.

By the end of the 2 days the two American boys were pretty strongly bonded with their Rwandan counterparts.

Thanks to everyone, Craig, Bill, Joe, Eric Kabera, all the kids, Beth and Jennifer who sorted out no end of logistics, and Jocelyn, a Rwandan cinematographer who captured everything as it happened – I can’t wait to see the Making Gorillasodes”.

Look out for the Gorillasodes on You tube in a few weeks time, and at the Tribeca Film Festival next spring!