Shana Mongwanga is a Human Right Campaigner/ Advocate and also works as Director, Producer, Writer and Actor. Currently based in London. More info on Shana de Carsignac Mongwanga http://shanadecarsignac.weebly.com/ INTERNET MOVIE DATABASE IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3322073/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE British Film Institute (BFI): http://explore.bfi.org.uk/50c3076fc7bcd NOMINATED FOR AN ARTS RICHMOND SWAN AWARD She was born in Bukavu, East of the Democratic Republic of Congo and is currently based in London. She has a Master in Political Science/ International Relations - with Distinction- and is a Bachelor in Law from the Catholic University of Louvain (Belgium). She worked for the Jesuit Refugee Service-UK Office in advocating and lobbying and on behalf of Refugees and Asylum seekers on a National and European level. A particular emphasis of her work included to accompany, serve and advocate for asylum seekers in detention centres across Europe. In response to a growing frustration and the lack of tackling the root causes of refugee issues, she founded AFRICA LIVES! now ATHENA CULTURE AND ADVOCACY to challenge stereotypes about developing countries particularly Africa, often portrayed as un-resourceful, dying continent and the perpetual victimisation of African women. ATHENA CULTURE AND ADVOCACY is an organisation dedicated to projects encouraging positive social change using Films, Theatre and Art. As a Film Director Shana Mongwanga trained with various Independent film projects in London, such as Raindance, Documentary Filmmakers Group and Women in Digital Entertainment. On the job training includes work placement at Michael Winterbottom's Revolutions Films production company. As a writer, she took part in the Royal Court International Writers Program. Which resulted in the play "KENZO" about knife crime in London. Other writing credits include "CONGO INDEPENDENCE”, a journey through the Congolese Independence. As an Actor, she trained at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts in London, and was the recipient of Dance and drama Award in London and winner of Concours“Scenes a Deux” at the Belgian National Theatre. She has appeared an collaborated in various films and theatre productions in London and Europe. She is an active member of various media and community platforms and women's group to foster real and tangible change in Africa and Congo in particular. She managed Shakespeare Readers Society group for 3 years and launched the Shakespeare Connect initiative to connect cultures, people and stories using Shakespeare's works. Her latest article publication written by Shana Mongwanga in the PEACEBUILDING JOURNAL with foreword by Adam Hochschild and contributors such as Dr Denis Mukwege. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21647259.2014.910916 'A New Dawn for Congo: the central role of Women in moving DRC' by Shana Mongwanga AFRICA LIVES!, UK Published 27 May 2014. To cite this article: Shana Mongwanga (2014) A new dawn for Congo: the central role of women in moving DRC forward, Peacebuilding, 2:2, 227-229, DOI: 10.1080/21647259.2014.910916 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21647259.2014.910916 Read more about our work in the INTERVIEW section and PUBLICATION/ SPEAKER'S CORNER and section. -2005 she founded the AFRICA LIVES! PRODUCTIONS which has been making films for Charities and and Companies promoting Social Change. -2009, the organisation included AFRICALIVES! THEATRE to pursue the work by Belgian based theatre "Compagnie Théatrale Ebene et Ivoire". -2010 it included AFRICALIVES! ART to showcase and support artwork from emerging artists from African background who are often absent on the world stage, although their works and influence are undeniable. -In 2012 the organisation launched AFRICALIVES! NETWORKS in response to the growing need to provide efficient network structure for policy and advocacy to various project development, communities and organisations. -In 2017 AfricaLives! becomes ATHENA- AFRICALIVES! CULTURE AND ADVOCACY CONTACT [email protected] OR [email protected] FILM AND THEATRE WORK
DOCUMENTARY AND FICTION: -2012: Documentary, 2016 - CONGO's NEW DAWN - AFRICALIVES! PRODUCTIONS, directed by Shana Mongwanga. Fraudulent elections gave president Kabila another 5 year in power. But Women are still killed and raped. Kids are still slaving in the mines to provide "Coltan" for multinationals to develop Computers, Ipad, Ipod, iPhones, DVDs. Can 2016 be Congo's New Dawn? http://www.africalives.org/Pages/CONGONEWDAWN.aspx -2011: We completed “CONGO – A COMMON CAUSE – from London to Bukavu” , AFRICALIVES! PRODUCTIONS, directed by Shana Mongwanga. A no budget film by British Congolese Women about their journey in Congo to attend the World Mach or Women to highlight the issues faced by women in the East of Congo .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0s5mpXcEms -2010: we produced “WHATEVER HAPPENED TO MAKE POVERTY HISTORY...?” AFRICALIVES! PRODUCTIONS, directed by Shana Mongwanga, a follow up to the 2005 campaign. The film was screened at various film festival and short listed at the Culture Unplugged :Humanity Explored Award. http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/4293/Whatever-Happened-to-Make-Poverty-History 2009-2010: We produced, “ON THE ROAD TOGETHER” a film for the National Justice and Peace Network diredcted by Shana Mongwanga -2008: The Jesuit Refugee Service UK commissioned "ACCOMPANY - SERVE - ADVOCATE" AFRICALIVES! PRODUCTIONS, directed by Shana Mongwanga, a short film to raise awareness about their work, released in 2009. http://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentary/watch-online/play/4292/Accompany-Serve-Advocate -2007, we produced "DESTITUTE IN LONDON", AFRICALIVES! PRODUCTIONS, directed by Shana Mongwanga, a short film about the journey of a Congolese asylum seeker in London, which was screened at the Cannes film festival Short film corner 08. Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAbPAIUi5TY and Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZxINnIyLYc -2006: AFRICA LIVES ! PRODUCTIONS participated in short film by Director Lovejit K.Dhaliwal WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?" on the subject of the Muslim veil. The film was selected at the East London Film Festival ,Camden Film Festival and Screened at the Cannes Film festival, short Film Corner 07 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpHFAXaTqAU -2005: AFRICA LIVES! PRODUCTIONS' first project was "CAN WE MAKE POVERTY HISTORY? " directed by Shana Mongwanga a film at the heart of the Make Poverty History demonstration and campaigns in 2005. CORPORATE AND PROMOTIONAL ATHENA CULTURE AND ADVOCACY' AfricaLives! collaborated, participated and/or assisted in delivering the following work: Contact us for enquiries and assistance for Corporate and Promotional [email protected] -2013: 'ORDER TO RAPE' commissioned by the Pulitzer Center, Broadcast on BBC Newsnight and directed by Fiona Lloyd Davies. Watch a preview: BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa 22111752 PULITZER CENTER: http://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/congo-goma-rape-soldiers-orders-women-girls-conflict-minerals -2013: 'TAKING THE CONFLICT OUT OF CONGO'S TIN' commissioned by the Pulitzer Center, Broadcast on Al Jazeera, directed by Fiona Lloyd-Davies. http://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/DRC-congo-conflict-free-tin-kalimbi-mine -2010: Promotional video for Annette Zera "OPEN SPACE" Workshop http://www.gettingonbrilliantly.co.uk/openspace.html -2009: 'TOSA MIBEKO' short documentary for the Centre Office of Information (COI commissed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office http://explore.bfi.org.uk/50c3076f2aab3 watch the film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppqYw-nb8WI- THEATRE WORK
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