ON THE MEND 8 short films about the Ebola epidemic and its consequences
by filmmakers from Sierra Leone (2015)
- Matilda Dogbatsey, Ghana “I don’t have a university degree. My WELTFILME certificate is my professional qualification.” - Luther N. Mafalleh, Liberia “Film and television are such powerful tools for drawing
the public’s attention to
important social issues.” - Alex Asare, Ghana “WELTFILME — they’re just really good. They’re wonderful people. And they’ve got to keep doing this.” - Alex Asare, Ghana “Most of the media focuses only on the ugly parts of Africa — on war and disasters. I want people to see the real Africa.” - Mahzouba Maya Faal, The Gambia “In Africa, there are a lot of stories that don’t get told. And many voices that don’t get heard.”
 - G-Othello Zordyu, Liberia “In Liberia, there’s no major TV station, no local film industry and, above all, no educational opportunities for young people to learn film. I want to inform and train the next generation.” - Matilda Dogbatsey, Ghana “My training with WELTFILME helped me, as a woman, to assert myself in a male-dominated profession.” - Fatou Ndure, The Gambia “The first days of the workshop were such an amazing experience. There was so much to take in, so many things to learn.” - Luther N. Mafalleh, Liberia “WELTFILME gave me the confidence to do things
in my own way.” - Luther N. Mafalleh, Liberia “WELTFILME has opened doors
for me that I didn’t even know existed.”

COME, I’LL SHOW YOU

EBOLA AND ITS AFTERMATH

On 7 November 2015, Sierra Leone was officially declared Ebola-free. It seemed as though the country had put the epidemic behind it, but the fallout was far from over. Trust in the health care system and government agencies was deeply shaken. The virus had torn families and entire villages apart. Suspicion was everywhere — as was grief for the thousands of lives lost.

The ON THE MEND project played a critical role in Sierra Leone’s reckoning with the consequences of Ebola. 24 young Sierra Leonians were trained as filmmakers during a two-week workshop in Freetown. Together, they worked on turning their own ideas and stories into screenplays, while also exploring the role of media in times of crisis.

Following this training, the participants created eight short films, which were shown both in Sierra Leone and internationally with the goal of healing the wounds of the epidemic through dialogue. Part of the project involved the acquisition of film equipment that will remain in Sierra Leone, creating a sustainable future for further film creation.

COME, I’LL SHOW YOU

EBOLA AND ITS AFTERMATH

On 7 November 2015, Sierra Leone was officially declared Ebola-free. It seemed as though the country had put the epidemic behind it, but the fallout was far from over. Trust in the health care system and government agencies was deeply shaken. The virus had torn families and entire villages apart. Suspicion was everywhere — as was grief for the thousands of lives lost.

The ON THE MEND project played a critical role in Sierra Leone’s reckoning with the consequences of Ebola. 24 young Sierra Leonians were trained as filmmakers during a two-week workshop in Freetown. Together, they worked on turning their own ideas and stories into screenplays, while also exploring the role of media in times of crisis.

Following this training, the participants created eight short films, which were shown both in Sierra Leone and internationally with the goal of healing the wounds of the epidemic through dialogue. Part of the project involved the acquisition of film equipment that will remain in Sierra Leone, creating a sustainable future for further film creation.

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