UNICEF presents ZIFF Child Rights Award to Stefanie Sycholt at German Premiere of Themba

South African film-maker Stefanie Sycholt's film "Themba: A Boy Called Hope" won the 2010 Zanzibar International Film Festival Child Rights Award presented every year by UNICEF.  On 1 August at the glittering German premiere of the film in Cologne, Ms Sycholt received her award from Ms Anne Luetkes, a member of the Board for UNICEF Germany and  a strong advocate for child rights in her own right.

The Child Rights Award is presented by UNICEF Tanzania during the Zanzibar International Film Festival to the film that best exemplifies the struggle for the fulfillment of child rights in the region.  So apt for the times, “Themba” tells the story of a young South African boy's efforts to overcome adversity to fulfill his football dreams. Overcoming poverty, abandonment, HIV and other challenges, “Themba” teaches us the hope that is born out of sheer determination, commitment and resilience. The film features young South African Actor Nat Singo and former German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann in his film debut. Lehman was brought into the film by Ms Sycholt, who currently resides in Germany. Both were in South Africa during the World Cup for the timely South African premiere of the film.

Learning of the UNICEF award, Ms Sycholt expressed her delight that others had recognized her efforts to truly portray the harshness of so many children’s lives in South Africa. She said, "I firmly believe that THEMBA will do so much more than entertain. It will allow audiences across the world to get a glimpse of our common humanity, to live for 90 minutes a life of hardship and desperation, but a life in which, as the Xhosa title, Themba, suggests, hope is never absent …"  See the trailer here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vv1FoQXTHww

UNICEF has presented the Child Rights Film Award at the Zanzibar International Film Festival every year since 2004. Previous winners of the UNICEF Child Rights Film Award include "Mother Unknown" by Sudanese director Taghreed Alsanhouri which tells the powerful story of babies abandoned by parents in Khartoum to avoid the stigma and punishment given to anyone who mothers or fathers a child out of wedlock. Ms Alsanhouri received her award in person during the 2009 Zanzibar International Film Festival from UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Danny Glover.

Film-makers interested in submitting their work for the UNICEF Child Rights Award for the 2011 ZIFF should write to  ziff@ziff.or.tz