Mayors Make Movies is an initiative to promote wider engagement and participation in water policy and water science communication through short film production between mayors, youth and filmmakers in cities across the African continent. These key partnerships address 3 concerns:
- Mayors are at the frontline of water resource management and water policy adoption in African cities as identified by the OECD Survey on Water Governance in African Cities
- 60% of the population in the African continent is below the age of 25, and the total population is expected to double by 2050. The current and future youth population will inherit today’s solutions, problems, and policies. Their involvement now and in the future is crucial
- Digital media and visual communication are becoming increasingly important means to communicate with youth, and a wide array of stakeholders
SENEGAL – GRAND DAKAR
Title: Water Fountain – Director/Producer: Centre Yennenga – Country: Senegal – Length: 4:57 minutes
SENEGAL – KEUR MASSAR
Title: Annual Floods in Keur Massar – Director/Producer: Centre Yennenga
Description: In Keur Massar, Senegal, following annual flooding, residents and community organizers show the effects on their lives and homes of poor infrastructure and increasing pressure of climate change. The short film shows how the residents live with the flooding and explore the causes and solutions to Keur Masar’s flooding.
THE GAMBIA – BANJUL
Title: Decentralization of Water Management in Banjul – Director/Producer: Sheikh Tijan Jallow (Mystic Productions)
Description: In Banjul, a group of activists and members of the youth council speak on the need for decentralisation of water management in the city and the country at large. Mayor Roheyatou Lowe focuses on the importance of women as primary water users and invites partners interested in working on water in Banjul.
MOROCCO – CHEFCHAOUEN
Title: Water Conservation in Chefchaouen – Director/Producer: Rachid Kasmi
Description: In Chefchaouen, a group of students learn about water resource management while walking in their city. Through an interview, Mayor Sefiani leads us through Chefchaouen’s conservation efforts for a drought-prone region and explains what could be done to improve water access in the city.
KENYA – NAIROBI
Title: A Portrait of Nairobi Dam – Director/Producer: Kinyua Kamau
Description: Nairobi Dam, an embankment dam on the Nairobi river, was built in the 1950s. Over the past 20 years, building along the dam has led to pollution as communities in Kibera grew; and now it is a memory of what had been a water resource. The film follows Henry Nyando and other residents, their memories of the dam, and how the water supply in Kibera has changed.
France: Brittany
Title: Gulf of Morbihan and the Surroundings – Director/Producer: Linda Lilienfeld – Photography: Alexandre Wimmer
In July 2023, Let’s Talk about Water launched a film produced in collaboration with the Mayor of Vannes (Brittany, France) on the link between water policy and water science.
OECD Principles on Water Governance
OECD’s Aziza Achmouch on the Role of Mayors, Youth and Film in Water Secure Futures
UCLG-Africa — Roundtable of African Mayors for Water Security
JP Elong Mbassi, Secretary General, United Cities and Local Governments