Watch the film (v.o SPA - Subs ENG) from 1/11 to 05/11 Book a place
Q&A with the Directors Juan Manuel Bramuglia and Esteban Tabacznik: 3/11 h. 18 (UK time zone) Book a place
SYNOPSIS
Ababacar and Mbaye are two Senegalese migrants who met in Buenos Aires and became close friends. Driven by a strong cultural idea of the son's sacrifice, their journey takes them in different directions and makes them see their migrant condition in opposite ways. But their friendship is like a mirror where they can see in each other a different version of themselves.
Original Title: Estoy acá (mangui fi)
English Title: I'm here (mangui fi)
Duration: 77 min / color /
Country: Argentina
Year: 2017
With the support of: Cultural Patronage of Buenos Aires and Incaa (National Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts)
Distribution:
Ababacar Sow, Mbaye Seck, Florencia Curto, Marcos Filardi
CREW
Direction and production: Juan Manuel Bramuglia and Esteban Tabacznik
Picture: Juan Manuel Bramuglia
Edition: Alberto Ponce, Esteban Tabacznik, Juan Manuel Bramuglia
Sound: Francisco Pedemonte, Virginia Scaro, Victoria Marechal
Produced by: Nelo Cine y Cais Cine
ABOUT THE FILM
We started making this film at the end of 2013. The original impulse was discovering who were those young African men selling bijouterie in the streets of Buenos Aires. Where do they come from? Why are they here in Argentina? Who are they? What do they think about our country? Documentaries on migration are common nowadays and we are used to see stories of African migrants in Europe or the United States, but not so much in South American countries, which have become a new destination. We decided to focus the film not only on their difficulties in living in a new society, but also on how they change the way migrant see their own country and themselves. We the filmmakers have also had the experience of living abroad, so we were able to empathize with Ababacar and Mbaye’s situation. Their friendship gives them courage and makes their feelings of loneliness easier to bear. They know they can count on each other, even if they see differently how Senegalese migrants should live. Sometimes aggressiveness emerges, but they seem to use it to strengthen their skins, keep their eyes open and far from sadness. Ababacar admires Mbaye's courage and strength, and Mbaye appreciates Ababacar's intelligence and loyalty. And so while they debate and say hard things to each other, those feelings remain under those words like an anchor to which they can always hold on to. Ababacar and Mbaye represent what is happening today inside the Senegalese community living abroad, swinging between opening to other cultures and precaution against external influence.
DIRECTOR
Juan Manuel Bramuglia, Argentina, 1978. Studied Audiovisual Communication (UNLP, 1998-2001) and Direction of Photography (Universidad del Cine, 2004-2008). Director of photography, cameraman, editor and postproduction coordinator in over thirty short-films and twelve features that have participated in numerous international film festivals around the world.
“Estoy acá/Mangui Fi” is his first feature and won the Best Argentinian Director at Mar del Plata International Film Festival and Best Iberoamerican Film at Cinemigrante International Film Festival awards.
Filmography:
Five (2009 - Director of photography and cameraman)
Guaraní (2015/16 - Editor and Post-producer).
Noche Sin Fortuna (Winner FIDOCS, 2011 - Colorist)
Lost Alamo (2012 - Cameraman, Editor and Colorist)
No Tengo Nada (2013 - Cameraman, Editor and Colorist).
DIRECTOR
Esteban Tabacznik, Argentina, 1982. Studied Philosophy (University of Buenos Aires) and graduated in a Film Director (Universidad del Cine). Wrote, produced and directed the short-films “Teófilo” (23’/16 mm./2007), “Juan W.” (16’/35 mm./2008) and “Amoeba” (17’/16 mm./2010). These films have participated in film festivals and exhibitions such as IndieLisboa, Belfort (Entrevues), Mar del Plata, Clermont-Ferrand and the Cinemathèque Française (Window over Contemporary Short-films), among others. Works in script writing and editing since 2008. Wrote articles for the magazines La Comunidad Inconfesable (2009-2010), Alkmene (2014-2015) and La Fuga.
“Estoy acá/Mangui Fi” is his first feature and won the Best Argentinian Director at Mar del Plata International Film Festival and Best Iberoamerican Film at Cinemigrante International Film Festival awards.
Filmography:
Teofilo (2007 - Fiction short-film)
Juan W. (2008 - Fiction short-film)
Amoeba (2010 - Fiction short-film)
Estoy Acá/Mangui Fi (2017 - Documentary feature)
Los Paseos (2021 - Fiction feature)
DISCUSSANT INTRODUCING THE Q&A SESSION
Philipp Roman Jung
Philipp Roman Jung is currently a Phd-Candidate in Migration Studies at the Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning (IGOT), University of Lisbon. He holds a Master in African Studies from the Iscte – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, and a B.A. in African Development Studies in Geography from the University of Bayreuth. For his doctoral thesis he studies the mobility trajectories of Senegalese migrants in Brazil with a focus on migrants’ agency and the dynamic nature of migration aspirations and decisions. Former research addressed the migration from Senegal to Cape Verde and the reverse flow of remittances and its impacts on households in Senegal. His research interests are South-South migration, the linkage between migration and other forms of mobility, as well as economic and social aspects of migrant entrepreneurship.
Saskia Clubb
Saskia Clubb is the elected Vice President of Brookes Union, taking care of Activities and Employability. This means she works closely with societies, networks and the student body to run events to enrich students’ time at Oxford Brookes. She is also involved in wider projects in the union and university concerning sexual consent education, LGBTQ+ support and campus culture. She recently graduated from Oxford Brookes with a degree in Social Anthropology, after focusing her studies on feminist anthropology, focusing her dissertation on the experiences of sex workers.
CONTACT US: dmissero@brookes.ac.uk