Background
In fall 2012 , I was invited to accompany a group of thirteen teenagers in an intercultural and humanitarian experience as a documentary filmmaker. Organized by the Department of animation to the spiritual life and community involvement of Collège Sainte-Anne de Lachine, stay took place in Benin (from 4 to 22 January 2013) with the Society of African Missions. My mandate : make a film about the Benin experience. Being at that time in Communautique, humanitarian trip was an opportunity to build relationships with my workplace. So I proposed the creation of video clips on the commons in Benin.
To prepare for the experience abroad , there were two training camps. I prepared video workshops for imparting technical knowledge to experiment with youth and to script the vision of the video project. In the second camp, the notion of the common good has been addressed in parallel with the presentation Remix the Commons. I invited the young people to choose three themes that challenged them . They identified water , education and culture. These later became the subjects of discussions and observations to document our trip .
Stephanie L. Berube
documentary filmmaker
Final Draft : Benin Commons
The project resulted in a series of five video clips , made from material collected , which opens opportunities remix .
Chapter intangible culture
History of spiritual practices , the common good is also reflected in the way people come together to support the intangible culture of their nation and of our humanity.
The home
What is the role of history in our understanding of democracy , human rights and ultimately the common good? How the past can explain the realities of today and make us think about the future ? In this video, the history of slavery in parallel (and in opposition ) with the notion of “home” in order to improve our understanding of the freedom of African countries and Africans. Where the home he starts ?
“The home is a birthright that nobody has the right to rape because it is the source of love , happiness , freedom of action , freedom of expression. I think the home begins in the home. [ … ] It refers to the court, the environment, locally, nationally organized . “( Intervention introduction : ” How far are you from home breakfast joint in Kédougou “directed by Anne- Julie Rollet and Kër Thiossane in collaboration with The Companyia ? )
The invisible world
Shot during the International Day of Voodoo in Benin, this video presents a discussion with young people about their perception and understanding of the religious holiday. The ethnographic nature of this video shows the diversity and complexity of the opportunity to reflect on the intercultural approach in terms of public goods and metaphysics through questions such as: Where do your ideas come from the world ? How are they reflected in your actions , your integrity and , therefore, your approach to the common good ?
Future development
Currently , this personal project is completed. Nevertheless, it has the potential for development and reuse to address common property in Africa or intercultural perspective of the commons .
The material can be used for remixes .
The caps on the water could be used in video projects on water according to different countries . For example, do a remix of ” Sô- AVA et ses heaurizons ” of Benin Commons and “Ô Saint-Laurent : une histoire de culture et d’appartenance” Communautique .
The chapter on education offers interesting material to cross in a global consideration of the diversity of projects and realities of education.
The two videos in the ” culture” deserve to be improved with new equipment to better frame the discussion ( what is a common good intangible cultural ? ) And thus clarified. Also, a remix can put parralèle new audiovisual materials that illustrate other examples.
The videos will be subtitled in French for web accessibility for deaf people , but could also be translated into English.
Collaborators
And editing: Stephanie L. Bérubé .
Camera: collective shots ( thirteen youth group *) , under the direction of Stephanie L. Bérubé .
* Anne -Julie, Amélie , Ariane , Cassandra , Cedric , Charlotte, Daphne , Elaine , Matthew, Marika , Nathaniel , Roxanne and Zoe.
Accompanying Martin Chevalier François Gnonhoussou
Funding
Production Communautique , with the support of the Department of animation to the spiritual life and community involvement ( SAVEC ) of the Collège Sainte-Anne de Lachine.
Contribution to the project ( Remix Benin Commons )
The existence of such a project Remix common good has been the driving force in creating the vision of Benin common good as what his presence is a lever to the documentation of the common good . Remix the Commons also facilitates the re- use of the material produced as part of Benin Common Good.