CRACKING THE CODE: FINDING SUCCESS FOR A U.S. FILM FESTIVAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000304 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT ALSO FOR AF/S DEPT ALSO FOR AF/PD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO SCUL PREL LT SUBJECT: CRACKING THE CODE: FINDING SUCCESS FOR A U.S. FILM FESTIVAL IN MASERU MASERU 00000304 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. SUMMARY: After a series of film screenings at the beginning at Embassy Maseru's seven-week U.S. film festival (March 8 through April 19),the event closed with a packed, standing room only showing of Oliver Stone's "World Trade Center." Attendance grew remarkably during the course of the festival, demonstrating how the festival was a learning experience for Embassy's Maseru Public Affairs Section. Lessons from the festival on "how to fill the seats" will be carried into future Public Diplomacy events. An active discussion among festival attendees of September 11 following the final film's close demonstrated the impact that such cultural events can have in Lesotho. END SUMMARY. -------------- The Maseru U.S. Film Festival -------------- ¶2. On Thursday, March 8, the Public Diplomacy Section (PAS) of U.S. Embassy in Maseru launched a seven-week film festival focusing on the themes of the African-American experience, HIV/AIDS, and contemporary United States history. The films, shown under the State Department's blanket agreement with the Motion Picture Licensing Association (MPLA),were shown weekly on Thursday evenings at a partner hotel in Maseru. These films included The Tuskeegee Airmen (1995),Glory (1989),Apollo 13 (1995),Philadelphia (1993),The Shawshank Redemption (1994); Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977); and World Trade Center (2006). The Embassy's partner, the Maseru Sun Hotel, provided free space for the festival in their conference facility, use of a popcorn machine, and staff for logistical arrangements. A large cloth for the movie screen was donated by representatives of the local textile industry, and an oversized screen frame (four by six meters) was procured from a local vender using budgeted PD funds. ¶3. Under the State Department's agreement with the MPLA, no mass media advertising can be utilized for this type of event. To make the event known to the general population, Embassy Maseru's PD staff designed a poster which was posted at local grocery stores and sent to various diplomatic missions, local NGO's, and other partners in the city. The DCM, PAO, and a cross section of other mission officers used short presentations before films to highlight the significance of these movies and the issues raised by them. In the case of the African-American history films, racism and discrimination were used to demonstrate that U.S. democracy is a work in progress and that the United States understands the obstacles facing Lesotho in its democratic development. -------------- Cracking the Code -------------- ¶4. Embassy Maseru's Public Affairs staff worked diligently during the festival to raise attendance numbers, including by noting the festival during unrelated radio appearances and in other forum consistent with the State Department's agreement with the MPLA. During the course of the festival, however, the PAO learned that our efforts to present the festival as a wholly public event had collided with a common public perception in Lesotho of many diplomatic events as elite and by invitation only. Many average Basotho, it seemed, believed they would be unable to gain access to the festival if they arrived without an official invitation in hand. ¶5. For the closing event, a showing of Oliver Stone's "World Trade Center," the PAS opted to issue seventy official invitations to a wide cross-section of the Embassy's local contacts, ranging from politicians to academics to individuals in grassroots HIV/AIDS support groups. The conference hall's 100 seats were completely full, and the discussion of September 11 which took place after the film fulfilled the Public Affairs Section's hopes concerning the possible impact of this type of event. Attendees anxiously inquired when the Embassy would hold its next U.S. film festival. -------------- Comment: Perceptions Matter -------------- ¶6. COMMENT: At the end of the film festival, particularly after the showing of "World Trade Center," it appeared the showings had moved their Basotho participants and implanted strong impressions about the American experience. As organizers of the festival, we also learned a great deal about "filling the seats." While the average Mosotho feels completely comfortable walking into a village wedding feast held for strangers, the perception is that such behavior is unacceptable relating to an event sponsored by a diplomatic mission. We will take this MASERU 00000304 002.2 OF 002 lesson to heart as we plan future events, emphasizing that our welcome mat is large and, in fact, most welcoming. END COMMENT. MURPHY