more in the archive, but here are some favourites from across the decades
Brukim Bus (Papua New Guinea, 1989)
Produced with the Police U-matic video team after my Hi-8 camera was stolen. Camera Ralai ‘Roger’ Ralai, sound Mandi Wandua, editor Luke Gembol. Leonie Kanawi was the implacable interviewer/co-director (stirred by forest loss on her home island of Manus). VSO biology teacher Keith Harris conceived the project and brought Susi in as producer/co-director.
The co-directors on PNG National News, here: EMTV
– noting that Susi made the English-subtitled version in 1990, when she’d gone back to the National Film&TV School to finally graduate. Our key audiences were in the Pacific.
Moving with the Times (Ethiopia, 2002)
Pastoralists from Boran, Afar and Oromo explain their nomadic lifestyle to the ascendant, settled Amhara (whose term for them translates as ‘feckless wanderers’) – the initial aim was to communicate with regional audiences. Material was traslated and rough-cut in Addis Ababa; fine-cutting & subtitling in Tigrinya, Afar and Boran as well as English-language versions was done in London. For some reason final copies were held at customs by the Ethiopian government. So we re-versioned it for BBCWorld, who broadcasted the film as ‘Home on the Range’, and it influenced government policy after all.
Prod/dir/cam/ed Susi Arnott for SOS Sahel/Comic Relief; co-director Tafesse Mesfin was already known to many contributors as a trustworthy vet.
Awra Amba (Ethiopia, 2008)
Produced and directed by Paulina Tervo; I was just lucky enough to spend a couple of weeks living there as camerawoman. Editor, Catallin Brylla.
UK screenings included Open City Docs festival and the Frontline Club