A BAFTA nominated film-maker has been chosen to direct an educational film highlighting a community bio-fuels project in Malawi.

Led by the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute in partnership with ENTECH in Malawi and Climate Futures in the UK, JANEEMO , is an innovative new enterprise which provides villagers in Malawi with the resources to grow and process bio-fuels for household and village needs.

Julian Krubasik (aged 25), who will direct the film, was recently nominated for a 2009 BAFTA New Talent Award with his short film ‘Flashed’. Currently studying Film/TV Documentary/Cinematography at the Edinburgh College of Art, he will be joined on this project by fellow student Sabine Hellmann (aged 29) as a creative collaborator and producer.

The pair will travel to Malawi this summer, and again in the autumn, to shoot the film. The ten-minute film will form the basis for a teachers? Pack, which will be distributed to primary and secondary schools in Scotland.

Commenting on the appointment Julian Krubasik said, “Many aspects in a child’s life, no matter where they live, are similar. Children go to school, do their homework, help the parents in the household and most importantly play with friends. Those aspects connect every child but there are often big differences in the way children live and the energy they use. We want to make children in Scotland aware that children in Malawi can’t just switch a switch to turn on a light or their television. Although our lifestyles are so different we want to make a connection to African lifestyles through stories told by Malawian children.”

Using a combination of three trees, Jatropha, Neem and Moringa which give the project its name, farmers are able to utilise marginal or unproductive land to provide an additional resource to food and other crops. The trees all have multiple uses with their oil-rich seeds processed to produce bio-fuels for lamps, stoves and generators, soap, plus biogas for cooking, and their leaves used as an agricultural fertiliser. In addition, extracts from the Neem and Moringa trees have important nutritional as well as medicinal uses.

The competition was judged by Grant Davidson, JANEEMO Project Co-ordinator, Clare Neely, PR and Communications Manager at the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Charles Henderson of Climate Futures, Noe Mendelle and Emma Davie of Edinburgh College of Art, and Ian Edwards, Head of Exhibitions and Events at Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.

Following the competition, Charles Henderson, who leads on communication for JANEEMO, said, “The standard of projects proposed was extremely high. We chose Julian and Sabine due to their enthusiasm and technical ability. We are confident they will help bring the project to life and get the message across in a fun and informative way. Their strong team ethos and African experience will help them film in this challenging environment.”

In 2005 the industry’s skills council Skillset endorsed Edinburgh College of Art, in collaboration with Napier University, as a ‘Centre of Excellence’ in film education and training and a member of the UK-wide network of Screen Academies. Emma Davie, tutor at the Edinburgh College of Art said, “We are delighted to be working with the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute and Climate Futures and on the creation of this film and we look forward to seeing the finished product.”

ENDS

Information for Editors

JANEEMO

A recent analysis by the Malawi government identified over 75% of households in Chikwawa District as extremely poor. Nutrition levels are not high and access to health and education services is limited. Communities are heavily dependant on shrinking forests for energy. Sourcing firewood is becoming increasingly difficult, reducing time available for education and enterprise development. In common with many African countries, HIV and AIDS have led to a reduced labour force. As a result, households are often female headed. This means that women and girls face multiple challenges of caring, supplying food and energy for growing households. JANEEMO helps tackle all these challenges by providing enterprise, fuel, nutitional, health and agricultural improvements. For more information, visit www.janeemo.org

Climate Futures

Climate Futures are specialists in low-carbon advice, development of clean energy enterprises and communication of climate change. With a belief that preservation of the climate and effective carbon management are critical to economic prosperity, we offer technical know-how, strong partnerships, careful planning and well communicated projects which deliver measurable carbon savings and grass-roots level attitudinal change.

ENTECH

A Malawian environmental technologies company focused on the cultivation, conservation and commercialisation of oil bearing trees and medicinal plants on a local basis in southern Africa.

The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute

The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute was founded in 1930 and is an international centre for research and consultancy on the environmental and social consequences of rural land uses. With an annual income from research and consultancy of over £11m, the Institute is the largest interdisciplinary research organisation of its kind in Europe, and aims to provide evidence to help shape future environmental and rural-development policy on a national and international basis. For further information, visit www.macaulay.ac.uk

The Edinburgh College of Art

The Edinburgh College of Art has an international reputation as one of the most successful independent art colleges in the UK. Offering the highest quality of experience for our students and staff, and by providing a learning environment that is both supportive and challenging, the College is known for its creativity, its co-operative atmosphere and its graduates.

For further information contact:

Clare Neely

The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute

Craigiebuckler

Aberdeen

AB15 8QH

Tel: 01224 395087

Fax: 01224 395010

http://www.macaulay.ac.uk