(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The first public screening of the HIV edutainment film “Sma Mofo/Gossip: Shirley and John” will take place on 1 December 2008 in Paramaribo, Suriname to observe World AIDS Day.
Sma Mofo/Gossip tells the story of Shirley and John, a young couple in their 20’s who are desperately trying to make their relationship work. But they both carry the burden of their past and their (family) secrets. Sma Mofo is a story about families and friends; of love and desire. But it is also a story of gossip and betrayal and the chaos they create. The story is based on research of the target group’s (relational and sexual) attitudes and behaviour, and the script was tested with various audiences.
The CARICOM/PANCAP/World Bank-funded “Sma Mofo” is part of the Caribbean HIV/AIDS Edutainment Kit Project (Support for a Caribbean HIV/AIDS Edutainment Project to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS and reduce HIV and AIDS-related stigma and discrimination), which is being implemented by CARICOM/PANCAP in collaboration with the Stichting Projekta in Suriname.
The Caribbean HIV/AIDS edutainment kit offers a variety of edutainment materials for use in all CARICOM countries in their fight against HIV. The kit is a work in progress and the intention is to add new materials to it in the coming years. At present, the kit offers two TV films – Sma Mofo/Gossip and Wan Lobi Tori/A Love Story – and two versions of one Theater Play – In Half an Hour, produced by Lighthouse Theater of St. Lucia – as well as discussion briefs for these products. The kit also contains information and fact sheets on topics such as Gender and HIV; and HIV FACTS campaign, and other materials for use in classrooms and outreach programmes.
The official screening of Sma Mofo follows the World Aids Day ceremonies organized by the National AIDS Programme of Suriname. The screening starts at 18.00 hrs at SUIT Theater, Wiliam Kraanplein, Zorg en Hoop in Paramaribo.
Contact: Riane Dehaas-Bledoeg
rianehb@caricom.org
