Pics from the CBC Soccer Day in Canada Interview

Here's a few pics I snapped with my phone as Allan and I got ready to be interviewed on CBC for Soccer Day in Canada. Thanks to everyone who tuned in!

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-ngardy

Ngardy getting make up

 Allan getting beautified!

 Floor director Bob and host Scott getting ready for the interview

 Allan in deep thought...Ngardy, getting one more pic before the cameras roll

 Much better Allan, ready for the camera now!

All smiles, all done!

We will hopefully post the interview online within the next week when we get a copy.

Leone Stars directors on CBC Soccer Day July 9

Leone Stars creators Ngardy Conteh and Allan Tong will be on CBC-TV sometime between 11:00am and 11:30am (EST) on Saturday, July 9. They will be part of CBC's Soccer Day in Canada, an all-day celebration of The Beautiful Game. CBC will air an excerpt of their footage and interview them about Leone Stars. Tell your friends and tune in! (Available in Canada only.)

6 Questions with Johnny Vong

1) You're volunteering to help as a production assistant on this shoot. How come?

Strange, lovely, impeccable timing. I was in Barbuda for Ngardy's wedding in January when she told me that this project was all ready to go... crew, money, everything was coming together. I was very happy and excited for her. When I returned to Toronto, I got the unfortunate news that I've been laid off from my full time job....After telling her my story, I simply asked if I could come along with her to Sierra Leone. I agreed to pay for everything including my plane ticket with whatever money I had saved up. We both agreed: I was crazy.

2) In two sentences tell us about yourself.

I am a filmmaker, photographer, devoted cinephile. I'm adventure-seeking, energetic and passionate.

3) How do you know Ngardy?

We met while working together at a small production company many years ago.

4) How are you preparing?

I am reading a lot about the people and history of Sierra Leone right now. There's a lot of emotional territory for me to explore, and I know this research will greatly inform the thematic ideas around the images I capture.

5) Any expectations of what you'll see and experience?
Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries in the world, and the quality of life there is very low. I'm not expecting a holiday retreat. I'm expecting to experience first-hand what life in a country so recently ravaged by war, corruption and violence really feels like.

6) What do you intend to shoot?
We'll be shuttling back and forth between a quiet village and the busy city mayhem of Freetown. It's been ten years since the end of civil war, so it's an incredible opportunity to be able to capture the mood and atmosphere of a country rebuilding, with all its optimism as well as heartbreak. I will be using the images I capture from this project for a personal project...a kind of Chris Marker style film, a hybrid of narrative fiction and documentary, something kind of poetic, essayist or travelogue in form and genre.

Filming in Freetown in March

Director Ngardy Conteh cinematographer Colin Akoon will journey to Freetown and neighbouring villages from March 15 to 30 to capture the life stories of the Leone Stars amputee soccer team. Ngardy and Colin will also visit some of the villages from where the players hailed -- and escaped during the civil war.

Joining them on this trip will be Toronto photographer, Johnny Vong, who is generously donating his time to take pictures and help Ngardy and Colin.

During that war, the players were boys and young adolescents when rebel soldiers hacked off their arms and legs. This film will tell those stories and the hope that their team gives them in surviving in post-war Sierra Leone.

Ngardy will be blogging while she is there. Subscribe to this blog to receive regular updates.

This shoot is funded by generous donors through a recent Kickstarter campaign and a grant from the Toronto Arts Council.

Despite that, the production team is on a tight budget (nobody is making a dime off this film) and we're looking for a deal on P2 cards for our videocamera and a boom mic kit. If anyone in the Toronto area can offer us a reasonable rate on either or both items, please contact co-producer & writer Allan Tong. Thank you!

Next post:
Meet the film crew of the LEONE STARS documentary.

Cheers,
Allan Tong
Co-producer/writer

The Leone Stars play in Spain

The Leone Stars played in Spain last month, thanks to a generous donation from a cell phone company.

AllAfrica.com reports:

One of the leading mobile phone giants in the country, Africell, continues their relentless support towards football in the country with the donation of US$6,000 to the Single Leg Amputee Sports Club, ahead of their international trip to Spain.

Before handing over the cheque which equivalent to Le32.7 million, Africell's head of event and sponsorship, Arthur Kallon said supporting the single leg football team is no a difficult assignment for them as they've done several times in the past. He said: "In Africell we are committed in reaching our target, if we are supporting the two legged football in the country we see no reason why we should not support the single legged. This is not the first and will not be the end of our commitment to supporting sports in the country. We will continue to do more."

Photo by Fiona Aboud

President of the Amputee Sports Club, who also doubles as the team's goalkeeper, Jabati Mambu said he was pleased with the response from Africell, adding that this was not the first time the company has come to their aid.

He said: "Since we started this club in 2001, Africell has been our lead supporter. We thank them for this and will continue to pay them back, which is our obligation."According to Mambu, despite getting less support from Sierra Leoneans, the team has achieved and will continue to achieve lots of excellence internationally.

Before their departure yesterday with a 14-man delegation, the team's public relations officer, Albert Mustapha said their trip to Spain came after they received an invitation from three different sporting bodies from the European nation, including One Goal Association, NGO Esport Solidari International in collaboration with the Spanish Ministry of Sports and other sporting associations in that country.

He said during their stay, the team will participate in a tour of promotion for peace and sports in Barcelona, Burgos and Cadiz cities.

demo footage by Associate Producer, Fiona Aboud

Some sample footage of the Leone Stars amputee football (soccer) club, shot in 2007 by associate producer and New York photographer, Fiona Aboud