MFP DOCUMENTS DISABILITY ACTIVIST, JESSICA PITA'S DIVING EXPERIENCE IN MADAGASCAR
CLIENT THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER
JULY 2024
Jessica Pita is PADI's first South African blind scuba diver. She has a condition called optic atrophy, caused by a brain tumour that pressed on her optic nerves when she was 11. After it was removed, her central vision turned completely black, but with pinpricks of light that almost look like stars. This hasn't stopped her from becoming an avid diver however and a disability activist who encourages more people to discover the wonders of the underwater world.
MFP's photo team spent time photographing Jessica and her diving buddy Henry Green during their dives in Madagascar. To learn more about Jessica's inspirational journey and how you can become involved in diving you can read the article here.
"After seeing fish numbers plummet, he swapped his fishing net for a camera" - BBC Africa. MFP'S Co-founder Michel "Goff" Strogoff featured in BBC Africa's online service. The social media post chronicles Goff's incredible life journey from Vezo fisherman to become "one of Madagascar’s leading conservation wildlife filmmakers and photographers." You can read the full post here
MFP photographed members of the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) who are finalists in the 2024 Earthshot prize. The team attended a series of events in Madagascar. Michel Strogoff MFP's co-founder was on hand to capture a series of imagery of the team whilst they attended events in Madagascar. You can view Goff's imagery and learn more about the vital work of HAC and the Earthshot prize project by following this link.
"I killed a great white when I was 18 to feed my family in Madagascar. But now I’m documenting the threat to these beautiful creatures from overfishing"
Herizo Randrianandrasana, shares his experience as a camera and storytelling trainee at Madagascar Film & Photography, highlighting the importance of Madagascar’s national parks and learning the craft of camera and filmmaking. After being supported through the Wildscreen Storytelling Internship Scheme in partnership with the Aina Madagascar Film Fellowship as MFP’s first Scholarship Student, he kept a diary throughout his 2-month internship, chronicling his journey with the company. You can read all about his adventures HERE!
Fantastic to see so much of Goff's footage feature in this fascinating production for #OurPlanetEarth 🌍, a @bbcearth BBC Studios Natural History Unit and Wellcome co-production for the BBC. This short film looks into how a small insect can help in the fight against famine.
🦎📚 Meet Herizo Randrianandrasana, MFP’s first Scholarship Student! We are very excited to welcome him to the team and for him to train with us over the next two months. 📢 🎥The scholarship’s focus is on training Malagasy nationals in wildlife and environmental filmmaking and photography. Its ultimate goal is to create awareness around conservation and help to empower a new generation of impactful Malagasy storytellers. 🌿🦎
🙏🙏🙏 Thanks to Wildscreen’s support, Herizo will receive a salary and the Aina Madagascar Film Fellowship will cover his travel and living expenses.
MFP recently worked with WeAct to document the cookstove project they support in Madagascar. WeAct provides fuel efficient cookstoves to households that reduce the amount of firewood needed to cook. This in turn decreases deforestation and local emissions - and improves health, income and employment opportunities for local communities. Goff traveled with the WeAct crew to Fianarantsoa to photograph in the factories that make the cookstoves and the homes of local community members that are using the stoves.
We are very proud that our good friend Mamy Razafitsalama of Planet Madagascar has won a Whitley Fund for Nature award! The award recognises Mamy’s work to protect forests and help biodiversity and people in communities in NW Madagascar. We have worked with Mamy on multiple film projects over the years and have seen first hand the vital work that he and the team are doing.
We had a fantastic time working with the RISE Our World Heritage crew
and Vatosoa Rakotondrazafy. Vatosoa and Nicolas the presenter and founder of Rise took to the air for a unique perspective on the incredible biodiversity of Madagascar as well as some of the community based solutions that are helping to protect the environment.
Fantastic news! Eyes of the Orangutan is a finalist at nature film's equivalent to the Oscars: Jackson Wild.