Background

The Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung (RLS) is an internationally active, left-wing, non-profit organisation for political education and affiliated to the German party "Die Linke". Since 1990, the organisation has been dedicated to the study of social, political and economic processes and developments worldwide. We work in the context of the growing manifold crises of our current political and economic system. In cooperation with other progressive organisations from all parts of the world, we work for democratic and social participation, empowerment of disadvantaged groups and alternative economic and social development. Through our international activities, we aim to provide political education through scientific analysis, public programs and joint projects with our partner organisations. To accompany and coordinate these different projects, the organisation maintains regional and country offices in 27 locations worldwide. We work for a fairer world based on international solidarity.

The RLS Southern Africa in partnership with Women on Farms Project (WFP), African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), and the Trust for Community Outreach (TCOE) seek to produce a documentary feature film on pesticides and their implications on people and the environment The producers of this documentary film aim to deliver a film that can serve as an accessible awareness-raising tool for a global audience on the impacts of highly hazardous pesticides, highlighting the struggles of farmworkers and dwellers and showcasing alternatives to their use. To achieve this goal, the film will be distributed internationally through film festivals, online platforms and TV broadcasters among others. RLS seeks to contract a filmmaker to produce a 60-minute feature film with a focus on pesticides. The filmmaker will be responsible for the entire film production process, including the pre-production in preparation for filming and the post-production of the film. The shooting will take place in Cape Town and surrounding areas.

Purpose and objectives.

The film will seek to do the following:

• Show and explain the impacts of pesticide on human health and the environment broadly in the South African society, highlighting how pesticides are used widely in South African dominant food systems, to illustrate how farm workers and dwellers are disproportionately exposed to pesticides and the impacts on their health and wellbeing.
• Highlight the dependence of South Africa’s dominant industrial agricultural and food systems on pesticides.
• Provide analysis on the double standards in the international trade of pesticides.
• Explore alternatives to pesticides in the production of our food.

Expected outputs.

• A compelling 60-minute feature film in English (including English subtitles) and a second version with subtitles in another language with a focus on pesticides and their implications on human health and the environment.
• A compelling trailer in English and in a second language.
• Assembling a professional film crew and undertaking the entire film production process. Guidance will be provided by RLS and its partners.
• A collection of high-quality still photographs that can be used to support social media campaigns.

Expected working days and timeline.

The expected amount of working days are: 15 for pre-production, 25 for production, 25 for post-production. The final film shall be delivered by December 2024.

Management and dissemination.

• Management: the consultancy will be conducted under the supervision of RLS.
• Dissemination: the film(s) produced have to be disseminated to the RLS executive and dissemination to third parties is subject to RLS approval.

Duration

This consultancy starts from the moment of the signature of the contract agreement between RLS and the filmmaker. The work on the film and the completion of the film will take place within a binding schedule agreed between the filmmaker and RLS.

Budget and additional input

Budget and additional input regarding this consultancy will be detailed and provided on the contract agreement between RLS and the filmmaker.

Qualifications

The filmmaker must have the following qualifications:

• Relevant professional background.
• Experience in innovative ways of filmmaking aimed at mobilizing public opinion.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Experience and knowledge of agriculture/environment/Africa would be an advantage.  

Payment

Payment will be made in instalments linked to the delivery of intermediate outputs. These will be agreed between the filmmaker and RLS after the service contract has been awarded.

Application process

Eligible filmmakers are invited to submit technical proposals and a financial quotation (based on daily rates) to undertake this work. This must include all costs and expenses, excluding travel costs (flights, accommodation, daily allowances, local transport) and costs related to issuing shooting permits, etc.

Proposals must be sent to Jan Urhahn (jan.urhahn@rosalux.org). Applications should be submitted not later than by 13:00 on December 5, 2023. ‍

Receipt of documents will not be acknowledged. The decision will be made on the basis of the submitted application according to the following weighting of the evaluation criteria: reputation experience of the filmmaker: 10% / price: 90%.

Preliminary timeline

Public invitation to tender until 05.12.2023.

Award of contract by 20.01.2024.

Script and detailed shooting plan by 01.03.2024.

Completion of production by 01.08.2024.

Completion of post-production and final feature film available by 15.12.2024.

The timeline specified may deviate slightly from the time frame specified in the work contract by mutual agreement.

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