Reuters

Madonna premieres Malawi film

Updated 10.43 Fri Apr 25 2008

Keywords: tribeca film festival, madonna, documentary

Madonna has premiered her documentary highlighting the plight of Malawi's Aids orphans at the Tribeca Film Festival.

The documentary - 'I Am Because We Are' - was written, produced and narrated by the popstar.

"In the beginning I wasn't in the movie at all, but then I realised because I was narrating that it was important that I let people know that it was my personal journey and my experience" - Madonna

Madonna's interest in Malawi began about two years ago after she was contacted by a businesswoman, born and raised in the country.

Madonna says in the film: "She sounded exhausted and on the verge of tears. I asked her how I could help."

Director Nathan Rissman said: "It was during filming, during researching these different orphanages, that she found David."

Rissman adds: "We decided, if we were going to wake people up, we were going to try to point them in the direction of how we can solve these problems."

Madonna said of being in the documentary: "In the beginning I wasn't in the movie at all, but then I realised because I was narrating that it was important that I let people know that it was my personal journey and my experience."

The popstar is currently awaiting the verdict from the Malawian court about the formal adoption of local boy David Banda.