tchindas
in ‘tchindas’, a beautifully shot vérité chronicle of the all - consuming carnival preparations .
on african island, ‘tchindas’ goes beyond lgbti acceptance (july 2015, 76crimes. com )
q & a about ‘tchindas, ’ a ‘new frontier of trans films’ (july 2015, 76crimes. com )
“tchindas” is a story of transgender and homosexual people who are mocked or stigmatized by those around them. as one cape verdean woman states :
avui, a les 20h. a la @ casagroga de barcelona, tchindas del @ marcserena. # cine # trans # lgtbi # agendaafricana @ tchindasfilm urltoken
“tchindas” is the endearing and funny story of a band of three transgender and homosexual friends who are passionate about dance and who put their energies into preparing for the great carnival of cape verde .
tres maneres de ser diferent lluny de la forma binària de veure i viure el gènere. qui són els
muxe
, els
kushra
i els
tchindas
? els coneixem amb la
el divendres 23 de febrer (19h) projectem tchindas al centre cívic casa groga, de barcelona. carnaval + cap verd + orgull trans + cesária évora! entrada gratuïta i cinefòrum posterior. us hi esperem !
in film
tchindas
, directors marc serena and pablo garcia perez de lara traveled to sao vicente to explore the lives of the transsexual community in the city of mindelo in the run up to its annual carnival .
serena and de lara premiered
tchindas
in 2015. it won the grand jury award at outfest, was nominated for an africa movie academy award and screened at the new york african film festival earlier this year .
del libro
¡esto no es africano
, un viaje a través de los amores prohibidos en el continente. el trabajo de donde nació la película tchindas. más infomración del libro, con testimonios de 15 países :
on her first trip to new york, the lgbtq community leader and star of the new documentary ‘tchindas, ’ talks to i - d about what it’s like to be out and proud in one of africa’s smallest countries .
descobrim cap verd i la seva gent a través de la història de tchindas. avui última sessió de # cinemadelluites amb @ tchindasfilm a l' @ agorajuanandres. l' any que ve més, perquè # lagoraesqueda! urltoken
the annual carnival (in 2013 the theme was “under the sea”) is a crucial part of cape verde life, and the tchindas (the original one as well as her friends) are an integral part of making the carnival happen .
the love she inspires is evident in a documentary co - directed by serena and pablo garcia perez de lara last year called
tchindas ,
which follows andrade' s preparations for one of the biggest annual events on the cape verde calendar: carnival .
she was the first to open the way for others to express themselves ,
says serena .
tchinda is a natural leader .
so influential has she been that the trans community in cape verde are referred to as
tchindas
by locals .
«it’s impressive to see a whole island working together to make something beautiful out of nothing. we observe them while hearing several local words impossible to fully translate like “sodade” (nostalgia often considered positive), “morabeza” (hospitality) and, obviously, “tchindas” (queer) .
they work with the children and others from their neighborhood to prepare for the big event. the film features the leader of the group, the trans woman tchinda, whose popularity has turned “tchindas” into the same for all lgbtq cape verdeans; sweet elvis; and young, sparkling edinha .
the film “tchindas” was shown on july 22 in douala, cameroon, as part of the écrans noirs (“black screens”) film festival. it’s an important, heart - warming film about acceptance of the lgbtq community on an african island, but few members of douala’s lgbtq community turned out to see it .
tchindas
has been compared to
paris is burning ,
with its legendary drag ball. it' s more hit - and - miss in the scenes leading up to carnaval, and even in its coverage of the celebration itself. too many scenes seem too mundane, but the cumulative effect is positive .
cape verde, or cabo verde, is a small archipelago nation composed of ten volcanic islands and is the setting of the last reel world film series event of the year. this week, the institute of global engagement is showing “tchindas” on may 24 in miller hall 138 at 6 p. m. this will be a free event .
tchinda is openly transgender and deeply respected. her choices, direction and vision centralise a collection of people that few beyond the island know to exist. ‘tchindas’ reveals a hidden landscape tucked far away from the world we know, where trans inclusion and teamwork make up the fundamental structure of a truly magical community and culture. glue, glitter and feathers are at a premium
glue, glitter and feathers are at a premium in tchindas, a beautifully shot vérité chronicle of the all - consuming carnival preparations on são vicente, cape verde’s second - most - populous island. a vivid sense of place, community and personalities comes through in the keenly observed film by pablo garcia perez de lara and marc serena, which reveals a seamless fusion of tradition and open - hearted acceptance .
despite the lineup of well - known filmmakers at the festival, the warmest reception was for tchinda andrade, about a humble female transsexual from cape verde who’s one of the most loved personalities on her island of san vicente. non - heterosexuals are known as “tchindas” in cape verde, and this interesting documentary takes us on a fascinating journey through the tchinda community as it prepares for its major festival: carnival .
“tchindas” is a documentary that tells the story of a cape verdean of the same name. tchinda andrade is a well - known and well - loved member of the cape verde community who gained even more recognition and support after coming out as a transgender woman in the newspaper in 1998. all lgbtq people were in the closet at that time, tchinda states in the documentary. according to an i - d magazine article about the film there weren’t even words in cape verdean creole for concepts such as non - cisgender, non - straight genders and sexualities .
reeling opens at the music box theatre on september 17 with fourth man out, the debut feature from director andrew nackman. it' s described as
a bro comedy with a lot of heart
about a small - town auto mechanic whose coming out confuses his blue - collar pals. nackman and cast members evan todd and kate flannery (a founding member of the annoyance theatre) are expected to appear at the screening. other highlights include documentaries tchindas, which reeling co - curator richard knight described as
an african paris is burning ,
and olya' s love, which follows a pair of lesbian activists in the increasingly hostile contemporary russia. reeling 33 runs september 17–24; tickets go on sale august 27 at urltoken .
reeling: the chicago lgbtq + international film festival returns for its 33rd year this week with a packed and wonderfully diverse line up of features, docs and shorts. the festival offers highly anticipated studio features as well as a fantastic assortment of international and u. s. documentaries and films by new and first - time directors you won’t get to see anywhere else. the festival runs september 17–24 and packs in nearly 40 features and more than 60 shorts. we’ve picked five we can’t wait to see from this rich selection to get you started. plus our own theater and lgbt senior editor kris vire moderates a q & a with freeheld writer ron nyswaner on monday following the 7pm screening of the film starring julianne moore and ellen page, so there are plenty of reasons to get rolling to reeling. all five of these screenings take place at landmark century centre cinema, 2828 n clark st .
beautiful something dir. joseph graham. 2015. beautiful something is really just that. it’s a visually spectacular look at four very different queer men and the men in their lives that humanizes the gay experience through complex and diverse portrayals, presenting these characters without stereotypes and with great depth. the film itself comments on themes of lust, heartbreak and art as we see these men intertwine (plotwise and literally) over the course of one evening. all of the emotions and impulses are universally human; these men just happen to be queer and that’s what allows the film to transcend cliché and truly resonate. (sept 23, 7pm. $ 12 )
from this day forward dir. sharon shattuck. 2015. documentarian sharon shattuck’s deeply personal from this day forward is an absorbing portrait of her transgender father, who transitioned from michael to trisha when shattuck was a teenager. shattuck uses family photos, home movies and her dad' s art to reconstruct trisha’s coming out in small - town michigan. but it’s the frank present - day interviews with trisha and sharon’s mother, marcia, about how their marriage survived that most compel. (sept 20, 12: 15pm. $ 8) – kris vire
you & i dir. nils bökamp. 2014. best friends philip (english, gay) and jonas (german, straight) head out on a road trip through the countryside in the german dramedy you & i, but their coyly flirtatious friendship takes a turn after they pick up a handsome young polish hitchhiker. the characters tend to swap languages mid - sentence; the german and polish are subtitled, but with the range of accents you may wish the english was too. still, the film is appealingly sensual and dreamily paced. (sept 22, 9: 15pm. $ 12) – kv
stonewall dir. roland emmerich. 2015. even before anyone' s seen it (it premieres at the toronto international film festival on friday, two days before it screens at reeling), stonewall has already reaped criticism based on its trailer for apparent whitewashing of the historic 1969 stonewall riots in new york—riots that were driven by a greatly diverse group of minorities, trans women, lesbians and drag queens. yet stonewall the film elevates another pretty white boy (jeremy irvine) as its protagonist, danny winters. despite the backlash and boycotts called for since the trailer’s release, this film is one that we’re, at the very least, interested to see at the festival. while it may very well live up to the worst fears of its critics, stonewall could partially redeem itself in some small ways. no matter what, we’re excited to see it, and judge it, ourselves. (sept 20, 7pm. $ 12 )
madeline is assistant editor at time out chicago. follow her on twitter @ madelinewolfson .
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reeling: the chicago lgbtq + international film festival announced the bulk of its feature lineup for september' s 33rd edition of the fest at a media preview this evening. the slate includes the first chicago screenings of two of the fall' s highest - profile lgbt - themed movies: stonewall, director roland emmerich' s fictionalized take on the 1969 riots at a new york city gay bar, and freeheld, starring julianne moore and ellen page as a real - life lesbian couple fighting injustice .
the trailer for stonewall hit the web yesterday, and though it seems to be a passion project for independence day director emmerich and screenwriter jon robin baitz, who are both gay themselves, the online reaction to their apparent decision to center the story on a young, white, attractive cisgender man (played by british actor jeremy irvine) and sideline the lesbians, trans * people, drag queens and people of color at the heart of the real stonewall riots has been mixed to say the least .
freeheld seems on its surface less controversial. moore plays a new jersey police detective who, after being diagnosed with terminal cancer in the mid - 2000s, fought to secure her pension benefits for her domestic partner, played by page. michael shannon and steve carell costar in the film from director peter sollett. (both freeheld and stonewall will premiere at the toronto international film festival before screening at reeling, but reeling will precede the movies' commercial openings. )
kris is a senior editor at time out chicago, covering theater and dance, comedy and lgbt events. he can give you the best cta route to every theater in the city, and you can probably find him at one of them tonight. follow him on twitter at @ krisvire .
the 2015 outfest los angeles lgbt film festival ran july 9 - 19, closing sunday with francois ozon’s gender - bending melodrama “the new girlfriend, ” starring romain duris and anais demoustier .
the festival gives out audiences awards and three juries voted on shorts, narrative features and documentary awards (i voted on the doc jury) .
read more: outfest 2015 lineup has nick jonas, christine vachon, ‘beaver trilogy’ and more .
documentary feature winner we award best documentary feature to a sinner in mecca for gay filmmaker parvez sharma’s daring iphone journey of acceptance into the heart of islam .
actor in a u. s. dramatic feature for a richly multi - dimensional portraits of young gay men, balancing their forbidden relationship with their muslim faith in post 9 - 11 new york. the best actor in a u. s. feature goes to curtis cook jr and kerwin johnson jr in naz and maalik .
actress in a u. s. dramatic feature for capturing with a quick - witted humor the sympathetic qualities of a difficult character, and humanizing the issue of sex addiction the best actress in a us feature goes to judy greer in addicted to fresno .
screenwriting in a u. s. dramatic feature for its remarkable depth of character history and its sincere and complicated exploration of family, home, sexuality, and parenthood, the best screenplay award goes to sebastian .
u. s. dramatic feature film for its deft use of humor and its unexpected subversion of expectations, the award for best u. s. narrative feature goes to nasty baby, directed by sebastian silva .
international dramatic feature for its eerie elegance, audacious storytelling and carnal depiction of love, the international dramatic feature goes to everlasting love, directed by marcal fores .
documentary short film for its inspiring portrait of a beloved young activist and advocate for transgender rights, the jury prize for documentary is given to brockington, directed by maggie sloane, mason sklut, sergio ingato .
experimental short film for its confounding and provocative reflection, we award the jury prize for experimental short film to the lamps, by shelly silver. dramatic short film for its evocative cinematography that captures desire between two young men who seize the night – one an apprentice barber and the other a young man leaving for the military service, we award the jury prize for short narrative to tremulo, directed by roberto fiesco
special jury mention we can’t live without cosmos for its innovative storytelling that transcends language and redefines companionship through the animated portrait of two astronauts whose commitment to each other is out of this world, we award a special jury prize to we can’t life without cosmos, directed by konstantin bronzit. special programming awards
emerging talent for crafting a funny and moving portrait of a young trans man living his truth in rural north carolina, reminding us all that love can prevail even in the face of intense bigotry and ignorance, the 2015 programming award for emerging talent goes to hillevi loven for deep run .
freedom for risking incarceration by telling the story of lgbtq kenyans in a country where homosexuality itself is a criminal offense, and for its deft balance of documentary and narrative filmmaking technique in capturing subjects who are forced to keep their identities secret, the 2015 programming award for artistic freedom goes to jim chuchu and the nest collective for stories of our lives .
artistic achievement for moving trans cinema forward by placing its heroine firmly into genre storytelling, and for its powerful evocation of the muxe culture of small - town mexico, the 2015 programming award for artistic achievement goes to rigoberto pérezcano for carmin tropical .
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receiving its world premiere at outfest los angeles, the doc zeros in on one neighborhood’s communal transformation for the annual event, finding at its center the spirited creative leadership of a trio of transgender and gay residents. as the film’s title reflects, the name of one of those figures, the transgender woman tchinda andrade, has become the local term for lgbtq people .
tchinda is an elder stateswoman of sorts, having come out publicly in 1998, at a time when, as she tells some of her younger friends, “all homosexuals were in the closet. ” a revered resident of a working - class corner of the city of mindelo — “tchinda rules, end of story, ” one man says — she tends bar in her modest eatery, sometimes with a neighbor’s baby in her arms, and takes to the streets, hips swiveling and voice booming, to hawk the finger food coxinhas .
though she won’t be marching in the 2013 events that the film depicts, tchinda oversees the community effort, and does her best to defuse the mounting tension. working with her are elvis tolentino, winner of multiple trophies for best dressed at carnival, and the sweet - faced edinha pitanga. together they conceptualize the ocean - themed float and costumes for the collective fantasy and, with limited funds and limitless inventiveness, they take every detail seriously — every stitch and sequin, every welded framework and papier - mâché creature .
though nobody other than the central three comes into focus except in relation to carnival, the feel of community and interdependence is fully alive in co - director perez’s intimate fly - on - the - wall camerawork in houses, shops and on the cobbled streets. his painterly compositions capture the island’s sun - washed palette, while the sound of cape verdean creole, spoken and sung, is a vibrant music. the directors make apt use of a few mornas by the island nation’s late, great cultural ambassador, the singer cesaria evora; it was she who urged serena, a barcelona - based journalist, to experience what she called the best carnival in africa .
for all the power of the direct - cinema approach, there are pieces of crucial context that are clearer in the production notes than the film itself. the oft - invoked pomba gira, a female figure of afro - brazilian religion, isn’t explained within the film, but the doc’s final 10 minutes make her power felt in the exultant performances of edinha, elvis and others on carnival day. they wow the locals and tourists who line the city’s main street, with its glimpses of wealth and worldliness that contrast with the sleepy quarter from which tchinda & co. hail .
but in the excitement and release of the culminating spectacle, there’s something far more powerful than mere entertainment going on. “i have to feel proud, delicate and joyful, ” edinha declares while working on costumes, and on carnival day it’s clear that she has achieved her goal. and then there’s the sodade that evora sang of — the portuguese notion of nostalgia and longing, captured ineffably on tchinda’s face when, at film’s end, the party’s over .
from visionary filmmaker spike lee comes the incredible true story of an american hero .
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urltoken
within a small, tropical cape verdean island, the beloved tchinda is hard at work preparing for a carnival she hopes will capture the town’s imagination .
despite her great reputation, tchinda remains humble and every afternoon she happily tours the neighborhood to sell her best “coxinhas”, a classic brazilian treat: delicious fried balls of chicken .
filmmakers marc serena and pablo garcía pérez de lara have crafted a lush, perceptive documentary that at times feels akin to a fairy tale. the film reveals a hidden landscape tucked far away from the world we know, where trans inclusion and teamwork make up the fundamental structure of a truly magical community and culture .
«cape verde became an independent country from portugal in 1975, known worldwide because of its most international singer, cesária évora. her songs are in cape verdean creole, a language without a dictionary that i’m lucky to somehow understand .
that’s why, four years ago, when i visited cesária at her house, we could handle a conversation. i remember perfectly when she told me: “you have to come back again to see the carnival, it’s the best of africa! ”. she died 36 hours later… so i took her words seriously and i came back to shoot this documentary» .
the island is a true exception for the way trans people are respected, it’s definitely an untold african story we all have to be proud of. we want to share it in a film that’s beautiful, sensitive, poetic, and a final celebration» .
pablo garcía pérez de lara (barcelona, 1970) has directed two full - length films: fuente álamo, the caress of time (2001), selected in karlovy vary and butterfly (2007), in the official section of karlovy vary and san sebastián. his short film alicia portrayed (2002) was selected by the semaine de la critique du festival de cannes. he’s been the dop of the acclaimed familystrip from luís miñarro or the k effect: stalin’s editor (2012) from valentí figueres, screened in 60 festivals. he teaches cinema in the school in the cinema in curs program .
marc serena (barcelona, 1983) is a journalist and normally works as a screenwriter for spanish tv as tvc, tve and barcelona tv. he has just published un - african love? (2014), compiling queer voices from 15 african countries. his previous book, trip to the 25 (2011), received great success in asia, where it has been published in chinese and korean. he has directed the web documentary double epidemic (2015) .
yolanda olmos (barcelona, 1966) works for doble banda as an executive producer and director. since 2001, she has produced sixteen audiovisual projects, mostly documentaries .
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tchinda is one of most beloved women in cape verde, especially after she came out as a transgender person in the local newspaper in 1998. since then, her name has become the term used by... see full summary »
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at the center of preparations is tchinda andrade, a firebrand for the island' s trans community and one of the first to come out in sao vicente back in 1998. so influential is she that
tchinda
has become an term used to describe trans people on the island .
the transgender community make up only a portion of the carnival' s throng, but their input can also be felt elsewhere. andrade brings together local children to perform at the carnival, and her lieutenants elvis and edinha help with the costumes for myriad performers .
though considered by some to be africa' s most lgbt - friendly nation, the respect shown towards the transgender community has been hard fought. serena says that andrade has been assaulted in the past, and transgender people have limited protection in the eyes of the law .
this is a poor country, but it' s full of love and joy ,
says serena. the island is small, only 88 square miles, which perhaps breeds a environment of inclusivity .
you have to get together and live together ,
he says .
[ vicentians ] are forced to embrace each other and understand one another .
( cnn) it was the popular singer cesaria evora who first introduced journalist marc serena to cape verde' s most famous transgender activist: tchinda andrade .
the sao vincente native came out as transgender in a local newspaper article in 1998, and has since played the role of mother hen to the country' s trans community .
the film has been sweeping up on the festival circuit. it won the grand jury award at outfest, was nominated for an africa movie academy award and screened at the new york african film festival earlier this year. moreover, it' s made a star of its protagonist .
serena, meanwhile, has been heartened by how welcoming sao vicente (a small, 88 - sqaure mile island that makes up part of cape varde) is to the lgbt community .
it' s the most tolerant nation in africa ,
he says, a quality he attributes somewhat to sao vicente' s diminutive size .
you have to get together and live together ,
he says .
[ vicentians ] are forced to embrace each other and understand one another .
just getting to the point where andrade can walk the streets by day, selling fried snacks, has taken an awful lot of sacrifice. andrade has been assaulted in the past (evora, a longtime supporter of lgbt rights, paid andrade' s medical bills) .
serena also recalls hearing about senegalese merchants in sao vicente kneeling in prayer when catching sight of transgender individuals .
to battle intolerance, andrade and others in the transgender community preach tolerance to sao vicente' s local youth. in the film, andrade' s friend edinha tells a group a children a modern - day parable :
once upon a time there was an ignorant church ,
it begins .
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meet tchinda andrade, a transgender woman so beloved by her community that her name has become synonymous with lbgt people in são vicente, cape verde. pablo garcía pérez de lara and marc serena' s documentary follows tchinda - - out and proud since 1998 - - as she and her friends prepare for a carnival they hope will capture the town' s imagination .
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calm reigns in sâo vicente, a small cape verdean island (off the west coast of africa) where most of the people have never moved away. in mindelo we meet tchinda, one of their most beloved women, especially after coming out as a transgender person in the local newspaper in 1998. since then, her name has become the way local people call queer cape verdeans. tchinda sells
coxinhas” by day and in the evening is responsible for security at her bar as music and grog, the famous local rum permeates every corner of the island. in february the island evolves as thousands of people pack into the streets for carnival .
calm reigns in sâo vicente, a small cape verdean island off the west coast of africa, where most of the residents have never moved away. in the island' s port city of mindelo, tchinda is one of the community' s most beloved women especially after coming out as a transgender person in the local newspaper in 1998. since then, her name has become synonymous with the way local people call queer cape verdeans. tchinda, who sells
coxinhas” (a brazilian street food) by day, is responsible for security at her bar in the evening as music and grog, the famous local rum, permeates every corner of the island. in february, the island evolves as thousands of people pack into the streets for carnival. the days leading up to the event are hectic with the locals working together to make something beautiful out of nothing; they recycle everything they can to create a structure that will be more magical every day .
tchinda is an elder stateswoman of sorts, having come out publicly in 1998, at a time when, as she tells some of her younger friends, “all homosexuals were in the closet. ” a revered resident of a working - class corner of the city of mindelo — “tchinda rules, end of story, ” one man says .
filmmakers marc serena and pablo garcía pérez de lara have crafted a lush, perceptive documentary that at times feels akin to a fairytale .
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director: marc serena and pablo garcía pérez de lara country: spain / cape verde year: 2015 running time: 95 min. language: cape verdean creole with english subtitles
biography: marc serena is a journalist and published un - african love? (2014), compiling queer voices from 15 african countries. his previous book, trip to the 25 (2011), received great success in asia, where it has been published in chinese and korean. he has directed the web documentary double epidemic (2015) .
biography: pablo garcía pérez de lara has directed two full - length award - winning films: fuente álamo, the caress of time (2001) and butterfly (2007). his short film alicia portrayed (2002) was selected by the semaine de la critique du festival de cannes .
films shown in aff, inc. programs: africa: the beat (2012 )
director: sonia gamez country: spain year: 2013 running time: 54 min. language: amazigh and spanish with english subtitles
this film intends to explore the phenomenon of maraboutism in the rif, an area in the north of morocco. this practice of venerating saints, which was historically common throughout the whole of north africa, has great cultural importance even today. the shrines or marabouts are the object of many popular religious beliefs. the rif boasts a great diversity of cults and shows how the ancient ancestral beliefs of the amazigh people coexist alongside sufism, the mystical branch of islam .
biography: sonia gamez studied history in spain and began her career as a researcher at the institute of mediterranean culture. she is currently a lecturer in art history and history at the uned. her present work focuses on the amazigh cultural heritage. after studying maraboutism in northern morocco, she made her first documentary film on the topic of this popular religious tradition in the rif. ziara is the culmination of her research and was screened at several film festivals in spain as well as austria. at present, she is at work on a new project on sufism in morocco, specifically about a controversial brotherhood known as the aissawa .
films shown in aff, inc. programs: ziara – beyond the threshold [ ziara, más allá del umbral ] (2015) .
filmography: ziara – beyond the threshold [ ziara, más allá del umbral ] (2013) .
biography: carlos agullo worked as an assistant editor on the sea inside by alejandro amenábar, which won the academy award for best foreign film and later as film editor for other award winning spanish directors such as mateo gil, oskar santos, jorge blanco and jorge sánchez’ cabezudo (crematorium). he has also directed several of his own award - winning short films .
films shown in aff, inc. programs: plot for peace (2015) .
filmography: el regalo [ the gift ] (2006) la espera [ the wait ] (2008); ana cronia (2008); pizza eli (2008); próxima estación [ next station ] (2011); plot for peace (2013) .
director: moises salama countries: spain year: 2004 running time: 76 min. languages: spanish with english subtitles
julia steps into the labyrinth of melilla, following the trail left behind by the fractured lives of hassan, yonaida, and culi. their voices join a chorus of others in an interwoven trajectory that crisscrosses time and space in this border city separating the north from the south, which uniquely embodies many of the key conflicts of our time: migratory movements vs. economic development, peaceful coexistence vs. the “clash of civilizations, ” and the basic challenge of achieving harmony .
biography: moisés salama benarroch graduated in modern history from the university of granada. he was an associate professor at the university of granada in the department of communication and documentation. since 2001, he has been content director for the festival of malaga, where he has coordinated numerous conferences on documentary film and has edited a series of publications centered on spanish and latin american documentary film. in 2004, he completed melillans, his directorial debut, with the collaboration of the production company ático7, where he has been a partner since 2002. the film has been screened at numerous festivals. he directed several documentaries one of which, atlas bereber, won second prize in madrid’s documenta festival .
films shown in aff, inc. programs: melillenses (melilans) (2015) .
director: alvaro toepke and angel serrano countries: sierra leone and spain year: 1998 running time: 52 min. language: english and mende
the language you cry in tells an amazing scholarly detective story reaching across hundreds of years and thousands of miles from 18th century sierra leone to the gullah people of present - day georgia. it recounts the even more remarkable saga of how african americans retained links with their african past through the horrors of the middle passage, slavery and segregation. the film dramatically demonstrates the contribution of contemporary scholarship to restoring what narrator vertamae grosvenor calls the “non - history” imposed on african americans .
films shown in aff, inc. programs: trois fables à l’usage des blancs en afrique [ three fables for the uses of whites in africa ] (2001 – claude gnakouri, luis marquès) .
filmography: trois fables à l’usage des blancs en afrique [ three fables for the uses of whites in africa ] (1998 – claude gnakouri, luis marquès); trois fables africaines (2000 – claude gnakouri, luis marquès) .
filmography: vietnam paradiso (2001); 30 ans de pêche hauturière au maroc (2002); amal el badiya (2003); amal (2004); casa (2006); women interrupted (2009) .
director: claude gnakouri and luis marquès countries: ivory coast / france / spain year: 1998 running time: 17 min. language: french
in a small village, a man at the end of his life decides to unearth his scarce savings in order to offer a lamb as sacrifice .
somewhere in the savannah, an old african man sees a marathoner passing by. the old man asks the runner to help him pick up some wood, but the european, obsessed by his running, continues on his path. the old man wishes him luck .
two rally organizers in a preparatory mission, foresee having their route pass through a village nearby. they hope to be able to do like they did last time: use some convincing words, tricks, and then disappear. but this time the village is prepared for their visit .
tickets + info – 2016 new york african film festival line - up – african film festival, inc .
the following program guide lists the features and short films scheduled to screen at the 2016 new york african film festival. this guide begins with information on our may 1st town hall event. the line - up is then organized alphabetically, and each film or program of films is followed by its showtime and a trailer (if there is an available trailer). to read the full statement on this year’s festival, click here .
bentley dean and martin butler, australia / vanuatu, 2015, 104 min .
tanna is set in the south pacific where wawa, a young girl from one of the last traditional tribes, falls in love with her chief’s grandson, dain. when an intertribal war escalates, wawa is unknowingly betrothed as part of a peace deal. the young lovers run away, but are pursued by enemy warriors’ intent on killing them. they must choose between their hearts and the future of the tribe, while the villagers must wrestle with preserving their traditional culture and adapting it to the increasing outside demands for individual freedom. tanna is based on a true story and performed by the people of yakel in vanuatu .
teddy (eskindir tameru), the son of a prostitute who grew up on the streets after his mother’s death, desperately tries to avoid the temptation of his old ways of chewing khat and drinking. his only support system is his priest, who bought him a taxi license on the condition that he live a decent life away from his past. but after teddy intervenes in a fight between a prostitute, fere (fereweni gebregergs), and her ex - boyfriend, who sells women to “work” in the middle east, his taxi is stolen by the latter as leverage. as a result, teddy finds himself caught up in a relationship with fere, and during the search for the car, they discover the price of love. .
dina velikovskaya’s animated short is about a mother who has given so much that it seems as if she has nothing left…until life opens up new opportunities .
senay berhe, teddy goitom and benjamin taft, ghana / ivory coast / kenya / senegal, 2014, 84min. (28min. x 3 episodes )
as africa changes, and the world’s perception of it changes, the images of africa and africans need to change too. afripedia is a collaborative, multi - part project profiling a new generation of artists from across the continent. this program brings together three documentaries from the afripedia series, examining the vibrant and rising artistic communities in ghana, kenya, ivory coast, and senegal. viewers meet outspoken androgynous music star wiyaala; 3d artist andrew kaggia, who unveils his vision of nairobi; fashion designer selly raby kane, who sculpts the digital image of a future alien city in an old railway station; and many others .
over the course of the 20th century, a large number of groups in various sub - saharan countries (south africa, nigeria, ghana, uganda, cameroon, mali, ivory coast, etc .) spontaneously converted to judaism and claimed jewish identity. these communities respect the worship rituals and dietary restrictions of judaism, which they often learn from the internet, as well as jewish culture (cuisine, music, language, etc .). the film gives an account of this black judaism, through an african community – that of cameroon, with serge etélé as its leader. rabbi cappers funnye, michelle obama’s cousin and leader of the black jewish community in the united states, is also interviewed. (screening with the dance of king david )
xoliswa sithole escaped apartheid south africa as a child and grew up amidst the freedom fighters of zimbabwe, witnessing the euphoria of revolution. leaving before the country descended into it’s present challenges. now, in this powerful documentary the two - time bafta and peabody winner returns to zimbabwe to relive her story and investigate what happened to those dreams of freedom .
the dark - skinned 11 - year - old cholo meets his fair - skinned younger stepbrother abdullah for the first time. although strikingly different, the two boys enjoy a crackling chemistry. (screening with red leaves )
the second feature by charlie vundla (director of how to steal 2 million, a selection of the 2012 new york african film festival), cuckold tells the story of a young african - american professor in johannesburg (played by vundla) who falls apart after his wife leaves him for another man. while trying to drink himself into oblivion, he has a chance encounter with an old schoolmate who is now a homeless life coach. together (with a little help from the drug trade), the two men prop each other up, and things soon ease back into normalcy… until the professor’s wife reappears sobbing at his doorstep. an unusual ménage à trois arrangement follows, one that seems destined to wreak havoc on the fragile state of affairs .
nana obiri yeboah and maximillian claussen, uk / ghana, 2015, 95min .
a series of misfortunes lead a west african village to accuse a young girl, asabi of witchcraft. their pastor insists that salvation lies in her exorcism and death, using his compelling rhetoric to incite fear into the people and turn asabi’s mother (ama k abebrese) against her own daughter. disillusioned reporter, godwin finds himself swept up in the witch hunt. with the help of a young school teacher, he attempts to save asabi’s life, fighting back against corruption and false prophets. based on true events, the cursed ones is a story of morality, corruption, and community in the heart of africa .
over 2900 years ago, king david brought the ark of the covenant to jerusalem. when he did, king david, “danced before the lord with all his might” (2 samuel 6: 14). the dance of king david is a documentary film about the history and the contemporary worship of the ark. this film examines the disappearance of the ark from israel and its reemergence in ethiopia. we witness the “dance of king david, ”—an ancient rite still performed today by jews and ethiopians alike and we learn firsthand what it means to believe in the supernatural powers of this sacred object. (screening with black jews: the roots of the olive tree )
jihan el - tahri, egypt / france / usa / qatar, 2014, 168min. (56min. x 3 films )
on january 25, 1952, downtown cairo was burnt down: angry mobs demanded the departure of british colonial military rule and called for ‘bread, freedom and social justice’. fifty - nine years later to the day, the same anger was displayed, the same slogan brandished – but this time against egypt’s elected president. for six decades, egypt’s post - colonial leaders forged a system that harnessed military and religious powers, struck a delicate balance in foreign relations and muzzled a complacent civil society. what led the docile egyptians to mass revolt? how were the promising ideals of the 1952 revolution hijacked? what led to the total breakdown of social justice and political freedom? filmmaker jihan el - tahri has created a masterpiece trilogy of films about former egyptian presidents
chronicles the quest of poet kewulay kamara to reconstitute an ancient epic handed down in his family. kamara takes us back to his native village of dankawali in northeast sierra leone where the epic was written out by his father in the 1960s only to be destroyed when the village was razed during the recent civil war in sierra leone. (
due to a road mishap, a bus driver loses a group of psychiatric patients on the way to a federal hospital. to cover up the mistake, he and a nurse pick up unsuspecting commuters to substitute the patients. the plot thickens as the new passengers must try to prove their sanity in a psychiatric institution, while the escapees try to adjust to a new environment. a comedy of errors that features some of nigeria’s finest entertainers.
tchindas is a 2015 spanish-cape verdean documentary film directed by pablo garcía pérez de lara and marc . the film premiered at the outfest los angeles 2015 where it received a grand jury award . 
tchindas is a 2015 spanish-cape verdean documentary film directed by pablo garcía pérez de lara and marc. the film premiered at the outfest los angeles 2015 where it received a grand jury award.
tchindas is a 2015 spanish-cape verdean documentary film directed by pablo garcía pérez de lara and marc. the film premiered at the outfest los angeles 2015 where it received a grand jury award.