BEST OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA FILM FESTIVAL
At the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)
February 20 to February 26, 2009
PALOMA DELIGHT / DELICE PALOMA
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by Nadir Mokneche, 134mins, 2006, Algeria/France, comedy in Arabic and French with English subtitles.
For those who know Zineb, she is an institution. She calls herself Madame Aldjeria as she dishes favors of any kind. However, for a woman her age with modest origins, ambition is a permanent chain of compromises. Lumiere Award (France) – Best Francophone Film.
Friday, Feb. 20 @ 3:00pm and Monday, Feb. 23 @ 6:50pm
MADE IN JAMAICA
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by Jerome Laperouz, 108 mins, 2006, Jamaica/France, documentary in English Made in Jamaica is a powerful portrait of the leaders of Jamaican music that explores how Reggae has become a worldwide phenomenon. From the crime and violence of the ghetto to political responsibility; from the history of slavery and colonization to the legacy of Bob Marley and the idea of salvation through music; from religion and the Rasta movement to sex, women, and their role in reggae, Made in Jamaica explores the multifaceted reality of Jamaican music through interviews and musical performances with artists like Capleton, Elephant Man, Bunny Wailer, Toots & the Maytals, Bounty Killer, Gregory Isaacs, Tanya Stephens, Beres Hammond, and others. Official Selection Toronto Film Festival 2006 and Cannes Film Festival 2007. Friday, Feb. 20 @ 6pm and Thursday, Feb.26 @ 9:30pm
GOSPEL HILL
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by Giancarlo Esposito, 98mins, 2007, USA, drama in English
Greed and idealism collide in this powerful narrative set in the small southern town of Julia as preparations are made to memorialize the fortieth anniversary of the assassination of civil rights activist Paul Malcolm. Paul's son John, played with quiet intelligence by Danny Glover, is urged on by his wife Sarah, the remarkable Angela Bassett, to continue the mission to save the neighborhood of Gospel Hill from developers intent on buying up black owned homes in order to create a golf course for the rich. Actor-director Giancarlo Esposito adds nuance as the ambitious Dr. Ron Palmer, a man willing to seize opportunity at the expense of his community. Tensions of the past resurface, as a town and its people struggle with age-old issues of the politics of prejudice. Images of past and present blend seamlessly as reminders of lessons yet to be learned. (Barbara Pokras, A.C.E.). Winner Public Award Memphis Indie Film Festival 2008.
Friday, Feb. 20 @ 9:00pm, Sunday, Feb. 22 @ 6:50pm and Tuesday, Feb. 24 @ 9:40pm.
Q&A with Director Giancarlo Esposito after the screenings.
COMPLEXION
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by Vandon Gribbs,90mins, 2008, USA, drama in English.
Girl meets boy and boy meets girl. They bond immediately, but he has issues with her skin complexion. A sometimes very funny portrait of people, their values, aspirations, desires and failures. Saturday, Feb. 21 @ 2:00pm and Sunday, Feb. 22 @ 9:30pm.
PRINCE OF BROADWAY
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by Sean Baker, 100mins, 2008, USA, drama in English
This is the story of Lucky and Levon, two men whose lives converge in the underbelly of New York’s wholesale fashion district. Lucky, an illegal immigrant from Ghana, makes ends meet by soliciting shoppers on the street with knock-off brand merchandise. Levon, an Armenian-Lebanese immigrant, operates an illegal storefront with a concealed back room where counterfeit goods are showcased to interested shoppers. Lucky’s world is suddenly turned upside down when a child is thrust into his life by a woman who insists the toddler is his son. While Lucky copes with his new domestic dilemma, Levon struggles to save a marriage that is falling apart. Winner of the Jury Award, Los Angeles Film Festival 2008 and Winner of the Best Narrative Feature, Woodstock 2008. Saturday, Feb. 21 @ 4:00pm and Tuesday, Feb. 24 @ 4:30pm. Q&A with filmmakers after the screenings.
HIT FOR SIX
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by Alison Saunders, 99mins, 2007, Barbados. drama in English.
An inspirational drama about a playboy cricketer who fights the demons of his past, including a match-fixing charge, while struggling for his last chance to play in a major global tournament. Saturday, Feb 21 @ 7:00pm and Monday, Feb. 23 @ 4:30pm
NAKED ACTS
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by Bridgett Davis, 90mins, 1998, drama in English
A young aspiring actress whose mother was a Blaxploitation star loses 57 pounds and lands her first role in a movie. Her part demands a nude scene. Her dilemma is then to keep her clothes on and keep the part as well. Cicely then embarks on a journey that is revealing of secrets she once hid beneath her excessive weight. Winner Audience Award for the Best Film Directed by a Woman of Color - ADFF 2008. Saturday, Feb. 21 @ 9:30pm – Q&A with Director Bridgett Davis after the Screening.
EL SEÑOR PRESIDENTE / MR. PRESIDENT
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by Yorgos Avgeropoulos, 88mins, 2006, Greece/Venezuela, documentary in Greek and Spanish with English sub.
A candid look at Hugo Chavez, one of the most charismatic leaders of Latin America. He did not hesitate to call George W. Bush “ Mr. Danger,” FormerUK prime minister Tony Blair a “donkey” and US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice “chica” (little girl), dance salsa and sing together with Fidel Castro and Maradona.
Sunday, Fef. 22 @ 2:00pm and Thursday, Feb. 26 @ 4:30pm.
Purchase your ticket today!
THE END OF POVERTY
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by Philippe Diaz, 104mins, 2008, USA, documentary in English, Spanish, French with English Subtitles
The feature-length documentary The End of Poverty? won critical acclaim at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. Narrated by actor Martin Sheen, The End of Poverty? is a daring, thought-provoking and very timely documentary by filmmaker Philippe Diaz. The film takes a hard look at world poverty and challenges capitalism and the American way. In a world of plenty, why are so many families around the world still living in abject poverty? Looking beyond the popular ”solutions” for poverty, The End of Poverty? asks if the true causes of poverty today stem from a deliberate orchestration of resource misallocation started in colonial times. Sunday, Feb. 22 @ 4:30pm and Wednesday, Feb. 25 @ 6:20pm
ERENDIRA IKIKUNARI
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by Juan Mora Catlett, 107mins, 2006, Mexico, epic drama in Spanish and Purepecha with English subt.
Nominated for four 2007 Mexican Aerial Awards Erendira Ikikunari is a beautifully shot action film that recreates the 16th century legend of Erendira, a young Purepecha woman who became an icon of bravery during the destruction of indigenous populations by Spanish conquistadors in one of the areas that is part of Mexico today. When the Spaniards arrive, they take advantage of the discord and conflict among the various native groups, reaping the benefits of a region divided. Erendira, a woman on verge of marriage, refuses to allow her land to be destroyed and stands up to the social conventions prohibiting women to participate in combat. A beautiful film about a very important episode in the history of Indigenous people. One of five films selected to represent Mexico at the Oscars in 2007. Monday, Feb. 23 @ 9:40pm and Tuesday, Feb. 24 @ 7:20pm
PRINCESS OF AFRICA
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by Juan Laguna, 78mins, 2008, Spain/Senegal, documentary in Spanish/French/Wolof with English subtitles.
The story of two dreams. Marem, a 14 year-old Senegalese dancer, dreams to go to Europe, while Sonia, a Spanish dancer, is fascinated by the magic of Africa. They are both linked to Pap Ndiaye, Marem’s father and Sonia’s husband. The film is a journey between cultures in which both women are exposed to new cultures and ways of thinking in Senegal and Spain. Princess of Africa is a love story that reflects all the complexities of today’s world. Wednesday, Feb. 25 @ 4:30pm.
NAMIBIA: THE STRUGGLE FOR LIBERATION
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by Charles Burnett, 161min, 2007, Namibia/USA, epic drama in English.
Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation depicts the long struggle waged by the people of Namibia for their independence, which they ultimately won with the help of Cuban troops. Wednesday, Feb. 25 @ 8:40pm 
JACQUES ROUMAIN: PASSION FOR A COUNTRY / LA PASSION D'UN PAYS
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by Arnold Antonin, 111 min 2008, Haiti/Canada, documentary in Creole and French with subtitles.
This very informative movie explores the Haitian society of the late 19th century and early 20th by focusing on the tormented life of one of Haiti’s most important authors, Jacques Roumain, who was also a prominent political figure. In his writings, Roumain raised vivid questions that were and still are very much relevant in regard to some of the issues the country faces to this day. Thursday, Feb. 26 @ 6:40pm. Q&A with director
TICKETS:
General Admission: $11
Seniors, Children, & Students: $8*
BAM Cinema Club Members: $7
*Discounts available at BAM Rose Cinemas Box Office only for Seniors 65 & over; Children 12 & under and Students: 25 & under with valid ID.
DVDs and VHS of films from Africa and the African Diaspora will be on sale at the theater
$20 per DVD/VH; S; $35 for 2 DVD/VHS; $45 for three DVD/VHS and $15 for each additional DVD/VHS.
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