> From: MIKI GORAL <miki@library.ucla.edu>
> Subject: Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles
>
> Here is the schedule for the 6th Pan African Film Festival and Art
> Show, opening February 5 in Los Angeles.
>
> PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
> February 5-16, 1998
> Magic Johnson Theatres, Crenshaw & MLK Blvd
> For more information, call 213-295-1706
> or email: miki@library.ucla.edu
>
> A Hollow Place (US, 1997) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Joseph Anaya 17 1/2 min
> Corliss Young is abandoned by his mother to be raised by a
> reluctant older cousin. Corliss, now a young man, has become a
> servant to his bedridden cousin. Struggling to escape from the
> oppression of a loveless home, he lashes out with dire results.
> Friday, February 6, 1:30 pm
>
> A Woman Like That (US, 1997) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: David E. Talbert 92 min
> Malcolm (Jean-Claude Lamarre), a bumbling script reader, is
> left at the altar by his fiancee, Cheryl Jackson (Tyra Banks), an
> aspiring actress. In an attempt to mend his broken heart,
> Malcolm enlists the help of his best friend, Toni Scott (N'bushe
> Wright). Almost at the exact moment when best friends become
> lovers, Cheryl pops back in town seeking a reunion. Malcolm, now
> thoroughly confused, has a choice.a woman like this or A Woman
> Like That. A humorous and tender look at one ill-fated man's
> attempt to recover from lost love. Stars Tyra Banks, N'bushe
> Wright, Jean-Claude Lamarre, Malik Yoba, Gary Dourdan, Shari
> Headley, Morris Day, Karyn Parsons, Marc John Jeffries, Chip
> Fields, and John Amos.
> Winner: Best Dramatic Feature, Urban World Film Festival;
> Finalist: "Garden Park Independent Film Award" 19th Annual IFFM
> Q&A and reception follow.
> Sunday, February 15, 5:30 pm
>
> And Still I Rise (UK/Nigeria, 1991)
> Director: Ngozi Onwurah 30 min
> Dark, sultry, wild, savage, exotic and erotic. Many people
> have difficulty seeing Black women as they are because of an
> eagerness to impose on them an identity based on any number of
> myths. Constant and continual devaluation of Black womanhood
> make it extremely difficult for Black women to develop positive
> self-images. A look at how these images and stereotypes have
> been created, how they are perpetuated, and whether Black women
> can reclaim their own sense of self.
> Winner: Prized Pieces, NBPC
> Director's Q&A follows.
> Monday, February 9, 7:00 pm; Thursday, February 12, 1:30 pm;
> Friday, February 13, 3:30 pm
>
> Back to Africa (Nigeria, 1997) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Tony Abulu 105 min
> The story of a beautiful African American woman, Sade, on a
> spiritual quest to Africa in search of her long-lost father. Her
> journey takes her from the metropolis of Lagos then deep into the
> Yoruba hinterland--Oshogbo, Ekiti, Idanre, and Ife--cradle of
> Yoruba culture and tradition, where she finds herself, her roots,
> and the Orishas.
> Director's Q&A follows.
> Saturday, February 14, 2 pm
>
> Black Orpheus (Brazil, 1959)
> Director: Marcel Camus 100 min
> A cinema classic! The Greek legend of Orpheus and Eurydice
> is brought into modern times and set in the pageantry and rivalry
> of Rio de Janeiro's Carnival. When Orpheus, a handsome trolley
> car conductor meets Eurydice, a country girl visiting her cousin
> in Rio, destiny dictates that they fall in love. Life and love
> appear beautiful as the young couple is swept up in the gaiety
> and excitement of the celebration of their new-found love and
> the Carnival. But tragedy looms in the background in the form of
> a mysterious stranger who has followed Eurydice to Rio. One of
> cinema's most romantic love stories told with brilliant screen
> images as stunning and original as anything put on screen to
> date. The hauntingly beautiful musical score by Antonio Carlos
> Jobim and Luiz Bonfa addicted the world to the Bossa Nova and
> dominated an entire generation of Afro/Brazilian music.
> Winner: Palme d'Or, Cannes Film Festival; Best Foreign Language
> Film, Academy Award
> Saturday, February 14, 8 pm, Monday, February 16, 10:20 pm
>
> Blacks and Jews (US, 1997)
> Director: Bari Scott, Alan Snitow, & Deborah Kaufman 85 min
> Centering on five historical case studies that indicate rage
> and hostility but also hope and courage, Blacks and Jews,
> presents relevant information about the multiracial structure of
> U.S. society , which has immediate implications for the way the
> two groups perceive and interact with each other.
> Sunday, February 8, 12:15 pm
>
> Broken Strings (Ethiopia, 1996) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Abrehet Abraha 147 min
> Pulled in diverging directions by the random movement of
> faith, the sensitive strings of love that bind families, friends,
> and lovers together are broken with dramatic consequences while
> at the same time in a more subtle way the collision of two
> different cultures adds to the drama as it unfolds.
> Director's Q&A follows.
> Thursday, February 12, 8:55 pm
>
> Cappucino* (US, 1997) Premiere
> Director: Craig Ross, Jr. 96 min
> Victor, a writer, is hot on the literary scene but is barely
> lukewarm in his personal life. Muddling through the mundane
> existence of his marriage, he becomes frustrated and ready to try
> anything. Enter Cappucino, a vivacious, sexy, mysterious woman
> who seems to know everything about Victor, including his wants
> and desires. Victor's problems mount when he learns she is
> married. Who will be victimized by the ultimate act of betrayal?
> Tuesday, February 10, 5 pm; Thursday, February 12, 3:30 pm
>
> Changing the Odds* (US, 1996) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Willie E. Simmons, Jr. 35 min
> An interracial couple must find a way to bring their
> families together when they find out they are expecting a baby.
> Sunday, February 15, 11 am
>
> Chocolate Babies* (US, 1996) Preview
> Director: Stephen Winter 80 min
> A ragtag clique of dazzling HIV positive African American
> and Asian super-queers form a terrorist gang and attack
> conservative politicians. While working undercover, Sam, the
> gang's youngest member, is seduced by a charismatic but closeted
> politician.
> Winner: Best Feature, New York Lesbian & Gay Film Festival; Best
> Feature, Chicago Lesbian & Gay Film Festival
> Friday, February 13, 10 pm
>
> Clando (Clandestine)* (Cameroon, 1996) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Jean Marie Teno 98 min
> Told in a series of flashbacks, Clando follows the
> conscientious but luckless Sobgui, whose layoff from a computer
> programming job leads him to work as a cab driver to support his
> family. Tortured, jailed and abruptly released from prison for
> his minor role in an anti-government group, Sobgui flees to
> Germany, intending to export autos to Cameroon. His experiences
> in Germany inspire him to return home to work for change.
> Saturday, February 7, 6 pm; Monday, February 9, 8:40 pm
>
> Coffee Colored Children (Nigeria/UK, 1989)
> Director: Ngozi Onwurah 16 min
> Suffering from the pain of racial harassment, a young girl
> and her brother try to wash their skin white with scouring
> powder. An emotional, semi-autobiographical testimony to the
> internalized effects of racism in the struggle for self-
> definition. A powerful and unsettling glimpse at the experiences
> of children of mixed racial parentage.
> Winner: Best Film, San Francisco Film Festival; Silver Dancer
> Film Festival, Spain
> Director's Q&A follows.
> Monday, February 9, 7:00 pm; Thursday, February 12, 1:30 pm
>
> Dakan (Destiny)* (Guinea, 1997) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Mohammed Camara 93 min
> A touching love story between two men who have been in love
> since they were schoolboys. When 20-year-old Manga tries to tell
> his widowed mother that he is in love with another man, she
> simply refuses to believe it, claiming it's biologically
> impossible. Sory's father is indignant and horrified at the very
> idea that his son is gay. Set in a traditional society where
> homosexuality is little understood, let alone tolerated, Dakan
> not only examines love in unexpected forms, but also presents a
> rare picture of Guinean society.
> Saturday, February 14, 6 pm
>
> Dancehall Queen* (Jamaica, 1997)
> Director: Don Letts & Rick Elgood 100 min
> Dancehall reggae may be the rawest, most outrageous pop
> music on the planet, and Dancehall Queen is its faithful
> ambassador. In the gritty world of the Kingston ghetto, there
> are few ways out. But when Marcia, a humble street vendor,
> struggles to survive as a single mother, discovers the world of
> dancehall, she finds more than great music and hot relationships-
> -she finds a way to a better life. A Cinderella story with no
> Prince Charming, but one very strong Jamaican queen, backed by a
> pulsing reggae soundtrack and the scintillating sights and sounds
> of Kingston. With a soundtrack that includes Beenie Man, Bounty
> Killer, Lady Saw and Sanchez, this movie does for dancehall what
> The Harder They Come did for reggae 25 years ago.
> Friday, February 6, 7:50 pm; Monday, February 16, 12:30 pm
>
> Dark Passages (US, 1990)
> Director: Tanya Hart 60 min
> Shot on location in West Africa and Virginia, "Dark
> Passages" tells the story of the impact of the Atlantic slave
> trade. Using a mixture of interviews, slave narratives and
> traumatizations, the viewer is taken from "the door of no return"
> in the slave house on Goree Island to the village of Juferrea on
> the Gambia River. Appearances by Louis Gossett, Jr. and Margaret
> Avery.
> Thursday, February 12, 3:30 pm
>
> Detention* (US, 1997) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Darryl LeMont Wharton 86 min
> When Mrs. Deaking gives five students detention one Friday
> afternoon, she also helps them realize their potential. A tense
> and emotional and ultimately inspiring drama featuring the
> teacher every student should have.
> Saturday, February 7, 2 pm; Monday, February 9, 5:10 pm
>
> Dexter Gordon: More than You Know (Denmark, 1996) Los
> Angeles Premiere
> Director: Donald McGlynn 52 min
> The first biographical documentary of this widely-loved and
> respected jazz artist. Using a variety of revealing footage,
> including virtually unseen material of this great artist in
> private, in performances, and in various interview settings, this
> documentary is very nearly a musical autobiography. With
> profound comments coming from Gordon about his career, his
> associates, and formative influences, he is essentially the
> narrator of his own life and the romantic jazz world he
> inhabited. Footage of Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Ben
> Webster, Lionel Hampton, Billy Eckstine, Charlie Parker, Dizzy
> Gillespie and Bud Powell make this a full-bodied and driving
> musical tapestry as large as its subject.
> Sunday, February 8, 2 pm; Thursday, February 12, 1:30 pm
>
> Eyes of the Rainbow (Cuba, 1997) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Gloria Rolando 47 min
> Assata Shakur, Black Panther and Black Liberation Army
> leader, escaped from a U.S. prison and was given political asylum
> in Cuba, where she has lived for the past 20 years. Gloria
> Rolando, one of Cuba's few Black female filmmakers, juxtaposes
> Assata's life in the U.S. and Cuba. Assata discusses her
> devotion to Orisha Oya, Yoruba goddess of the ancestors, war, the
> cemetery and the rainbow.
> Director's Q&A follows.
> Wednesday, February 11, 5:10 pm; Friday, February 13, 3:30 pm
> Saturday, February 14, 12 noon
>
> Fakin' Da Funk (US, 1997) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Timothy A. Chey 90 min
> A Chinese boy adopted into a Black family must prove he is
> culturally African American when he and his family move to South-
> Central L.A. A strong dramatic comedy which questions how we
> define cultural and racial identities. Stars Pam Grier, Tone-
> Loc, Margaret Cho, Dante Basco, Duane Martin, Chris Spencer,
> John Witherspoon, Tatyana Ali, and Ernie Hudson. Saturday
> screening sponsored by: Prototypes.
> Winner: Audience Award, Urban World Film Festival, New York
> Saturday, February 7, 8 pm; Monday, February 16, 10:30 am
>
> Family Name (US, 1997)
> Director: Macky Alston 88 min
> On a return visit to North Carolina, Macky Alston, the son
> of a white Presbyterian minister and civil rights activist, is
> struck by the fact that two large Alston family reunions, one
> black and one white, took place within a few miles of each other
> and yet neither gathering was aware of the other. Determined to
> delve into family secrets, Alston pours over actual documentation
> of his ancestors' ownership of Black captives (slaves) and
> discovers blood relationships between the black and white
> Alstons.
> Friday, February 6, 6 pm
>
> Final Insult (US, 1998) World Premiere
> Director: Charles Burnett 52min
> A homeless man struggles to change his conditions only to
> find that the "mean streets" are not easy to escape and solutions
> are not found in employment alone. Starring Ayuko Babu, Executive
> Director of the Pan African Film Festival, director Burnett once
> again gives his audience an honest and poignant insight into a
> subject matter rarely examined.
> Director's Q&A follows.
> Saturday, February 14, 4:10 pm; Sunday, February 15, 3 pm
>
> Firefly (US, 1997) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Dawn Suggs 13 min
> Firefly speaks to the spiritual, physical, emotional, and
> mental survival of a Black girl through the reincarnation of the
> spirit. Rich images and tones, raw emotion, and sacred
> interaction surrounded by the magnificent light of the firefly.
> Director's Q&A follows.
> Friday, February 13, 3:30 pm
>
> Flight of the Swan (UK/Nigeria, 1992) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Ngozi Onwurah 11 min
> A haunting, poetic film charting a young Black girl's
> yearning to become a ballet dancer. When rejected by a
> prestigious dance school (who's ever heard of a Black swan?), a
> dancing guardian spirit comes to her rescue.
> Winner: Chicago Film Festival
> Director's Q&A follows.
> Monday, February 9, 7:00 pm; Thursday, February 12, 1:30 pm;
> Friday, February 13, 3:30
>
> For Colored Boys Who've Considered Homocide* (US, 1996)
> Director: Narcel G. Reedus 27 1/2 min
> A young man must answer for his violent acts. A dark and
> haunting interrogation with a twist.
> Monday, February 9, 1:30 pm; Thursday, February 12, 1:30; Sunday,
> February 15, 9:45 pm
>
> Hav Plenty (US, 1997) Preview
> Director: Christopher Scott Cherot 92 min
> Lee Plenty is an almost broke would-be novelist who has good
> friends. Among them is Havilland Savage, a very rich and very
> beautiful woman. When she invites him to her family's home for a
> holiday celebration, the unexpected happens. A fresh,
> bittersweet modern love story with soundtrack by Grammy winner
> Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.
> Director's Q&A follows.
> Thursday, February 5, 7:30 pm
>
> Hekaya Men Zaman Gamil (Egypt, 1997) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Said Shimy 20 min
> The story of Mohamed Mahran, an Egyptian hero of the 1956
> war. Unknown in the West, Mahran lost his eyes rather than
> divulge military secrets to Egypt's enemies.
> Monday, February 9, 8:40 pm; Wednesday, February 11, 3:15 pm
>
> Jamaica Beat (Jamaica, 1997) Premiere
> Director: Mark Melnick 101 min
> When a renowned New York photographer and her new husband
> arrive for a holiday in a close-knit Jamaican resort town, their
> dream vacation becomes a scenario out of a murder mystery. A
> crime thriller with an extraordinary beat that keeps you guessing
> from beginning to end. Stars Sheryl Lee Ralph and Paul Campbell
> with music by Bob Marley, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, Big
> Mountain, and Steel Pulse.
> Friday, February 13, 6 pm; Monday, February 16, 8:20 pm
>
> John Henrik Clarke: A Great and Mighty Walk (US, 1996)
> Director: St. Claire Bourne 93 min
> "African History is the missing pages of World History." So
> says historian John Henrik Clarke, not only one of America's pre-
> eminent scholars, but also a captivating storyteller. Never dull
> or preachy, this often brilliant survey of Black history,
> narrated and produced by Wesley Snipes, reveals much of what
> would be written on those missing pages.
> Winner: Best Documentary, Urban World Film Festival, New York;
> Academy Award contender
> Director's Q&A follows.
> Sunday, February 8, 4 pm
>
> Journey of the Lion (Jamaica/Germany, 1993) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Fritz Baumann 90 min
> Brother Howie, is a Jamaican Rastaman who dreams of Africa,
> the land of his ancestors. On a journey in search of his
> ancestral roots and his identity, Brother Howie travels through
> three continents and with great humor and sensitivity discovers
> the world and Africa.
> Friday, February 13, 8 pm
>
> Love Bizarre* (US, 1997) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Ernest C. Goodly 96 min
> A politically aware African American woman brings her
> Vietnamese fianc=82 home to meet her middle class family. Each
> member of the family is forced to face their own hang-ups caused
> by this unexpected diversity. A funny and often poignant
> examination of race relations and love in the 90s.
> Saturday, February 7, 9:55 pm; Wednesday, February 11, 3:15 pm
>
> Lucky Devil (US, 1997)
> Director: Cooper Bates 17 min
> A psychological drama that challenges the motivation of a
> man's generosity. When he gives a man down-and-out on his luck
> $50, Hero is plunged into a desperate psychological journey which
> determines his own destiny.
> Monday, February 9, 1:30 pm
>
> Machaho (Algeria, 1995) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Belkacem Hadjadj 90 min
> Arezki, a Kabyle peasant, finds a young stranger, Larbi,
> almost frozen to death in the snow and nurses him back to health.
> When the youth departs, Arezki discovers his daughter,
> Ferroudzia, is pregnant. Arezki sets off after Larbi, swearing
> he won't come home until he has avenged his lost honor. An
> engrossing story that assumes biblical dimensions boldly shot
> entrirely in Kabyle, the Berber language Algeria's non-Arab
> inhabitants.
> Thursday, February 12, 6 pm; Monday, February 16, 2:30 pm
>
> Mixing Nia (US, 1998) Preview
> Director: Alison Swan
> Dramatic comedy of a young biracial woman--the daughter of
> divorced parents--a White, liberal Manhattan civil rights lawyer
> and a Black, middle-class suburbanite, Nia is caught between two
> worlds--one Black, the other White, not quite fitting in to
> either. To become a complete person, Nia must find her own
> voice. Stars Karyn Parsons and Isaiah Washington.
> Cast members will be present.
> Saturday, February 14, 10 pm
>
> Moytuleen (Senegal, 1996) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Ben Diogaye Beye 13 min
> Waking up in the park, a homeless man finds something lying
> on the ground. What he finds is fragile and he fears that his
> new-found treasure will get broken. Through the use of
> flashbacks, we find that the man was once a respected member of
> society.
> Wednesday, February 11, 1:30 pm; Saturday, February 14, 4:10 pm
>
> Nappy (US, 1997)
> Director: Lydia Douglas 29 min
> Ten Black women decide to stop straightening their hair and
> "go natural."
> Friday, February 6, 1:30 pm
>
> Nasser '56 (Egypt, 1997)
> Director: Mohamed Fadel 140 min
> The suspenseful story of Egypt's President Gamal Abdul
> Nasser comes alive in this bold epic. Focusing on Nasser's
> fearless plan to nationalize the Suez Canal and construct the
> Aswan High Dam, Egypt's first president emerges as a visionary of
> immense courage, concentration and daring. Maneuvering through
> the tricky waters of the East-West conflict, Nasser struggles to
> insure Egypt's self-determination and economic self-sufficiency
> while avoiding certain war.
> Tuesday, February 10, 8:55 pm
>
> Oggun: An Eternal Presence (Cuba, 1992)
> Director: Gloria Rolando 55 min
> Through song, Lazaro Ross, lead singer of El Conjunto
> Folklorico Nacional de Cuba, tells of his personal experience as
> a godson of Oggun. The world of the Yoruba religion, the primary
> religion in Cuba, and the Orisha come alive in this mesmerizing
> film which intertwines traditional stories with present-day
> Yoruba worship in Cuba.
> Director's Q&A follows.
> Saturday, February 14, 12 noon
>
> On the Edge* (UK, 1997) US Premiere
> Director: Newton I. Aduaka 28 min
> For months things were seemingly fine for Court and Lorna,
> who was in rehab with Court's encouragement. That is until
> tonight. Court discovers that Lorna has quit her rehab and
> returned to drugs and prostitution. What ensues is a night of
> desperation, angst, chaos, and a confession told as a bedtime
> story--a night On the Edge.
> Wednesday, February 11, 5:10 pm
>
> Respect the Sacrifices of Your Ancestors, Don't Use the "N" Word
> (US, 1997) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Glenn Towery 3 min
> Saturday, February 12, 4 pm
>
> Rituals (US, 1998) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Carol Mays 22 min
> A woman uses voodoo to help save her marriage. In the
> process, she discovers her new self. Stars Regina King, Isaiah
> Washington, and Jenifer Lewis.
> Director's Q&A follows.
> Friday, February 13, 3:30 pm
>
> Santera (Venezuela, 1996) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Solveig Hoogesteijn 97 min
> Paula, a Spanish doctor, is sent to Venezuela to evaluate
> conditions in the penitentiary system. She meets Soledad, who
> was arrested for killing her brother-in-law by casting a spell on
> him. Paula investigates and discovers Soledad's secret past, her
> spiritual powers and ancestral myths.
> Monday, February 8, 6 pm; Monday, February 16, 6:20 pm
>
> Sarek El Farah (Stolen Joy) (Egypt, 1994) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Daoud Abdei Sayed
> A love story about two people who want to marry but are
> hindered by financial realities. Before they can marry, they
> must pay off a debt.
> Friday, February 6, 3:30 pm; Sunday, February 8, 9:55 pm
>
> Sea Shell (Somalia)
> Director: Abdulkadir Ahmed Said 30 min
> An intriguing dramatization examining the effects of
> pollution on the world's oceans told from an African point of
> view.
> Wednesday, February 11, 1:30 pm
>
> Secrets* (US, 1997)
> Director: Sheryl Lee Ralph 13 min
> Secrets, everybody has one and somebody knows it. Six
> childhood friends gather to celebrate a wedding. What should be
> a joyous celebration becomes an evening of intrigue and deception
> when a deadly secret is revealed. Stars Alfre Woodard, Robin
> Givens, Victoria Rowell, LaTonya Richardson, Tina Lifford, and
> Sheryl Lee Ralph.
> Thursday, February 5, 7:30 pm
>
> Show and Prove (US, 1997)
> Director: Marc Gabriel Pitre 20 min
> A violent crime transports SofTee and two friends to the Old
> West, where a cowboy shows them what toughness really is. When
> he is returned back to the present, SofTee must prove who he
> really is in the face of peer pressure.
> Friday, February 6, 1:30 pm; Monday, February 9, 1:30 pm
>
> Sister, I'm Sorry* (US, 1997) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Frank Underwood 58 min
> A docudrama in which Black men apologize to Black women for
> all the social, emotional, psychological and physical wrongs men
> have inflicted on women. Designed to spawn an open dialogue
> between men and women that will help to heal male-female
> relationships, strengthen families, resurrect Black communities
> and, ultimately, provide a brighter future for Black children.
> Created by Tommy Morgan Jr. and co-produced by Blair Underwood
> and Frank Underwood Jr., this poetic apology stars Blair
> Underwood, Margaret Avery, Tommy Ford, Michael Beach, Tico Wells,
> Clifton Powell, Steven Williams, and musical artist Howard
> Hewett.
> Director's Q&A follows.
> Thursday, February 12, 7:30 pm; Sunday, February 15, 3 pm
>
> Slavery's Buried Past (US, 1996) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: 60 min
> In 1991, New York City construction workers were startled
> and stunned when they unearthed an 18th century graveyard with
> the remains of 427 of our enslaved ancestors. African American
> forensic scientists based at Howard University try to piece
> together a history that was never written by examining skeletal
> remains and cultural artifacts used by these brothers and sisters
> who were held as slaves. Like Amistad, another piece of our
> unwritten story is finally being told.
> Sunday, February 8, 10:45 am
>
> Staggerlee (US)
> Director: Francisco Newman 30 min
> Black Panther leader Bobby Seale is interviewed by director
> Newman in 1968 while Seale awaits trial in San Francisco.
> Insightful dialogue into Black revolutionary culture and the
> American "justice system." A must-see for those interested in
> the discussion of revolutionary consciousness and how it is
> created.
> Director's Q&A follows.
> Thursday, February 12, 3:30 pm
>
> Straight from the Streets (US, 1997)
> Director: Keith O'Derek & Robert Corsini 110 min
> The reality of America's inner city is told from the point
> of view of the creators of gangsta rap, from the street to the
> studio. A hard-hitting, brutally honest social commentary with a
> first-hand look at inner city struggle though the lyrics of rap
> music. Interviews with Ice T, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Snoop Doggy
> Dogg, KAM, Rage, DJ Quik, and Cypress Hill. Appearances by
> Denzel Washington and Congresswoman Maxine Waters.
> Sunday, February 15, 7:30 pm
>
> Struggles in Steel: A Story of African American Steelworkers
> (US, 1996) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Ray Henderson & Tony Buba 86
> min
> Through chronicling the little-known history of African
> American steelworkers from 1875 to the present, this insightful
> documentary also chronicles the effects of employment
> discrimination not only on the individual worker, but also
> focuses on how discrimination affects families and entire
> communities.
> Sunday, February 15, 1 pm
>
> Sydney Byrd, Private Eye (US, 1995)
> Director: Paul Roach 93 min
> Sydney Byrd and his partner, Tyrone Sloan, tackle the San
> Francisco fifties who-done-it in their own style, their own cool,
> setting a pace, a genre all their own. In the first adventure of
> the Byrd, Byrd and Sloan are involved in recovering $100,000 of
> jewels stolen from the first "colored" man to own his own jewelry
> shop in San Francisco.
> Director's Q&A follows.
> Thursday, February 12, 5:30 pm
>
> Taafe Fanga (Skirt Power) (Mali, 1997) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Adama Drabo 95 min
> A gender-bending farce set among the 18th-century Dogon
> reveals itself as a serious expose on the status of women in
> Africa today. This irresistible tale about a comic revolution in
> which women's and men's roles are reversed was partly inspired by
> the actual role women played in Mali's 1991 revolution.
> Winner: Jury Special Prize, FESPACO
> Sunday, February 8, 8 pm; Tuesday, February 10, 3 pm
>
> Tableau Ferrialle (Senegal, 1996) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Moussa Sene Absa 92 min
> Daam, who came back from Europe with many degrees, climbs
> the ladder of politics, hoping to improve the lives of the
> inhabitants of Tableau Ferraille, his native town in Senegal.
> His first wife, Gagnesiri, is supportive, generous, and loving,
> but cannot bear children. Influenced by his acquaintances, Daam
> decides to take a second wife. His new wife will give him a
> child but also a lot of worries... Beautifully photographed
> with a delightful musical score, Tableau Ferraille dissects the
> social chaos engulfing Africa caused by it's movement from
> traditional values to "modern" priorities.
> Winner: Best Cinematography, FESPACO; Best music, Montreal
> Director's Q&A follows.
> Thursday, February 5, 7:30 pm; Saturday, February 7, 4 pm;
> Tuesday, February 10, 7 pm
>
> Tears of a Clown (US, 1994) Premiere
> Director: Mandel Holland 100 min
> Martin's relationships with women have been one disaster
> after another. His brother, Junnie, has the "Dating Game" down
> to a science. Junnie offers to teach Martin the art of the
> chase. Both brothers get a lesson they never expected and will
> never forget. Stars Mehki Phifer as the quintessential hard-
> working, honest but dateless boy next door.
> Monday, February 9, 3:15 pm; Wednesday, February 11, 10 pm
>
> The Apartment (US, 1996) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Cinque Northern 10 min
> A young Black couple have been planning to move in together,
> but when the move becomes real, Reggie gets cold feet. Fully
> aware of his past letdowns, Reggie does not want to disappoint
> Tasha, but as the date grows closer, he is forced to make a
> decision.
> Winner: National Black Programming Consortium International Award-
> Best Student Film; First Run Film Festival (NYC) Craft Awards--
> Screenwriting and Editing
> Friday, February 6, 1:30 pm
>
> The Cage (US & South Africa, 1994) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Warren Wilensky 38 min
> The film explores the relationship between a Black and a
> White South African who share a jail cell. They are assigned to
> work in the prison garden and as the garden grows, so does their
> relationship. The isolation of everyday prison life forces the
> two men from diverse cultural backgrounds to go through a state
> of intense confrontation and conflict which in turn leads them to
> a greater understanding and respect for one another. Ultimately,
> a story of hope and friendship in the new South Africa.
> Saturday, February 7, 12 noon; Tuesday, February 10, 1:30 pm
>
> The Cora Player (Canada, 1997) US Premiere
> Director: Cilia Sawadogo 7 min
> Young lovers are separated because they belong to different
> social castes. This beautifully animated short bursts with color
> and social statement.
> Thursday, February 5, 7:30 pm; Sunday, February 8, 2 pm;
> Thursday, February 12, 8 pm; Friday, February 13, 8 pm; Saturday,
> February 14, 8 pm; Sunday, February 15, 5:30 pm
>
> The Dinner (US, 1997) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Bernie Casey 86 min
> Three sophisticated, successful middle-class African-
> American men gather around a table in a very elegant restaurant
> to discuss the Black experience in the world in general but
> particularly in the United States. Actor and artist Bernie Casey
> makes his directorial debut and also stars in thiis powerful
> analysis of American society. Thursday screening sponsored by:
> The Los Angeles Urban League and Black Photographers of
> California.
> Thursday, February 12, 8 pm; Monday, February 16, 4:30 pm
>
> The Firing Squad (US, 1997) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Tim Story 96 min
> A young woman attempts to save her best friend from her
> abusive husband by plotting his murder.
> Sunday, February 15, 9:45 pm
>
> The Kite (Egypt, 1996) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Hala Khalil 37min
> Salma, a young girl on the verge of becoming a woman is
> instinctively drawn to the world of women's secrets. Her father,
> however, wishes her to remain in her innocence. Salma is a flower
> about to blossom but her father's hand is always ready to nip her
> in the bud. One of the few women directors in Egyptian cinema,
> Hala Khalil captures a story universal to young women the world
> over.
> Saturday, February 7, 12 noon; Tuesday, February 10, 1:30 pm;
> Sunday, February 15, 11 am
>
> The Planet of Junior Brown (Canada, 1997) US Premiere
> Director: Clement Virgo 92 min
> Junior Brown is an overprotected, teenage musical prodigy
> given to fantasy, who carries his enormous weight like an
> unwritten cry for help. Buddy, a tough-minded child of the
> streets, lives by his wits in a deserted city building. Together
> they form an unlikely friendship, that is tested as Junior's
> fantasies turn desperate and his dependence on Buddy becomes
> absolute. An extraordinary story of music, friendship, and the
> quest for the freedom to be yourself. Stars Lynn Whitfield and
> Margot Kidder.
> Friday, February 13, 1:30 pm; Monday, February 16, 8:20 pm
>
> The Solution* (US, 1996)
> Director: Damani Mangum 20 min
> A social science fiction set in the near future about a
> young Black man who is forced to participate in the brutal anti-
> aggression drug development program.
> Winner: Renaissance Award, Hollywood Renaissance Film Festival;
> DGA Student Film Award-Honorable Mention
> Director's Q&A follows.
> Friday, February 6, 1:30 pm; Monday, February 9, 1:30 pm
>
> Train Station* (US, 1996)
> Director: Ta'Shia Asanti & Stephanie Wynne 18 min
> A hot love affair between two black women set in the 1950s.
> A one-woman tour-de-force examining racism and homophobia.
> Friday, February 13, 10 pm
>
> Tree of Life (Somalia)
> Director: Abdulkadir Admed Said 29 min
> A gripping film which explores the deforestation of the
> planet from the unique African viewpoint--that of the nomad.
> Beginning when the Sahara Desert was a lush, beautiful
> rainforest, we see the tragic encounter between a hard-working
> nomad and the rainforest. Humankind's confusion, misdirection
> and alienation from nature is explored.
> Saturday, February 7, 12 noon; Wednesday, February 11, 1:30 pm;
> Saturday, February 14, 4:10 pm
>
> 2 Bob Mermaid (Australia, 1997) US Premiere
> Director: Darlene Johnson 14 min
> A fair-skinned aboriginal girl passes as White to get into a
> local segregated swimming pool.
> Thursday, February 12, 3:30 pm
>
> We Choose to Rap (Brazil/US, 1995) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Michele Stephenson 17 min
> Afro- Brazilians in Sao Paulo and Bahia have suffered from a
> long history of racism and discrimination. We Choose to Rap
> examines the social awakening of a young, Afro-Brazilian woman
> who discovers her identity through rap music. Through the eyes
> of Cristina, we observe the political and cultural tensions
> produced by Brazilian and African-American rap music.
> Sunday, February 8, 10:45 am; Thursday, February 12, 1:30;
> Sunday, February 15, 11 am
>
> White Men are Cracking Up (UK/Nigeria, 1994) Los
> Angeles Premiere
> Director: Ngozi Onwurah 20 min
> A detective is investigating the strange circumstances which
> surround the deaths of several middle-aged white men who have
> committed "suicide." As he gets deeper into the case, he
> realizes that a mysterious Black woman is a common thread linking
> all the deaths. As he seeks to reveal her identity, he becomes
> obsessed with her and is in danger of becoming her next "victim."
> Director's Q&A follows.
> Monday, February 9, 7 pm; Thursday, February 12, 1:30 pm
>
> Who Stole the Soul (UK/Nigeria, 1990) Los Angeles Premiere
> Director: Ngozi Onwurah & Simon Onwurah 30 min
> Looking at the historical importance of music to Black
> culture, this hard-hitting docu-drama explores the exploitation
> of Black music and musicians by European culture.
> Winner: Best Documentary, Royal Television Society
> Director's Q&A follows.
> Sunday, February 8, 2 pm
>
> Yo Soy del Son a la Salsa (I Am, From Son to Salsa) (Cuba/US,
> 1997)
> Director: Rigoberto Lopez Prego 100 min
> The evolution of salsa music from its roots in Cuba through
> its development there and later in Puerto Rico and New York are
> documented through interviews, performances and archival footage,
> but most of all through the irresistible music itself. Salsa's
> history is meticulously laid out throughout this century,
> charting its variations and presenting its premier artists. With
> numerous performances including ones by Cachao, Tito Puente,
> Celia Cruz and Los Van Van, today's top Cuban group, this is a
> must see for all Salsa lovers!
> Friday, February 6, 9:50 pm
>
>
In-Reply-To: 199801151236.EAA26660@abraham.xc.org