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Film at Lincoln Center, NY African Film Fest return May 12-17

“Freda” (Courtesy photo)“Freda” (Courtesy photo) (Courtesy photo)

By MARGRIRA

Special to the AmNews

There is an African proverb that says: “Examine what is said, not who is speaking,” and after reviewing the synopsis of the movies being screened at the Film at Lincoln Center (FLC) and African Film Festival, Inc. (AFF)—May 12 to 17— it seems that this proverb is a running theme throughout the films kicking off the 29th year of the festival.

This year’s festival is a mixture of in-person screening at FLC theaters coupled with select virtual screenings. The films chosen focus on a myriad of strong themes under the banner Visions of Freedom, presenting diverse and interconnected notions of freedom pertinent to Africa, the diaspora, and the world at large while recalling activism of the past and ushering in new anthems of the future to embrace a united front for liberation and expression.

“The events of the recent past have illuminated how interconnected our worlds are. Through it all and across the globe, the collective vision of freedom has come into sharp focus,” said AFF Executive Director and NYAFF Founder Mahen Bonetti. “This year’s festival takes a look at the past, while capturing the present pulse and looking forward to envision a brighter future.”

“Knowledge is a garden. If it isn’t cultivated, you can’t harvest it”—wise words and can accurately paint the opening night New York premiere of Gessica Généus’ feature directorial debut “Freda,” framed by the ever-present violence and dangers surrounding a family’s life in Haiti and their longing to escape it. Tanzanian filmmaker Amil Shivji’s Centerpiece selection “Tug of War” spotlights a rebellious young revolutionary who falls for an Indian-Zanzibari girl escaping an arranged marriage.

Two festival features are U.S. premieres: Charles Castella’s “Abderrahmane Sissako, un cinéaste à l'Opéra,” chronicling acclaimed director Sissako’s unique task of creating an opera about the history of Africa at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, with music composed by Damon Alban, leader of the bands Blur and Gorillaz; and “Ayaanle,” directed by Ahmed Farah, which follows a series of unlikely events befalling the title character, who goes from optimistic actor to the most wanted man in Kenya. The festival is also proud to host the U.S. premieres of two short films: Johanna Makabi’s “Notre mémoire,” featuring “Black Girl” star Mbissine Thérèse Diop’s reflections on being a Black actress in the 1960s; and “Shaka - iNkosi Yamakhosi” by Manzini Zungu and Nick Cloete, a profound tale of resilience depicting the coming-of-age of a great warrior and king, Shaka Zulu.

Other highlights include the New York premiere of “Juwaa,” Nganji Mutiri’s drama about a mother and son reflecting on the events of a traumatic night many years before; and Aïssa Maïga’s documentary “Marcher sur l’eau (Above Water),” following the process of convincing an NGO to build a well in a Nigerien village, saving many residents from having to travel several kilometers each day to gather what exists 200 meters below their feet.

“Cinema of Liberation: From Inception and Execution to Exhibition,” a master class by veteran Ethiopian filmmaker, Haile Gerima, on Saturday, May 14, at 11:30 a.m. will teach the role of film in propelling forth freedom movements and arming viewers to take up the mantle of change. The event takes place in the amphitheater at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center.

NYAFF will present a Town Hall at Lincoln Center’s David Rubenstein Atrium on Wednesday, May 11 at 7:30 p.m., featuring African and diaspora

artists displaying and discussing work that explores the festival’s theme Visions of Freedom. Participants include hair stylist and Hair by Susy founder Susan Oludele; dancer, lawyer, actor and pianist Justin Lynch; singer, songwriter, and international DJ Nikki Kynard; and actress and director of the Opening Night film, “Freda,” Gessica Généus.

An interactive digital art exhibition, featuring work by the artist Zainab Aliyu, which celebrates the festival theme will run in the Amphitheater from May 12-17.

Tickets go on sale April 29 at noon ET. In-theater ticket prices are $15 for the general public; $12 for students, seniors, and persons with disabilities; and $10 for FLC members. See more and save with the $59 All-Access Pass or the $25 Student All-Access Pass. Tickets for the Opening Night Party in the Frieda and Roy Furman Gallery in the Walter Reade Theater are $200 and can be purchased at africanfilmny.org starting Friday, April 22.

Virtual Cinema prices are $10 for the general public; $8 for FLC members. See more and save with the 4-Film Bundle for just $20 (approx. 50% savings!).

The festival continues at Maysles Documentary Center in Harlem from May 19 to 22 and culminates at the Brooklyn Academy of Music under the name Film Africa from May 27 to June 2 during Dance Africa.

"The Gravedigger's Wife" (Courtesy photo)

Here are a few stands-outs to consider

Centerpiece

“Tug of War / Vuta n’kuvute”

New York Premiere Amil Shivji, 2021, Tanzania/South Africa/Germany/ Qatar, 92m English and Swahili with English subtitles Denge, a young freedom fighter, meets Yasmin, an Indian-Zanzibari woman, in the middle of the night as she is on her way to be married. Passion and revolution ensue in this coming-of-age political love story set in the final years of British colonial Zanzibar.

Preceded by:

“Notre mémoire”

U.S. Premiere Johanna Makabi, 2021, France, 12m French with English subtitles Mbissine Thérèse Diop played the starring role in Ousmane Sembène’s landmark first feature, 1966’s “Black Girl (La Noire de…).” Today, she looks back on her experience as a Black actress in the 1960s. Friday, May 13 at 6:30 p.m. (Q&A with Amil Shivji) Monday, May 16 at 2 p.m.

“The Gravedigger’s Wife”

Khadar Ayderus Ahmed, 2021, Somalia/France/Germany/Finland, 83m Somali with English subtitles Guled and Nasra are a loving couple, living on the outskirts of Djibouti City with their teenage son, Mahad. However, they are facing difficult times: Nasra urgently needs an expensive surgery to treat a chronic kidney disease. Guled is already working hard as a gravedigger to make ends meet: how can they find the money to save Nasra and keep the family together? Virtual—May 13-17, 2022

“Mother of Moeketsi / Mma Moeketsi”

Reabetswe Moeti, 2018, South Africa, 25m New York Premiere Sotho with English subtitles Based on true events, this film recounts a 2012 massacre in which a group of South African mine workers went on a wage-increase strike, leading to a national tragedy in which 34 miners were brutally killed by the police.

Master Class with Haile Gerima

A master class led by renowned Ethiopian filmmaker, Haile Gerima, will take place on Saturday, May 14 at 11:30 a.m. in the Elinor Bunin Munroe Amphitheater. The class, titled “Cinema of Liberation: From Inception and Execution to Exhibition,” will center on the content, form, and aesthetics of liberation cinema, empowering one’s particular narrative logic and the construction of audiences for partnership in liberation. Saturday, May 14, at 11:30 a.m.

(L-R): John-Michael Lyles (Thought 3), Jason Veasey (Thought 5), James Jackson Jr. (Thought 2), L. Morgan Lee (Thought 1), John-Andrew Morrison (Thought 4), Antwayn Hopper (Thought 6) in “A Strange Loop” (Marc J. Franklin photo)

By LINDA ARMSTRONG Special to the AmNews

The 2022 Tony nominations are out, and Broadway musicals created by African Americans are topping the nomination’s list. “A Strange Loop” is leading the pack with a record 11 Tony nominations. The new musical is shining a light on the talents of many African Americans. Created by Michael R. Jackson, it is nominated for best musical; best book of a musical and best original score written for the theater—Michael R. Jackson; best performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical—Jaquel Spivey; best performance by an actor in a featured role in a musical— John-Andrew Morrison; and best performance by an actress in a featured role in a musical— L. Morgan Lee. Other nominations also include for best direction; best scenic design; best lighting design; best sound design; and best orchestration.

Right behind “A Strange Loop” with a whopping 10 Tony nominations is the Lynn Nottage musical, “MJ: The Musical”! It is up for best musical; best book of a musical— Lynn Nottage; best performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical—Myles Frost; and best costume design—Paul Tazewell. Other nominations also include best direction; best choreography; best scenic design; best lighting design; best sound design; and best orchestrations.

“Paradise Square” has tied with 10 nominations. It is up for best musical; best book of a musical— Christina Anderson and co-writers Craig Lucas and Larry Kirwan; best original score with lyrics by Nathan Tysen and Masi Asare with music by Jason Howland; best performance by an actress in a leading role in a musical— Joaquina Kalukango; best performance by an actor in a featured role in a musical—Sidney DuPont; best costume design—Toni-Leslie James; and best choreography— Bill T. Jones. Additional nominations include a second actor in a featured role; best scenic design; and best lighting design.

The Ntozake Shange revival of “for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf” has seven nominations. It is up for best revival; best direction and best choreography—which both are to the credit of Camille A. Brown, who makes her Broadway directorial debut with this landmark production. It is also nominated in the category of best performance by an actress in a featured role in a play—Kenita R. Miller (“The Lady in Red”); best costume design—Sarafina Bush; best sound design—Justin Ellington; and one for best lighting design.

“The Skin of Our Teeth” earned six nominations. One of best performances by an actress in a leading role in a play—Gabby Beans; the others were for best direction; best scenic design; best costume design; best lighting design; and best sound design.

A new Lynn Nottage play, “Clyde’s,” is nominated for five Tony Awards: best play; best performance by an actor in a featured role in a play—Ron Cephas Jones; best performance by an actress in a featured role in a play— Uzo Aduba and Kara Young. An additional nomination is best costume design.

The late Alice Childress play, “Trouble In Mind” received four nominations for best revival; best performance by an actress in a leading role in a play—LaChanze; best performance by an actor in a featured role in a play— Chuck Cooper; and best costume design—Emilio Sosa.

“Caroline, or Change” is nominated in three categories: best musical; best performance by an actress in a leading role in a musical—Sharon D. Clarke; and best costume design.

“Macbeth” has three nominations, among them: best performance by an actress in a leading role in a play—Ruth Negga, along with best lighting and sound design.

Dominique Morisseau’s play “Skeleton Crew” also had three nominations: best play; best performance by an actress in a leading role in a play—Phylicia Rashad; and best scenic design.

“Lackawanna Blues” received one nomination for best performance by an actor in a leading role in a play—Ruben Santiago-Hudson.

It is very important that Black talent gets recognized with Tony nominations. The 75th annual Tony Awards will occur on Sunday, June 12, from 8 p.m.-11 p.m. at Radio City Music Hall. It will be broadcast on CBS television network and streamed live and on demand on Paramount+. The Awards will be hosted by African American, Ariana DeBose. To see a full list of all the productions with Tony nominations go to the Tony Awards website at www. tonyawards.com.

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS

A R T S & E N T E R T A I N M E N T

Black Star reconnects for 1st new album in 24 years

Black Star (Mathieu Bitton photo)

By JORDANNAH ELIZABETH

Special to the AmNews

The iconic hip hop duo Black Star is releasing a new album for the first time in 24 years. Black Star is made up of rappers Talib Kweli and Yasiin Bey, who for many years were known under the hip hop moniker, Mos Def.

Their debut self-titled album was released in 1998, and now the group officially released the long-time-coming second record, “No Fear of Time,” on May 3. Both artists are known for their respective solo careers. Their first project was a historical surprise, and rap and hip hop fans are more than excited to see the two vital hip hop contributors return to continue their musical and artistic journeys together.

The release of “No Fear of Time” is accompanied by new episodes of “The Midnight Miracle,” a podcast series hosted by Kweli, Bey and Dave Chappelle who is a longtime friend, fan and collaborator of both artists. The opening episode has been considered as a form of digital liner notes for the new record, and includes upcoming music and conversation about the new album.

“What you will continue to get out of us is a sincere expression,” Yasiin Bey expressed in a statement about the new work. “It’s who we really are, what we’re really responding to, and what’s really important to us.”

After 24 years without a new collection of music, this marks an occasion that should be celebrated and attract enthusiasm from listeners from all over the world. Kweli and Bey rose to prominence in the late 1990s offering conscious, afrocentric and introspective music in a time when hip hop was deep, dark, street-related and simmering in depth and enlightening pessimism from the realities of New York life beginning in the mid 1990s. Before then, New York hip hop was struggling to reclaim its voice as West Coast hip hop began to dominate the radio airways and Billboard charts. Both artists brought a refreshing sound of depth and awareness.

“About 34 years ago I was visiting Yasiin in Europe and we started to talk about songs to do on an album, so I flew an engineer out just to see what that would be,” Kweli shared in a statement. “Once I realized this conversation is starting to organically become a creative conversation, I started making sure to have the engineer around at all times. There was one day we were just in a hotel listening to Madlib beats, and he’s like ‘Play that Madlib tape again.’ I’m playing the beats and he starts doing rhymes to the beats. And that’s how we did the first song.”