{"id":71559,"date":"2015-03-26T10:47:12","date_gmt":"2015-03-26T10:47:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/0de2709a84.nxcli.net\/0-kjasnb\/2015\/03\/26\/new-voices-in-black-cinema-begins-today-march-26-29\/"},"modified":"2018-12-18T03:47:31","modified_gmt":"2018-12-18T03:47:31","slug":"new-voices-in-black-cinema-begins-today-march-26-29","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.blackfilm.com\/read\/new-voices-in-black-cinema-begins-today-march-26-29\/","title":{"rendered":"New Voices In Black Cinema Begins Today March 26-29"},"content":{"rendered":"

New Voices In Black Cinema Begins Today March 26-29<\/strong>Posted by Wilson Morales<\/p>\n

March 26, 2015<\/p>\n

\"New<\/a><\/p>\n

From Thursday, March 26 through Sunday, March 29<\/strong>, BAMcin\u00e9matek presents\u00a0New Voices in Black Cinema<\/em><\/strong>, the fifth festival presented with the Fort Greene-based ActNow Foundation. Reflecting the wide spectrum of views and themes within African and diasporan communities in Brooklyn and beyond, the series features four New York premieres, one world premiere, and one US premiere. Home to a variety of ActNow programs since 2009, BAMcin\u00e9matek continues this partnership which provides a showcase for new and established voices in black independent cinema.<\/p>\n

Martin Majeske<\/strong>, managing director for ActNow Foundation, says of\u00a0New Voices in Black Cinema<\/em>: \u201cActNow is honored to continue highlighting and supporting a diverse group of artists through this festival. In our fifth year, we are even more thrilled to bring unique programming from around the world to this eclectic borough that we call home.”<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Knucklehead<\/a><\/p>\n

Opening the festival on Thursday, March 26 is the world premiere of Ben Bowman\u2019s\u00a0Knucklehead<\/em><\/strong>, a hard-hitting Brooklyn drama starring Alfre Woodard and Gbenga Akinnagbe (The Wire<\/em>) as a dysfunctional mother-son pair. When mentally disabled Langston realizes he must break free from his mother\u2019s toxic grip, he seeks out a celebrity health hack he believes has the key to his independence. This screening will be followed by a Q&A with Bowman and Akinnagbe.<\/p>\n

\"Ojuju<\/a><\/p>\n

The fifth year of\u00a0New Voices in Black Cinema\u00a0<\/em>offers an array of strong narrative features, including the New York premiere of C.J. \u2018Fiery\u2019 Obasi\u2019s edgy throwback zombie film\u00a0Ojuju<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(2014\u2014Mar 27), in which a group of friends must dodge ravenous reanimated corpses in a cramped Nigerian slum. Jahmil X.T. Qubeka\u2019s South African monochrome thriller\u00a0Of Good Report\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(2013\u2014Mar 26) follows a schoolteacher (Mothusi Magano) who conducts a wild affair with his 16-year-old student. Originally banned in its home country, this\u00a0Lolita<\/em>-esque noir shocks with a strong performance by Magano, who recalls \u201cJack Nance in\u00a0Eraserhead<\/em>\u00a0or Anthony Perkins in\u00a0Psycho<\/em>\u201d (Peter Bradshaw,\u00a0The Guardian<\/em>).<\/p>\n

\"In<\/a><\/p>\n

Also screening are the US premiere of Rob Brown\u2019s\u00a0Sixteen<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(2013\u2014Mar 29),\u00a0which\u00a0recounts a former DR Congo child soldier\u2019s struggles to reconcile his traumatic past with his new life in London, and Nefertite Nguvu\u2019s atmospheric Brooklyn ensemble piece\u00a0In the Morning<\/em><\/strong>(2014\u2014Mar 28). Nguvu will appear in person for a Q&A following the screening.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s festival also includes an extraordinary selection of documentaries charting the political climate across the globe. Among them is acclaimed cinematographer Arthur Jafa\u2019s (Crooklyn<\/em>, New Voices selection\u00a0In the Morning<\/em>) feature-length directorial debut\u00a0Dreams Are Colder Than Death<\/em><\/strong>(2014\u2014Mar 27), which screened at last year\u2019s New York Film Festival and contemplates the black experience in America via interviews with Charles Burnett, Kara Walker, and others;<\/p>\n

\"TheJoanna Lipper\u2019sThe Supreme Price\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(2014\u2014Mar 28), an ambitious look at Nigeria\u2019s political evolution through the eyes of feminist Hafsat Abiola and \u201cone of ten films all human rights activists should see\u201d (The Huffington Post<\/em>); and\u00a0Life\u2019s Essentials With Ruby Dee\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(2014\u2014Mar 28), a tender
\ndocumentary directed by Muta\u2019Ali Muhammad about his grandmother, the cherished actor and iconic activist. Also screening is the New York premiere of Rachel Perkins\u2019\u00a0Black Panther\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Woman <\/em><\/strong>(2014\u2014Mar 29), a portrait of one woman\u2019s experience in the Australian Black Panther movement.<\/p>\n

\"Christmas<\/a>Other highlights include the New York premiere of Andrew Adkins and George Potter\u2019s\u00a0An American Ascent\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(2014\u2014Mar 27), a documentary about the first group of all African-American mountaineers to climb Mount Denali; Kiara Jones\u2019 charming family drama\u00a0Christmas Wedding Baby\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(2014\u2014Mar 27); the New York premiere of Destiny Ekaragha\u2019s\u00a0Gone Too Far\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(2013\u2014Mar 28), a side-splitting comedy about the new relationship between a British teenager and his Nigerian brother; and a\u00a0Shorts Program\u00a0<\/strong>(Mar 29) made up of a biting new satire by BAMcinemaFest alum Shaka King (Newlyweeds<\/em>), a documentary on a machete master in Haiti, and more.\u00a0Christmas Wedding Baby<\/em>director Kiara Jones and producer Ralph Scott will appear in person for a Q&A.<\/p>\n

Knucklehead<\/strong><\/p>\n