Harlem, N.Y., June 5, 2020 — ImageNation’s Sōl Cinema Cafe is proud to announce the virtual theatrical release of the documentary, Thee Debauchery Ball, a film about a private, protected space where Black people can be free. Starting June 12th on www.SolCinemaCafe.com, this celebrated film will be paired with #BeDebaucherous, 14 days of virtual after parties featuring more than 30 of the hottest house music DJ’s from across the globe. The Debauchery Ball will be promoted through a grassroots coalition of DJs, film exhibitors, and cultural/lifestyle groups who share the belief that #BlackJoyMatters because #BlackLivesMatter.
Directed by David Weathersby, Thee Debauchery Ball celebrates Chicago’s large and thriving Afrocentric house music scene. Awarded Best Film at the Southside Chicago Film Festival, Thee Debauchery Ball tells the story of a bi-annual event that pays reverence to the roots of house music culture, while expanding the scope and appreciation with innovative and unprecedented fetish-themed, body-positive parties held within safe spaces in the Black community.
The #BeDebaucherous parties will run for 14 consecutive days, 9pm to 11pm, EST. Attendees will be encouraged to broadcast themselves dancing live in their homes, being debaucherous during this two-week soiree. A slate of DJ’s in from Pretoria, the capital of house music in South Africa, will join the party June 14 to 18, at 4pm EST.
The Sol Cinema Cafe enlisted Rhythm & Soul Radio to invite many of the DJ’s including: Sundae Sermon’s DJ Stormin Norman (NYC), DJ Blackicon1 (NYC), The Legendary Chris Washington (NYC), Salah Ananse (ATL), DJ Tony Soul (New Orleans), DJ Shani (Austin, TX), DJ Nimbus (Houston, TX), DJ Adam Cruz (NJ), Cales & Mr. Hyde (Colombia, South America), DJ P/Shift (NYC), DJ King JamesNYC, DJ M. Forde, Chicago’s original Thee Debauchery Ball DJs including DJ Big Will, Steve Maxwell, Chris Underwood, Craig Elliot, Rae Chardonnay,SolKat, Dave Maze, Jo de Presser, Ron Carroll, Gene Hunt, Vince Adams, DJ Craig Alexander and others. South Africa’s Husky Records added: DJ HK (6/14), DJ Jazzy Dee (6/15), DJ Positive K (6/16) and DJ Mac Lopez (6/18), at 4PM EST.
“Thee Debauchery Ball, is a fun, interactive, sexy exploration of a Black subculture,” said Gregory Gates, Sol Cinema Cafe partner. “The film celebrates house music -- Black Chicago’s gift to the world -- and gives a glimpse into a scene that many would be surprised exists within Black America. It fits our mission to expand definitions of Black humanity. Plus, we hope Thee Debauchery Ball will help relieve stress and offer some levity during a time of crisis and unrest.”
ImageNation founder Moikgantsi Kgama and her partner Gregory Gates were in the midst of renovations to open the Sōl Cinema Cafe, a “click and mortar” business in New York City’s Central Harlem community, when the COVID-19 pandemic brought their plans to a halt.
"Initially, we felt derailed by the pandemic. But we soon realized that the pause in construction gave us the space to focus on implementing the digital aspect of our business, and fundraising,” said Moikgantsi Kgama, founder of ImageNation and CEO of the Sōl Cinema Cafe. “We are currently raising $30,000 via Mainvest.com to complete the cinema. People can contribute as little as $100 and get a return on their investment. Every program we host is also an opportunity to talk about our investor opportunities.”
Upcoming programs include:
Starting June 12 - Thee Debauchery Ball & #BeDebaucherous Parties
Film: VOD, www.SōlCinemaCafe.com
Parties: June 12 to June 25, 9pm to 11pm EST, @Sōl Cinema Cafe on Instagram
June 14 - Lunch Break: A Midday Conversation at the Sol Cinema Cafe
Thee Debauchery Ball: Celebrating Black Joy, Black Music, Black Freedom
12:30PM, ET, at FaceBook.com/SolCinemaCafe/Live
Guest Speakers - David Weathersby, filmmaker (Thee Debauchery Ball); Khari B. (creator of Thee Debauchery Ball); Erika Jones, DeBauchery Ball participant; Marko Nobles, Owner, Rhythm and Soul Radio; Hans “DJ HK” Kekana, Owner of South Africa’s Husky Records.
June 27 - Special Edition of Lunch Break: A Midday Conversation at the Sol Cinema Cafe
3:00PM, ET at FaceBook.com/SolCinemaCafe/Live
This is America: Is Violence An Infectious Disease?
This Is America: Is Gun Violence An Infectious Disease is a multi-city discussion on violence in America with policy makers, law enforcement and community leaders to be announced.
The goal of these online programs is to give patrons a taste of what they’ll experience at the Sol Cinema Cafe in Harlem, raise funds, and build a customer base for the Harlem-based venue.
Fundraising
Funds are still being raised to complete renovations, pay rent arrears incurred to due COVID-19, and provide operating reserves for the Sōl Cinema Cafe. Supporters can invest as little as $100 and earn a revenue share of the business through Mainvest.com at https://mainvest.com/b/sol-cinema-cafe-new-york. Or, folks can participate
in the seat-naming campaign at http://www.imagenation.us/name-a-seat.
Sol Cinema Cafe
Designed to leverage both online and offline customers, the Sōl Cinema Cafe is a coffee shop by day, and cinema by night, complemented by a website that offers online ticket sales, advance concessions orders, virtual talkbacks, and streaming.
Sol Cinema is founded by the creators of ImageNation, an innovative Harlem-based non-profit created to develop cinemas and audiences for independent films and music. ImageNation has hosted film screenings, live music performances and other cultural events for more than 200,000 people worldwide since its inception. A founding partner of ARRAY, a national film distribution collective established by Ava DuVernay, ImageNation has presented internationally in South Africa, Scotland and Canada and domestically at Harvard University, MASS MOCA, Lincoln Center and in Dallas, TX, Los Angeles, CA, Baltimore, MD, Chicago, Ill, Indianapolis, IN, and Washington DC. Programs have featured appearances by luminaries such as Spike Lee, Lee Daniels, Ava DuVernay, Stanley Nelson, Ruby Dee, Erykah Badu, Chuck D, Raoul Peck, India. Arie and many others.
#BlackJoyMatters, #BlackLivesMatters, #UnitedWeDance, #BeDebaucherous