THE NEW YORK AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL RETURNS TO THE FILM SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER MAY 6-12

I bumped into David Ninh, the press agent at Film Society of Lincoln Center, while picking up my press credentials for the Tribeca Film Festival. “I have something special for you,” David teased and “voila” - I checked my inbox and there was advance information on the returning NEW YORK AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL at the Film Society of Lincoln Center (May 6-12).

This will be the 22nd edition. This festival is regarded one of the nation’s premiere film festivals.  It brings the best of African cinema and this year, the Opening Night film will be  “Cold Harbour" by Carey McKenzie. The Centerpiece film is “Red Leaves” by Bazi Gete, and the Closing Night film will be “Mossane" by Safi Faye.

It’s an interesting note, that this year marks the African Film Festival, Inc.’s silver anniversary.

The Film Society of Lincoln Center (FSLC) embraces diversity throughout the year. The joining of the African Film Festival, Inc. (AFF) and the New York African Film Festival (NYAFF) is just one example of their commitment to storytellers, around the world.

The May event (6-12) is under the banner of the United Nations’ International Decade for People of African Descent (2015–2024).

This year, the festival presents a diverse crop of 15 features and 13 short films from Africa and the Diaspora.

Isa Cucinotta, Film Society of Lincoln Center Programmer stated: "We are thrilled by this year’s selection of films exploring the breadth and depth of the African experience both on the continent and beyond. Through comedy, drama, and documentary, the striving of a people on the move is vibrantly expressed. We are happy to be able to share the dreams and hard work of today’s artists."

 “As we reach our anniversary, it is clear that on many levels we have achieved all we set out to do some 25 years ago in creating a festival to challenge the prevailing narrative about Africa through the cinematic arts,” said AFF Executive Director and NYAFF Founder Mahen Bonetti. “As we revisit our mission this year, we see that our community has not only helped bring our masters to the attention of global audiences but that we continue to push to the forefront new voices that celebrate Africa in this important moment in our history.”

To get the party started, a preview town hall event will take place, Friday, May 1st at WNYC’s Jerome L. Greene Performance Space. African artists living in the Diaspora will discuss how living outside of the Continent, but occupying a space where they are still “of the continent” influences their work and lives.

The event will feature live musical performances by Les Nubians and hip-hop artist Blitz the Ambassador, as well as a reading from a literary work by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond. Popular international journalist and Upworthy curator Femi Oke will then moderate a discussion with these artists and director Andrew Dosunmu.

Following its opening leg at Film Society of Lincoln Center, NYAFF then heads to Maysles Cinema Institute in Harlem (May 14-17) and concludes over Memorial Day Weekend (May 22-25) at the Brooklyn Academy of Music BAMcinématek as part of its popular dance and music festival DanceAfrica.

Screenings will take place at the Walter Reade Theater, 165 West 65th Street (north side, upper level, between Broadway and Amsterdam) and the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, 144 West 65th Street (south side, between Broadway and Amsterdam). Tickets for the New York African Film Festival will go on sale to the general public on April 23 at the Film Society’s box offices and online at filmlinc.com. Pre-sale to Film Society members begins on April 21. Single screening tickets are $14; $11 for students and seniors (62+); and $9 for Film Society members. See more for less with a 3+ Film Discount Package starting at $33; $27 for students and seniors (62+); and $24 for Film Society members.

To find out all of the details go to filmlinc.com.

"We PARTY WITH BOMBAY SAPPHIRE GIN"

It’s that time of year, when the groovy people of Hollywood and the indie world descend on downtown New York and make magic happen!

Covering the films is fun but covering the parties, well, that’s an added bonus.

BOMBAY SAPPHIRE Gin knows how to throw a party. Point in fact, the exclusive Tribeca Film Festival after party for “Meadowland” -- starring Olivia Wilde, Luke Wilson, Giovanni Ribisi, Elisabeth Moss (directed by Reed Morano) hosted at the PH-D Rooftop Lounge at Dream Downtown Hotel in NYC rocked the house.

The weather is cooperating with the creative community so the Rooftop Lounge (at Dream Downtown Hotel) was the perfect spot for power couple, Olivia Wilde and fiancé Jason Sudeikis (who also has two films premiering during TFF: Sleeping with Other People and Tumbledown) to let their “hair” down and enjoy the stylish affair with close friends and stars.

Arriving arm in arm, the Wilde-ly in love pair celebrated their date night out in full fashion as they discussed their upcoming movies and birthday plans for their son Otis turning 1 on Monday (4/20).

Guests of the intimate 150-person party mingled and swilled speciality BOMBAY SAPPHIRE cocktails while enjoying music spun by the talented DJ. In honor of Wilde’s new film, artisanal elixirs were studded with blue gems to emulate the star’s exotic Sapphire blue eyes.

Notable guests included: Olivia Wilde, Jason Sudeikis, Giovanni Ribisi, Ty Simpkins, Harvey Weinstein, Reed Morano, Steve Guttenberg, Bobby Cannavale, Mark Feuerstein, James Dolan, among others.

BAMcinématek’s New Voices in Black Cinema a chat with director Nefertite Nguvu (“In The Morning”)

Nefertite Nguvu’s “In The Morning”

Nefertite Nguvu’s “In The Morning” whose film just screened at Bam’s New Voices in Black Cinema, and expanding to cities this spring, had this to share about being a woman film-maker.

myNewYorkeye:  What do you love about being a storyteller?

Nefertite Nguvu: What I love most about being a storyteller is the opportunity it provides to connect deeply with other people. In light of all that's happening in the world, having the ability to tell stories that explore our humanity is not something I take for granted.

myNewYorkeye: What challenges did you face and overcome in making this feature film? 

Nefertite Nguvu: The first challenge was overcoming my own fear. I knew that making this film would be a huge undertaking, with so many possibilities to fail, and that was daunting. Instead of letting the fear paralyse me, I decided to let it fuel me.  Most of the other challenges were related to budget and time, trying not to let the limitation of either compromise the vision of the film. We shot our film in eight days, then it took me two years to complete. Truthfully, the hardest part was not giving up. Patience and tenacity were my greatest challenges/lessons.

myNewYorkeye:  What do you value most about being a director?

Nefertite Nguvu: What I value most about being a director is the process of collaborating with other artist. Writing is a tough and lonely part of the film-making process for me, but being on set, working with actors, and creating with my comrade, the incredible cinematographer, Arthur Jafa is just thrilling. Having collaborators that are as passionate about the work as you are is a tremendous gift. 

myNewYorkeye: Who are your top 3 influences and why?

Nefertite Nguvu: That's such a tough question!  My influences are vast and varied... From Ingmar Bergman to Toni Morrison with many things in between...  If I had to narrow it down to three, I'd say first and foremost, my parents. They made art and culture an essential part of my upbringing.

Home for me was immersed in a world of Alice Coltrane, Sonny Rollins and Miriam Makeba records, and a typical family outing was an Amiri Baraka or Sonia Sanchez poetry reading.  My parents' love of jazz, literature and poetry became my love, and is an essential part of who I am.  They also instilled in me, early on the belief that culture is a weapon and that art has the ability to transform.  

That's always stayed with me. Outside of my parents I'd say my friend/mentor/hero/idol George C. Wolfe, the amazing playwright and director whom I love dearly, has had the biggest influence on me.

He is a brilliant artist with a Herculean body of work, who aside from that is just a very funny, generous and amazing human being. Being around him always makes me want to dream bigger, be better and do more. 

myNewYorkeye: In NYC where do you go to get re-energized?

Nefertite Nguvu: Nothing keeps me more energized than being inspired. There's never a shortage of that in NYC! My favorite source of inspiration to experience here is the theater.  The emotional power and kinetic energy that can be generated by a good piece of theater  is unparalleled. It invigorates me to no end.  

myNewYorkeye: What's next?

Nefertite Nguvu: Wider distribution plans are in the works for 'In The Morning' and I'm currently working on a short film project for hire that I'm really excited about. Good things are on the horizon!

For more on "In the Morning", visit :
www.inthemorning-thefilm.com
www.facebook.com/inthemorning.thefilm

#TFF Tribeca Film Festival’s Storyscape: FREE BUT RESERVATIONS REQUIRED

It’s free but reservations are required.  This is an important detail, and one that could have you miss out of enjoying some of the most exciting elements of the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival and that would be a shame, since it’s free.   

Let’s start with free Fridays (April 17 and 24th). During the 2015 with reservations and a few other "details," to be reviewed at the website - you can see festival films for free and that's made possible to #TFF AT&T sponsorship. 

Please check it out now -  https://filmforallnyc.att.com before the tickets fly away!

In other festival news, check out Tribeca Film Festival’s Storyscapes, created in collaboration with BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® Gin.

Hey, culturally adventurous public  - join the story and the storytellers with  Storyscapes, a juried section at the Festival showcasing groundbreaking exhibits in technology and immersive storytelling.  

Storyscapes is located in the Festival’s new downtown creative hub, Tribeca Film Festival at Spring Studios (50 Varick Street), and is open to the public from Thursday, April 16 – Sunday, April 19, 2015.

Curated by the TFF Programming Team and Ingrid Kopp, Director of Interactive for the Tribeca Film Institute, Storyscapes will present five selections as public, interactive installations at the BOMBAY SAPPHIRE Storyscapes Exhibit and Custom Tonic Bar.  

This year’s projects celebrate a wide range of creative approaches to storytelling, empathy and immersion:

Enter the 6,000-square-foot labyrinth of 'Door Into the Dark’ and discover what it feels like when your senses are lost. Explore powerful virtual reality experiences with 'The Enemy' and ‘The Machine To Be Another'. Uncover how you are tracked online through the personalized storytelling in 'Do Not Track' or establish a digital friendship with ‘Karen', the life coach that wants to get to know you... a little too well. 

Storyscapes, which is free with an RSVP, now open for reservations at tribecafilm.com. 

One project will be awarded The BOMBAY SAPPHIRE®Storyscapes Award, which recognizes groundbreaking approaches in storytelling and technology. Descriptions for each project can be found beneath.

Merging technology and craft mixology, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin will debut a new “Custom Tonic Bar” that offers festival attendees the unique opportunity to design their own tonic -- based on their emotional profiles and flavor preferences—determined by an innovative “Tonic Journey”iPad app. Free and open to the public, the interactive “Custom Tonic Bar” will add another unique and immersive layer to this year’s #Storyscapes experience.

For the first time, Bombay’s North American Brand Ambassador Gary Hayward along with Nick Kosevich (founder of leading flavor science house Bittercube) will guide guests on a discovery of their personal taste profiles – adventurous vs tame, type of occasion, etc. 

Translating those profiles into a story of flavor using the exclusive Tonic Journey iPad app, guests will create one-of-a-kind Gin & Tonic formulas authentic to their palates. To conclude, guests will name their tonic, and even design and lay out their own bottle label, all using the app.

Within three weeks, a scaled-up version of their final product will be delivered to their home to create 40-45 of their signature gin and tonics.

STORYSCAPES 2015

The five Storyscapes interactive installations presented at this year’s Festival are listed below. Today, I experienced “The Enemy,” which was created by Karim Ben Khelifa.

During the virtual immersion experience, which felt utterly real, I was being photographed.  When I completed it, I was immediately rushed over to the creator and egged on with “tell him what you think, please…”  Turning, all I could manage was “wow.” 

“That’s what we want him (Karim) to hear, “ the virtual mask operators requested.  

So - that’s what I shared with him.  Karim looked at me and smiled, and taking my hand he said “thank you!!!"

The Enemy

Project Creator: Karim Ben Khelifa

Two combatants from opposite sides of a war observe each other. We are in the middle.

This project, at the crossroads of neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and storytelling, takes us on an extraordinary odyssey through some of the most contested conflicts in the world. In the first chapter you are immersed in a virtual reality gallery, moving between an Israeli, and a Palestinian soldier. Creator, Karim Ben Khelifa is a conflict photographer who is pushing his work a step further with this creative investigation of the limits of empathy.

Do Not Track

Project Creator: Brett Gaylor 

To what extent are you being tracked? In this personalized documentary series about privacy and the web economy, creator Brett Gaylor will reveal what the web knows about you— that is if you share your data with him. From mobile phones to social networks, and personalized advertising to big data, this project shows how the modern web is increasingly a space where our movements, speech, and identities are being recorded.

Door Into the Dark

Project Creators: Anagram 

"This is a labyrinth.” Find out what it means to be lost in an age of infinite information.

Using groundbreaking locative technology, this immersive documentary combines captivating storytelling with a visceral physical experience: feel your way into the dark—blindfolded, shoeless, and alone— along a taut length of rope that leads to a vivid aural world of real people who have been profoundly lost. Your encounter with these characters takes you deep into their sensations, risks, and illusions. To find your way into the light you must surrender to the unknown.

Karen

Project Creator: Blast Theory, developed in partnership with National Theatre Wales.

Karen is an app that mixes together gaming, storytelling, and psychological profiling. Karen is a life coach and she’s happy to help you work through a few things in your life. As soon as you launch Karen, she will ask you some questions about your outlook on the world. As she becomes more and more curious, Karen starts to identify things about you that she shouldn’t know. Where exactly is this going to end? 

The Machine To Be Another - Embodied Narratives

Project Creator: BeAnotherLab

BeAnotherLab will be presenting a series of Embodied Narratives that will allow you to inhabit the body and life story of another person, while interacting with artefacts from their life. Imagine the possibility of creating stories that can be felt through your own body as something real. For three years BeAnotherLab has been working with an extended community of researchers, artists, activists, and members of the public to create performance-experiments related to the understanding of the other and of the self.