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

"There are No Young Black Stars" so this director made, two!

A directors' love delivers a new, classic love story. Gina Prince-Bythewood is the screenwriter and director of "Beyond The Lights" a modern, compelling and utterly convincing modern love story starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw ("Belle") and Nate Parker ("The Secret Life of Bees").

The film opens November 14th and I'm on the strictest embargo not to share too much but, OMGosh, it's time to gush.  I'm making effort not to use every known cliche to attempt to express how well crafted this PG-13 gem is and how "root-to-foot" proud I am of Mrs. Prince-Bythewood. It's produced by Stephanie Allain, Ryan Kavanaugh, Amar'e Stoudemire and Reggie Rock Bythewood,

"Beyond The Lights"—which was the opening night film for the 2014 Urban World Festival and received a standing ovation—is the story of Noni, the music world's latest "rising like a bullet" superstar.  But the price of fame is staggering and the pressures of it have  Noni on the edge - until she meets Kaz Nicol, a young cop and aspiring politician who's been assigned to her detail.

The buzz surrounding the screening hit twitteedom like a four alarm storm alert—it's a hit!

I attended a private screening, with several executives from Essence communications, and our collective reaction turned us into "girlfriends" making spontaneous comments inspired by the spectacular performances and explosive chemistry between the leads. My hand on the Bible, I heard (at least three) my colleagues "exhale."

I'm on lip-lock until November but here is a tiny bit of my sit down with Gina Price-Bythewood.

myNewYorkeye: It's a hit. The screening audience went bananas.  The casting was perfect. Was it easy? I'm setting it up for ya, go!

Gina Prince-Bythewood: (laughing) Funny.  I was very touched by the audience reaction. The journey has been long and the need to find the perfect cast was a challenge. I learned an important thing in making 'Love and Basketball' I realized that you can fake a jump shot but you can't fake a close up, so I cast an actor. I did the same thing here.

myNewYorkeye: Gugu and Nate have the "it" factor.  How did you get that alchemy? Are you hiding "Breaking Bad" type chemistry skills?

Gina Prince-Bythewood: In the audition, Gugu went for "it," her chops are insane.  I saw the movie when she was auditioning and that's such an exciting thing to experience as a director.  I rushed home with her audition DVD , to show my husband Reggie, who is also the producer, and we were like 'OMG' are we seeing what we think were seeing?" 

myNewYorkeye: Then what happened ...?

Gina Prince-Bythewood: Then the work to get her approved began.  She wasn't known and the studio (I was at Fox at the time) kept saying "no" because she wasn't a "star."  As a director, when you find that right  person you fight for them. I decided to do a live reading for the studio executives and called Nate to come in (as a favor) to read with Gugu. I had an interior motive. I wanted to get him in and show him off.

myNewYorkeye: You rock! Is that how you pulled off such clever casting?

Gina Prince-Bythewood: No ( laughing) the journey continues. The chemistry was "right there" but ultimately Sony was like "she's not a star and were not going to make this movie."

myNewYorkeye: You are a veteran Hollywood player. I'm confident that you didn't take it personally. 

Gina Prince-Bythewood: Your right. It wasn't right for them. So, Reggie and I put in our own money into making an 8  minute presentation and Gugu wore "the music video outfit" that she wears in the film.  That's when I knew that she trusted me as a director and was willing "to go" there.

myNewYorkeye: The costume leaves "just a Smidge" to the imagination.

Gina Prince-Bythewood: She gives a very bold performance. We went back to the studios and it's crazy because they loved it and loved Gugu, loved the script but they said "but, she's not a star" and there are no young black men that are stars.'

So close but I kept getting no's. I needed that one yes.  Finally BET saw the presentation, read the script and they invested a couple million dollars.  We then went to Relativity, the very first studio that didn't question Gugu. They said: 'we see that's she's a star. Whomever you want to cast opposite as the male lead, go for it.'"

myNewYorkeye: Your script is "tight as f$&@."

Gina Prince-Bythewood:  (laughing deep and long)

Can you write that? Please?

myNewYorkeye: Done!

"Anchorman 2," Whammy! David Koechner isn't a foul mouthed racist : he just plays one in the movies!

I've fallen in love with a sexist, racist man with repressed homosexual tendencies and I'm confessing it with unrepentant passion.

His name is David Koechner but the movie going world knows him as Champ Kind, one of the hilarious misfits that delivers sport news in the Anchorman franchise starring SNL alumni Will Ferrell.

Created by writer/director/comedian Adam McKay Anchorman: The Legend Continues (which he co-wrote with Will Ferrell) is much more than just a sequel to the 2004 cult classic (which he also co-wrote).  Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy is a hilarious and smart satire the examines the hypocrisy of the news business and the quest for power, money and great hair!

Champ, like most complex characters in comedies, was created to slap a big fat purple explanation point on the hot button issues that plague and shape cultures the world over;

racism, sexism and the intolerable greed of corporations.

David, the actor/singer and all around good guy, is as different from sports reporter, Champ as a warm fuzzy kitten is, to say, a 12 set baking kit! 

The following phone interview took place inside a crowded Upper East Side coffee house.

My phone rings, blaring Beyonce's "Diva" the ringtone easily eclipsing the holiday carols. 

It took me a full half hour before I noticed that I was on speaker phone.  Good news, David had that crowd laughing and that's a hard room for comedy!

David Koechner: (singing and singing well)

LAPACAZO, Lapacazo, Lapacazo, Lapacazo. La-la, la-la, la-Lapacazo. Oh, Lapacazo!

I love your name.  It's musical. Laaapppaazo. (He sang three verses).

myNewYorkeye: (Hysterical) I've never had anyone sing my name.  Thank you. I happen to love country music!

David Koechner: Thank you kindly Miss Lapacazo (he's still singing).  Hey, what did you think of the movie?  No pressure?  You know the one I'm in:  "Anchorman: The Legend Continues" opening December 18th.  No pressure ..... Lapacazo!

myNewYorkeye: (Hysterical) Adam (McKay) sliced off the hairy arms of one of my favorite mythical creatures. Comedy is a cruel master.

David Koechner: (Hysterical laughter back) He did, didn't he?!  Oh Adam-dear-Adam with him so little is sacred.

myNewYorkeye: 'All is fair to the comedy gods.'

Hats off to Adam and Will for having an African-American woman as the head of a maverick, 24-hour All News Network, loosely spoofing CNN.  A deliberate casting choice?

David Koechner: Well, I can't speak on Adam or Will's behalf, like 100percent, but I'm pretty certain that they both demanded an African-American character for that role.  Megan (Goode) is good!  She delivers on all levels!

myNewYorkeye: Megan rocks the mike (stand up comic pun intended).  There is a very funny "meet the family" scene when her character introduces Ron Burgundy to her successful clan and well...

David Koechner: ....Every known racial slur followed by inaccurate stenotypes paints the introduction?  Is that the family "meet Ron Burgundy" scene your referring too?

myNewYorkeye: Yes.   I've never seen a group of paid actors look so uncomfortable and confused.

David Koechner: That's because I'm fairly certain that Adam and Wik didn't script it.  They wanted to capture the impact of those absurd slurs and most importantly, I think, to show the sincere feelings those "words" have on others!

myNewYorkeye: That explains a lot.  I'm impressed.  Continue?

David Koechner: Racism (to me) is stupid.  I'm a father and my kids didn't see race. They noticed differences but it means nothing to them.  Nothing.  I want a world like that.  I work toward a world like that.  I really do!

Hey when we meet and we will, remind me that your a song?!

myNewYorkeye: I shall indeed.  I'm jealous you're paid to work with your friends!  You laugh and make people laugh to the sound of  "whammy" all the way to the bank!

David Koechner: WHAMMY!  (Laughing) that's so true.  I was just in Australia with Adam and we both just had that "omg this is still real" series of moments.  I'm a father of five so there isn't really enough money.  They keep growing!

myNewYorkeye: When did your parents finally stop worrying about your career choice?

David Koechner: (Laughing) Lapacazo (singing) you are good!  My parents finally started to rest easy with the successful release of the last "Anchorman " They now think this comedy thing just might be a ..

myNewYorkeye & David Koechner ; A whammy!

twitter @DavidKoechner

"Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" opens December 18.