African Diaspora International Film Festival

Event Details

The African Diaspora International Film Festival is an eclectic mix of independent, urban, foreign, and classic films that focus on the global black experience. For ticket information and ordering, click here. For more information, call (212) 864-1760 or visit www.nyadiff.org.



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FILLING THE GAP
NY Premiere
Thu. Dec. 8 @ 11am
Conceived as an effort to alter the way African-American children see themselves and their ancestors, this docu-drama    highlights the inventive and inspired contributions of African-Americans in the 1840s, the period leading to the Civil War in American History. Developed in collaboration with Florida-based historian Mary Fears to produce a historically accurate portrayal of the brave, compelling lives of African American skilled craftsmen, artists, inventors, and Union spies, the film is certain to enthrall young audiences with this overlooked facet of history.  USA, 2010, 83 min, docu-drama, English, TyroneYoung, dir. Q&A after screening. Part of School Program.

THE HUMAN WEB
NY Premiere
Thu. Dec. 8  @ 1pm
CJ, a formerly Yale-bound young man, was recently released from prison after being convicted of a crime he did not commit. Struggling to make sense of life and burdened by internal conflicts, he finds himself slowly drifting into a world of drugs, betrayal, and revenge- a world eagerly introduced to him by his best friend, Wes. Wes manipulates CJ through CJ's affection for his girlfriend and through CJ's blind faith in their friendship. As CJ begins to lose himself to this alien life, he distances himself from his family members, each of whom also struggles with coming to grips with their own painful realities. USA, 2010, 104 min, drama, English, Benedict A. Dorsey, dir. Q&A after screening. Shown with Love Lockdown.

LOVE LOCKDOWN
Thu. Dec. 8 @ 1pm
A short documentary inspired by the impassioned phone calls and shout-outs made to prisoners on Lockdown Love, a popular late-night radio show in New York City. The film tells the story of Shoshanna, a young mother from the Bronx as she waits to learn the fate of Felix, the father of her children, who is incarcerated and faces a 10 year sentence. Dialing tirelessly, waiting hours on hold, Shoshanna's phone calls tell an unconventional story of love and commitment. USA, 2010, 19 min, Doc, English, Nadia Hallgren, dir.  Shown with The Human Web.

AFRICAN LEGACY PROGRAM:
THE BLACK MOZART IN CUBA
NY Premiere
Thu. Dec. 8 @ 3:45pm 
Joseph Boulogne, Le Chevalier de St. George, was a Black classical composer and violin virtuoso born in Guadeloupe in the mid-18th century. The son of a slave and her master, he achieved enormous success as a musician, fencer, and military man. Yet, when he died in 1799, he was all but erased from history. The Black Mozart in Cuba is the latest act in the rehabilitation of the memory of this extraordinary human being. The film skillfully combines biographical information with performances of his works. The event, held in Cuba in 2005 in his honor, is truly engaging and important and inspired a remarkable film. Guadeloupe, 2006, 52 min, Doc, French/ English/Spanish with English subtitles, Steve and Stephanie James, dir. Part of African Legacy program shown with Solidarity in Saya.  Q&A after the screening.

SOLIDARITY IN SAYA: AN AFRO-BOLIVIAN MUSIC MOVEMENT
Thu. Dec. 8 @ 3:45pm 
Since the abolition of slavery, Afro-Bolivians have remained isolated in rural poverty as subsistence farmers. In recent decades, there has been a wave of urban migration and youths in urban centers have built a supportive community around the
traditional Afro-Bolivian Saya music creating a refuge from marginalization in
mainstream Bolivian society. The social
cohesion and unity cultivated within the Saya group has become a platform for political activism to confront the invisibility of the Afro-Bolivian minority. Rather than standing idle while the colonial hegemonic system of racial hierarchy defines them, the Afro-Bolivian Saya group members
empower themselves by defining their own history and identity through public music performances. Bolivia/USA, 2009, 30 min, Doc, Spanish with English subtitles, Maya Jensen, dir. Q&A after screening. Part of Afro-Latino Night on Tue. Dec. 6. @ 8pm. Part of African Legacy Program.

SING YOUR SONG

Thu. Dec. 8 @ 6pm
Most people know the lasting legacy of Harry Belafonte, the entertainer. This film unearths his significant contribution to and his leadership in the civil rights movement in America and to social justice globally. "There are a lot of people out here that are really pissed off. We are angry, we are upset, we are sad, we hold our children, we wheel our wheelchairs. We look around for some comfort, and we don't find any. But we have to look to ourselves. I think the last frontier of truth and hope in this country is the people themselves." -- Harry Belafonte. USA, 2011, 103min, Doc, English, Susanne Rostock, dir.  Q&A after screening hosted by Dr. James Briggs Murray.

WOMEN INDIES NIGHT:
A LOT LIKE YOU
Thu. Dec. 8 @ 8:30pm
Seattle based Filmmaker Eli Kimaro is the daughter of a Tanzanian father and a Korean mother.  When her father retires in Tanzania to re-establish ties to his native Chagga tribe, Kimaro, who felt she never developed a strong kinship with the African side of her family, decides to follow him and document his life journey. There, she      discovers powerful stories of community, and shocking stories of violence against women, which she artfully weaves into her own life story as an abuse survivor, anti- violence advocate, and mother to a young daughter. As the story unfolds, Eli's Tanzanian father and Korean mother serve as colorful, humorous cultural liaisons to her past. USA, 2011, 80 min , Doc, English and Swahili with English subtitles, Eliaichi Kimaro, dir. Q&A after screening.  Part of Women Indies Night.

THE DREAM TEAM
Thu. Dec. 8 @ 8:30pm
On the last day before winter recess, Michael Jones is forced to surrender his keys, classroom and long-time friendship. USA, 2011, 8 min, Drama, English, Rachel Johnson, dir. Part of Women Indies Night