The Chicago International Film Festival
Black Perspectives in Cinema
In 1997, Spike Lee added his considerable juice to the mission of a group of film buffs bound by their love of cinema. Determined to lift the many creative voices looking for a way to break through, this group came together under the auspices of the Chicago International Film Festival, a mid-West mainstay since the mid 1960s. Exhibiting films from across the globe, the festival was still in need of the cultural interpretations of children of the diaspora. Out of that void the Black Perspectives program was born.
Now in its second decade, the Black Perspectives program continues to expand and celebrate Black culture by showcasing world-premiere films, actors, and events. Past programs have honored the work of Ruby Dee, Morgan Freeman, Terrence Howard, Halle Berry, Andre Benjamin and founding program member, Spike Lee. This year recognizes the work of actor Jeffrey Wright whose award-winning performances have ranged from portraying the mesmerizing orator Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Boycott to the soft-spoken Mr. Paul in Lackawanna Blues.
In addition to a live interview with Wright conducted by the incomparable musician and actor, Mos Def, an entire roster of world-premiere releases have been programmed:
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Andalucia (France/Spain) – Director Alain Gomis follows up his award-winning debut L’Afrance with a stream of consciousness feature centered on rootless 30-year-old Yacine who prefers jobs that only last for a day and relationships that only last through the night. When his wanderings lead him to reconnect with a childhood friend, Yacine realizes he has been on an epic journey of self-discovery all these years.
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We Are Together (UK) – In the South African Agape Orphanage, a group of young children copes with lives full of personal loss and painful setbacks. Channeling their emotions into song, they form a choir that becomes a source of great comfort and hope. Through their passion and drive, they strive to embrace their joy and share it with the world, strengthening their lives in the process.
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America the Beautiful (USA) – Filmmaker Darryl Roberts examines the extreme prejudice of the beauty industry against the ordinary woman. Told mainly through the journey of 12-year-old runway ingénue Gerren Taylor (currently starring in Baldwin Hills), Roberts accomplishes the extraordinary feat of conducting candid on-camera interviews with beauty industry executives and magazine editors who readily admit to selling an impossible ideal. Festival Event
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Honeydripper 1950. Rural Alabama. It¹s a make-or-break weekend forthe Honeydripper Lounge and its owner, piano playerTyrone Purvis (Danny Glover). Deep in debt to theliquor man, the chicken man, and the landlord, Tyronehires the famous electric guitar player, Guitar Sam, fora special gig to save the club. But when Guitar Samfails to show, Tyrone is forced to take drastic action.Honeydripper also stars Charles S. Dutton, Lisa GayHamilton, and Mary Steenburgen alongside such notablemusicians as Keb' Mo' and Dr. Mable John. Director: John SaylesUSA
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Billo: The Great DakhaarBillo is rich in its realism, brilliant in its simplicity. Chroniclingfresh-faced hip-hop designer Thierno Thiam as he evolves froma young Islamic student in Senegal to a successful fashiondesigner in Rome, the film is full of flashbacks and memories,allowing scenes from the different cultures of each country todirectly parallel. Wolof and Italian with English subtitles. Director: Laura MuscardinItaly |
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All About Us - Christine Swanson follows up 2001's All About You, Best Filmwinner at the American Black Film Festival, with All About Us, aromantic drama about two struggling Hollywood filmmakers whotravel to Mississippi to convince Morgan Freeman to star in theirmovie. The film stars Boris Kodjoe (Madea's Family Reunion,Brown Sugar), Ryan Michelle Bathe (TV's Boston Legal), LaTanyaRichardson (Introducing Dorothy Dandridge), Raven Goodwin(Lovely & Amazing), and the legendary Ruby Dee. Director: Christine SwansonUSA
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Dreams of Dust - A Nigerian emigrant looks to escape lingering memories of histragic past by traveling to a gold mine in the endless desert of Burkina Faso, made hauntingly beautiful in Salgues' widescreenpanoramas. Like giant moles, the miners burrow down narrowtunnels 100 feet into the sand hoping to ferret out a bit of gold,and each brutal trip underground could be their last. French withEnglish subtitles. Director: Laurent SalguesBurkina Faso/Canada/France
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Faro: Goddess of the Waters - A worthy contributor to New African Cinema, Faro revealsthe tensions between tradition and modernity in Africa today.Scientifically inclined Zan returns to his Malian birthplace todiscover the identity of his father. However, the village does notgreet him with open arms. When a widow's daughter almostdrowns in the river, the town decides that the river goddess Farois angry, and they point to Zan's return as the reason. Bambarawith English subtitles. Director: Salif TraoréMali/France/Canada/Burkina Faso/Germany
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Poor Boy's - Game At 17, Donnie, a white kid from Halifax, brutally beat a blackpeer, leaving him brain damaged. Years later Donnie is releasedfrom prison, and a boxer looking to exact a community's revengearranges a match against him. Danny Glover shines as thefather of Donnie¹s victim, a man torn between the desire to seekretribution and the need to forgive. Director: Clément VirgoCanada
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My Brother's Wedding - When distributors showed an unfinished version of Wedding,Burnett¹s follow-up to 1977's Killer of Sheep, in 1983, its mixedreviews relegated the film to obscurity. But a restoration bythe Pacific Film Archive and a complete re-edit by Burnettrescue this tragicomic tale, about a down-on-his-luck man whomust choose between his family and friends, and reassert itstimelessness. Includes a special screening of Burnett¹s newshort, Quiet As Kept, about Hurricane Katrina. Director: Charles BurnettUSA
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