Black Art/Independent Films

[loyola llothta]

Mo'Nique Also Headlines Ensemble Indie Drama

In addition to upcoming turns in HBO's Bessie Smith biopic, and Patrik-Ian Polk's indie drama "Blackbird," both set to premiere this spring, Mo'Nique is also headlining another lesser-known indie drama titled "About," from Rareform Pictures, and writer, director, producer VW Scheich, and co-writer Uyen Le.

Weaving together 13 different stories, each based on real-life events, through extensive interviews with everyday people, director VW Scheich collected pivotal moments in the lives of these people, each struggling with to get over some specific hurdle - loss, homelessness, addiction, and suicidal tendencies. Mo'Nique is most likely the best known of all the actors in the film - some of them are the actual people whose stories inspired the film.

"This is the first time that I've really played someone that is living, and I want to make sure that I'm telling her truth," says Mo'Nique in a fundraising video for the film last fall, when an Indiegogo campaign was launched to raise money to help complete the film (which had already been shot at the time). She added that she hopes it's a film that will change the lives of those who see it.

Joining Mo'Nique in front of the camera are Carlotta Elektra Bosch, Myles Cranford, Jon Eiswerth, and others. No word yet on what each of their individual stories is, and the characters they each play.

"About" is currently in post-production, with a likely 2015 film festival bow, some time later this year. With all the press Mo'Nique's been receiving lately, and with both "Blackbird" and "Bessie" likely to make individual splashes of their own, this seemingly little indie here may get a nice publicity boost, thanks to her name, when it eventually premieres.

Nothing to look at yet, except the above photo from the film, and poster below (the project's Facebook page is loaded with pictures, so feel free to go there if you'd like to see more).

Mo'Nique in - "About"

Mo'Nique and Myles Cranford in - "About"

 

[KravenMorehead™]

^^

 

[loyola llothta]

If You've Been Waiting for It to Get There, 'Half of a Yellow Sun' Is Now Streaming on Netflix

In news that should be music to the ears of many of you who've been anxiously awaiting an opportunity to finally see director Biyi Bandele’s adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's award-winning novel “Half of a Yellow Sun,” and STILL haven't seen it (despite a limited theatrical release, and a DVD release last summer), if you have a Netflix streaming account (or have been waiting for it to get to that platform), you can now watch the film there.

It became available just yesterday.

Produced by Andrea Calderwood ("The Last King of Scotland" and "The Constant Gardener"), “Half of a Yellow Sun” first premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival. The film follows two glamorous twins, Olanna (Thandie Newton) and Kainene (Anika Noni Rose), from a wealthy Nigerian family, who upon returning to a privileged city life in newly independent 1960s Nigeria after their expensive English education, take very different life paths. Olanna shocks her family by going to live with her lover, the “revolutionary professor” Odenigbo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and his devoted houseboy Ugwu (John Boyega) in the dusty university town of Nsukka; Kainene turns out to be a fiercely successful businesswoman when she takes over the family interests, and surprises even herself when she falls in love with Richard (Joseph Mawle), an English writer. Preoccupied by their romantic entanglements, and a betrayal between the sisters, the events of their life seem to loom larger than politics. However, they become caught up in the events of the Nigerian civil war, in which the lgbo people fought an impassioned struggle to establish Biafra as an independent republic.

I did see the film last year, and, in short, while I appreciated the effort to tell this particular story, as well as the film's visual flare, I was underwhelmed with Bandele's overall direction of the story. I felt that, with such a strong cast, and source material, a better film could've been made. But it's still worth checking out; I'm just one voice after all; you might watch it and love it far more than I did.

“Half of a Yellow Sun” is rated R and runs 113 minutes.

Trailer below:

 

[Goat poster]

Seen that in SF when it was released..me and my gurl walked out the theater 3/4 in..seems like some locals made it and the only way they could get it into the theater was because they knew the owners..Did he continue the relationship with her since her lover was on vacation? Didnt see the end

This was basically a black "mumblcore" film.

It's a pretty big genre with white hipsters with films like "francis ha" "tiny furnature" "drinking buddies" "dance party USA" ect.....

Lena Dunham got her start with these types of films.
I actually wish there were more "dialogue driven" black films.

 

[loyola llothta]

Wan Pipel (1976) dir. Pim de la Parra / Suriname

Situated in the 1975 Independence of Suriname Wan Pipel (One People) is a classic postcolonial film which shows Roy an Afro-Surinamese Phd student studying in the Netherlands who returns to Suriname after receiving a telegram that his mother is ill. In Suriname he falls in love with his country and also a Hindustani nurse Rubia and I will leave the description here so you guys can enjoy the film. I loved how the director incorporates postcolonial national unity and the diversity of Suriname showing It’s Indigenous, Afro-Surinamese, Hindustani, Javanese and Chinese communities.

 

[loyola llothta]

British web series Venus vs Mars becomes a TV dramedy for leading UK Netowrk Sky, making history

On the heels of my April 1st post on UK TV broadcasters (BBC and Sky) announcing diversity agendas to improve *minority* representation...

A British web series we featured in late 2012, has been picked up as a TV series by the Sky network, the creator of the series informs me.

Titled "Venus vs Mars," the series follows "dynamic single girl Venus in her catastrophic quest to find true love," in a comedy drama from critically acclaimed playwright Baby Isako.

The London-set web series has now become a 10-episode TV dramedy starring relative newcomer, Letitia Hector, and is set to premiere on the Sky Living channel, this Thursday, April 9, at 11pm, with 2 episodes screening each night, airing just after "Scandal," the Shonda Rhimes ABC drama, which is also broadcast in the UK.

According Isako, "Venus vs Mars" will be a first for the Sky network - its first all-black cast comedy drama series that's also created by a production team made up of black creatives. Essentially, black talent in front of and behind the camera.

Check out a teaser for the upcoming series below. And for our UK readers, I'd love to read your thoughts on the program after it premieres this Thursday.

Source: indiewire

 

[Responsible Allen Iverson]

"Kichwateli" is a short film by storyteller Muchiri Njenga set in a post-apocalyptic African slum and city. This film takes the viewer on a spiritual and metaphorical voyage through a young boy's dream mixing new imagery of a young boy wondering inquisitively with a live TV as his head to show the effects of media on a young generation.

Featuring music by Just A Band (Africa's super-nerdy electronic band), Modeselektor (Berlin's breakbeat duo) and Maasai Mbili (Nairobi-based Art group) this music-metary is a metaphor for the way we are now all plugged into the same images of global anxiety while at the same time being ourselves subjects of scrutiny of the all-seeing ubiquitous cameras.

"Kichwateli" is Studio Ang's contribution to the BLNRB project, a cooperation of Kenyan and German artists initiated by Goethe-Institut Nairobi and Gebrüder Teichmann.

Check out behind-the-scenes here:
goo.gl/2bSHC

More info on the BLNRB project here:
outhere.de/?page_id=3555

studioang.tv

 

[Goat poster]

Im REALLY loving the AFRO-FUTURIST Movies that are coming out of the Motherland.

 

[loyola llothta]

In case you missed the "Evolution Of A Criminal" limited theatrical run, it premiers on PBS' January 12

ON Netflix Now

 

[loyola llothta]

Queen Latifah Exec Produced Indie Drama 'Brotherly Love' (Starring Cory Hardrict, Keke Palmer) Opens in Theaters Today yesterday

The Queen Latifah/Flavor Unit-produced drama, "Brotherly Love," is written and directed by Jamal Hill, with Eric D. Hill Jr., Cory Hardrict, and Keke Palmer starring.

The Overbrook High School, Philly-set film follows basketball star Sergio Taylor (Eric D. Hill Jr.) and his struggles navigating the fame that comes with being a star athlete.

Hardict plays his older brother June, and Palmer plays his sister Jackie - both siblings who saw their own dreams and ambitions sidetracked by their father's death.

Romeo Miller, Logan Browning, Eric Hill, Quincy Brown, Faizon Love, Macy Gray, and Malik Yoba round out the film's cast.

By the way, Overbrook High School counts Will Smith as one of its alums.


The film opens in a limited theatrical release today yesterday April 24. Check your local listings.

Watch the trailer below:

 

[Sane]

New Idris Elba movie

Debbie Tucker Green’s feature film debut, "Second Coming," has a premise that, religious or not, will probably pique your interest. That it’s set in present day London and that the family at the centre of the story is black, was another reason for me to get excited. Indeed, it was a delight to see a black family – a NORMAL – black family, portrayed on screen. No drugs, no knives, no guns…
Full Review here includes some spoilers

 

[ℒℴѵℯJay ELECTUA]

 

[loyola llothta]

HBO took U.S. television rights to director Marc Silver’s "3 1/2 Minutes, Ten Bullets," after its premiere in documentary competition at the Sundance Film Festival this year. And Participant Media announced a limited theatrical release of the acclaimed and timely feature documentary, which is now set to open on June 19th, 2015 in New York, and then on June 26th, 2015 in Los Angeles.

The film chronicles the story of Jordan Davis, the unarmed black 17-year-old, who was shot to death at a Florida gas station by a white fellow customer, Michael David Dunn. "3 1/2 Minutes" explores the aftermath of Jordan's tragic death, the latent and often unseen effects of racism, and the contradictions of the American criminal justice system.

HBO will air the film in the fall, after its theatrical run.

The Jordan Davis shooting took place after Dunn, a white middle-aged male, and Davis exchanged angry words over the volume of the music in Davis’ car. Dunn fired 10 bullets at a car full of unarmed teenagers and then fled. He was arrested the next day and claimed he shot in self-defense.

He was convicted on three counts of attempted second-degree murder for firing at three other teenagers who were with Davis, and one count of firing into a vehicle. He was sentenced in October to life without parole.

"When we started this journey, our aim was make sure that Jordan’s story was not going to be forgotten, that he would not become a statistic in an increasingly violent world; this is why we are so fortunate to be partnering with HBO and Participant Media for the distribution of '3 1/2 Minutes,'" director Silver said in a previous press statement. "We are now certain that Jordan’s story will reach the widest, most diverse audience possible."

A new trailer for the feature is out, and embedded below (followed by 2 previously-shared clips):

 

[loyola llothta]

Ethiopia Meets Israel in Bazi Gete’s Critically-Acclaimed Debut Feature 'Red Leaves'

"Red Leaves" follows the life of an Ethiopian immigrant in Israel—74-year-old Meseganio Tadela, played by Debebe Eshetu—who sells his apartment after his wife dies, vowing to live the rest of his life with his children whether they like it or not. Having held on stubbornly to his culture, in the 28 years since leaving home, Meseganio’s journey to reconnect with his family becomes a fierce quest to pass on fading cultural values to his sons, and an immigrant community, that have lost their way. In the end, things spiral far beyond his control.

 

[Knicksman20]

@2Quik4UHoes

The movie above