CINEMATIQ@ADIFF – The Story of Lovers Rock Review [VIDEO]

TURN YOUR LIGHTS DOWN LOW: The Story of Lovers Rock Review

by Jasmin Tiggett

For Cinematiq Magazine

December 2011

Menelik Shabazz’s The Story of Lover’s Rock explains the origins of a music made specifically for dancing in the dark. Developed in London in the late 1970s, the soulful genre of reggae called “lover’s rock” earned its popularity at house parties where young people would slow dance close together, developing a style known as “rubbing” or “scrubbing.” Every artist and fan that lived through this time seems to have escaped with a story, and Shabazz takes care to share many of them with us.

Through a blend of interviews, concert footage, archival material, and improvised sketches, the documentary becomes a crash course in the genre and its origins, as well as the hostile racial climate in which it was born. The voices of popular producers and artists including Janet Kay, Maxi Priest, and members of UB40 guide our story, separated by comedy sketches where players chat with each other or the camera, schooling us in the proper way to dance to the music.

Above all, the film is a trip down memory lane for fans of lover’s rock, and those unfamiliar with the genre or its star performers may get lost in the shuffle. Still, it’s a story worth telling, particularly as its artists were largely shut out of the mainstream music industry and received relatively little radio airplay. Shabazz revives the tale of how they created an original sound and an independent industry, and his enthusiasm for the subject is both undeniable and admirable.

The Story of Lover’s Rock enjoys a brief run at the Quad Cinema as part of the New York African Diaspora International Film Festival, which continues through December 13th. www.nyadff.org

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Jasmin Tiggett is a writer, filmmaker, and film curator based in New York.

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Related:

Check out Cinematiq Magazine International Issue of  later this month featuring Cassandra Freeman (cover story), co-lead of Kinyarwanda.  Kinyarwanda is currently playing in theaters distributed by www.affrm.com.

Also, an interview with Reinaldo Barroso-Spech, Co-Founder of the African Diaspora International Film Festival.

JAMIE FOXX presents Thunder Soul [video]

 

 Join us! Moikgantsi Kgama, founder of ImageNation

will moderate the director Q & A after the

Sunday, Sept. 25, screening at 12 noon

AMC Loews 84th Street 6

2310 Broadway, New York, NY

Presented by Jamie Foxx and directed by Mark Landsman, THUNDER SOUL follows the extraordinary alumni from Houston’s storied Kashmere High School Stage Band, who return home after 35 years to play a tribute concert for the 92-year-old “Prof,” their beloved band leader who broke the color barrier and transformed the school’s struggling jazz band into an acclaimed, world-class funk powerhouse in the early 1970s.

Click here for additional theaters and showtimes.

CINEMATIQ Magazine@URBAN WORLD FILM FESTIVAL 2011 RECAP

Cassandra Freeman lead in Kinyarwanda, directed by Alrick Brown | (c) 2011 BROWN-ROSS Photography

NEW YORK, NY – September 14 – 18th marked the 15th Annual Urban World Film Festival presented by BET Networks. The festival founded by Stacey Spikes took place on 34th street AMC theater in New York City. Guest blogger, Parris Alethea give us her perspective on one of the biggest African-American film festivals in New York City.

Urbanworld Film Festival – Friday & Saturday, a bloggers perspective

By Parris Alethea

Full of energy from the previous evening’s open event’s, the UrbanWorld Film Festival, was buzzing with celebrities, excited actors, producers, and crew.  The Stars were all smiles as they spoke passionately about their films.  Lynn Whitfield and Mario Van Peoples lit up the red carpet with their interviews for “All Things Fall Apart.”  In theatre number nine, the room was in awe of Sonia Sanchez and her documentary for “Shake Loose My Memories.”  I started my evening with a picture with Khalil Kane, which made me very happy since I am an avid fan of his work (circa Love Jones, Girlfriends, Juice, and Living Single to name a few.)

Later on, I sat in the theatre for Van Peoples’ Film and was blown away by not only the cast performance, but the Q&A session did not leave a thing to be desired as Ms Whitfield candidly answered questions that were offered to her, with raw honesty.  I will not give away the movie, yet I will say, 50 Cent – who would have thought?

I ended my evening with the Legendary Sugarhill Gang, and I felt the roots of my Hip Hop culture come to life as I learned their story during their documentary “I Want My Name Back.”  It was an honor to sit in the theatre with the pioneers of hip – hop, while getting to understand their emotions, and turmoil during their rise to fame.

I will call Saturday, my CINEMATIQ day of culture (pun intended).  While the shorts took their places telling short stories in the most graceful way, I took a seat mid day at the “Restless City” Premier.

The movie was visually stimulating.  Every shot that the camera took had meaning, giving life to the story.  The story had a feel of the late 70’s yet had today’s urban flavor.  Watching true African Americans, those who migrated to this country from Kenya, Nigeria, and maybe even some parts of the Caribbean made the cinema that much more real.

I ended my evening watching the powerful “Kinyarwanda” directed by Alrick Brown.  Although the movie is taken during the civil war in Africa, the film was able to cover some serious issues that we even find here in the United States.  Cassandra Freeman glowed on the screen and  the red carpet as she spoke about her powerful role in the movie.

It was a great way to end my evening. I  wish I could have cloned myself to see more films than the limited amount I did see.  I left UrbanWorld this weekend in positive spirits, proud to call these actors, actresses, produces, and directors, by brothers and sisters.

ABOUT PARRIS ALETHEA: Parris Alethea is a lifestyle writer living in New York City.  Visit her on, LaNovelistaa.com

MORGAN STIFF (MISSISSIPPI DAMNED) RECEIVES TRIBECA ALL ACCESS AWARD FOR NEW FILM, COUNTRY LINE

Morgan Stiff, Producer/Editor of Mississippi Damned - CINEMATIQ Magazine's TEN TALENTED PRODUCERS to follow of 2011

NEWS FROM CINEMATIQ@2011 TRIBECA FILM FEST…

Congratulations goes out to Morgan Stiff, one of CINEMATIQ Magazine’s TEN TALENTED PRODUCERS to follow of 2011 for winning the Tribeca All Access Creative Promise Award for Narrative, County Line. Morgan is the screenwriter  of Country Line and will also produce the film.  Lee Stiff returns as Executive Producer and Tina Mabry as Director/Producer. The award -winning team is best known for critically acclaim feature film, Mississippi Damned.  The film received rave reviews on the film festival circuit in 2009/2010 and most recently aired on Showtime. See Official press release below.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE via TRIBECA FILM FEST/INSTITUTE

 

TRIBECA FILM INSTITUTE ANNOUNCES 2011 AWARD WINNERS

AND GRANTEES FOR TRIBECA ALL ACCESS PROGRAM,

LATIN AMERICA MEDIA ARTS FUND AND THE TFI DOCUMENTARY FUND

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Overall TFI Funds for Filmmakers Reach $1,000,000

[New York, NY – April 28, 2011] – The Tribeca Film Institute (TFI) today announced several program award winners and grantees at the TFI Awards Luncheon at Riverpark NYC during the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival. Two winners of the Tribeca All Access (TAA) Creative Promise Awards presented by Time Warner; seven new TAA alumni grants and fellowships; four winners of the Latin America Media Arts Fund; and four grantees supported by Insurgent Media for the inaugural TFI Documentary Fund were all presented today, totaling $125,000 in funds.

“This year’s winners and grantees are true examples of the incredible strength of films and talent resulting from the support of the Tribeca Film Institute,” said Beth Janson, Executive Director of the Tribeca Film Institute. “Our main hope is that these films go on to completion and build strong relationships with audiences.”

During the TFI Awards Ceremony at Riverpark NYC in Manhattan, the following Tribeca All Access Creative Promise winners were announced:

• TAA Creative Promise Award for Documentary

Gideon’s Army

Every day, more and more people are arrested, handcuffed, shoved into a

squad car, and booked. Weeks turn into months and their only line of defense is in the hands of a public defender. “Gideon’s Army” asks, are public defenders up to the fight?

Dawn Porter (Director)

• TAA Creative Promise Award for Narrative

County Line

A Southern town’s underbelly exposed when its sheriff tries to rid himself of a drug alliance with a family friend and investigate the deaths of his female informants. In the process, he must confront his son’s addiction to the drugs he’s allowed in his county.

Tina Mabry (Director, Producer)

Morgan R. Stiff (Producer, Screenwriter, Editor)

Lee V. Stiff, (Producer, Executive Producer)

The winners were selected from 12 projects based on the strength of their vision and filmmaking promise.  The 2011 TAA Creative Promise Awards, presented by Time Warner, comes with a total prize of $20,000: $10,000 for narrative and $10,000 for documentary, as well as an original piece of art from a contemporary artist. The 2011 Narrative jurors were Hiam Abbass, Ajay Naidu and F. Gary Gray. The 2011 Documentary jurors were Elvis Mitchell, Suroosh Alvi, and John Quinones. Now in its eighth year, TAA was created to help foster and nurture relationships between film industry executives and filmmakers from traditionally underrepresented communities.

TAA also extended its programming and support for alumni this year including $25,000 in grants and fellowships for past TAA projects in development or new works by program alumni. The following grants were announced today:

• Tribeca All Access Ontrack Grant Narrative
  When I Saw You
  Jordan, 1960s. An eccentric and unbounded boy runs away from home knowing full well his young mother will follow in this search for freedom.
  Annemarie Jacir (Director, Producer, Screenwriter)
• Tribeca All Access Ontrack Grant Documentary
  Untitled Gay Retiree Documentary
  Set against the backdrop of various LGBTQ-friendly communities, Untitled Gay Retiree Documentary captures the experiences of several LGBTQ seniors as they navigate the adventures, challenges and surprises of their “golden years.”
  PJ Raval (Director, Producer)
  Sara Giustini (Producer)
  Kyle Henry (Editor)
• Tribeca All Access Trans Media Award Narrative
  Chinafornia
  America, 2018. Unable to pay the ten trillion dollars it owes to China, the U.S. comes up with a plan: it gives China the  state of California. ANIMATION
  Ellie Lee (Director, Screenwriter)
  Peter Dowd (Screenwriter)

• Tribeca All Access Trans Media Award Documentary
  Untitled Mu Xin Project (Working Title)
  In the sweep of China’s turbulent history, Mu Xin sacrificed everything for his art. Starting while he was illegally imprisoned, he transformed his experiences into a body of work merging East, West, classicism, modernism, terror and transcendence.
  He has avoided speaking of the horrors he has seen – until now.

Francisco Bello (Director, Producer, Director of Photography)
Tim Sternberg (Director, Producer, Editor)

·         The TAA Adrienne Shelly Foundation Filmmaker Grant

El Jardin

 

El Jardin is a portrait of a cemetery in the drug heartland of México. Since the war on drugs began in 2007 it has claimed over 35,000 lives. The cemetery has doubled in size and the mausoleums have doubled in height.

Natalia Almada (Director/Producer)

• The Games for Change Fellowship for TAA Alumni

The Undocumented

The Undocumented is a feature length documentary which chronicles Arizona’s deadly summer months, following Border Patrol agents who fight to prevent migrant deaths, medical investigators and the Mexican Consulate who work to identify migrants who die crossing the border, and Mexican families who struggle to accept the loss of loved ones.

Marco Williams (Director)

• Audience Activation Grant

The Ipo Boys (aka They Are All My Brothers)
Several boys at a home for abandoned youth in Mexico rebuild their lives while contributing to the social enterprise that sustains them: world-renowned French artisan goat cheese. DOCUMENTARY
Nicole Opper (Director, Producer)

“I’m incredibly proud of the Creative Promise Award winners but also can’t wait to see just how far this week’s meetings and networking will take each of the 12 filmmakers,” said Tamir Muhammad, Director of Feature Programming, TFI. “It’s also very exciting to see alumni come back and receive additional support through our newer grants – I’m looking forward to the successes of everyone here today.”

The Latin America Media Arts Fund also announced four winners to support innovative film and video artists who are living or working in Mexico, Central and South America. The awards announced today included:

• The Battle for Land (Columbia), Directed by Juan Mejia– The Battle for Land delves deep into the complexities of mass displacement pushing us past prevailing ideas where displacement is seen as an aberration of war, and progressively revealing a more intricate and terrifying picture. It is above all a journey deep into the heart of uprooting and the dark side of progress.

• Cocaine Prison  (Bolivia), Directed by Violeta Ayala– Trying to establish a cocaine business inside Bolivia’s craziest prison an unlikely friendship develops, between two ‘little fish’, a young ambitious trafficker and a middle-aged cocaine worker fighting for release, personifying the country’s love affair with cocaine.

• Toys (Mexico), Directed by Alba Mora-Roca– Toys explores how a family’s peculiar love for toys helps children overcome the effects of violence in Mexico. It follows a Mexican-Japanese family who, having gathered the largest toy collection in Latin America, travels north to do workshops with victims of the violence generated by fighting drug cartels.

• When Two Worlds Collide (Peru), Directed by Taira Akbar and Heidi Brandenburg– An indigenous leader forced into exile and facing 20 years in prison for resisting the environmental ruin of Amazonian lands by big business. Refusing to surrender he continues his quest, shedding light on conflicting visions shaping the fate of the Amazon and the climate future of our world.

The four selected films will each receive $10,000 in grants and guidance by TFI and were selected by a jury consisting of Benicio Del Toro, Paola Mendoza and Mónica Lozano.

Four additional grantees of the TFI Documentary Fund were also announced through the backing of NY-based Insurgent Media. Insurgent Media was founded by Andrew Karsch, Erik Gordon and Fisher Stevens and is a central innovator in the production and distribution of thought-provoking filmed content. The recipients announced today include:

• Teenage, Directed by Matt Wolf and written by Jon Savage– Teenage is an unconventional historical film about youth culture based on an acclaimed book by the punk author Jon Savage. The film examines the invention of modern teenagers in wartime America with profiles of extraordinary adolescents.

• Of Monsters and Men, Directed by Morgan Matthews– Of Monsters and Men is a fascinating and touching portrait of men who are obsessed with monsters and their adventures to find them.

• Smash & Grab: The Story of the Pink Panthers, Directed by Havana Marking and Producer by Mike Lerner– Smash & Grab: The Story of the Pink Panthers, in their own words, the most successful jewel thieves of all time take you into their world: the post-Milosovic Balkans, the modern diamond trade and a 21st Century crime gang.

• Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey, Directed by Ramona Diaz – Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey follows the real life rock-n-roll fairy tale story of Filipino Arnel Pineda, who was plucked from You Tube to become the front man for iconic American rock band, Journey, thereby becoming the latest performer to go from the Internet to real life celebrity. 

The TFI Documentary Fund grantees will receive $10,000 each in grants as well as guidance and consultation from TFI on the film’s production. Benefits include: festival and distribution planning and strategizing sessions; fundraising; and industry and/or crew match-making and introductions. The Fund was created to further the development of character-driven documentaries.

“We are supporting nearly 30 documentary projects in 2011 representing a broad spectrum of ideas from around the globe and offering a good mix of artists’ experience,” said Ryan Harrington, TFI’s Director of Documentary Programming. “TFI is excited and proud to continue to grow and strengthen the resources that we provide to our filmmakers.”

Grants which were previously announced were also recognized at the annual awards ceremony including: TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund grantees, provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the TFI Documentary Fund HBO Fellowships.

During this year’s Tribeca Film Festival (April 20-May 1), TFI filmmakers from programs including Tribeca All Access and the TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund, participated in one-on-one industry meetings on Tuesday, April 26 and Wednesday, April 27 to network with film industry executives, potential investors, development executives, producers and agents.

Tribeca All Access is made possible by Bloomberg, with major support from Time Warner and additional support from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Academy Foundation, the New York State Council on the Arts and the NYS Department Cultural Affairs. The TFI Latin America Media Arts Fund is made possible by Movie City, Canacine and Heineken.

REEL TALK About The State Of Race In The United State via Media & Pop Culture(video)

Continue watching all parts on CINEMATIQ Magazine TV via youtube

Media & Popular Culture: The State Of Race In The United State presented by C-span. This program was part of an Aspen Institute symposium on the state of race in the United States.

Panelist include: Richard Lui (Moderator), Donna Byrd, Mona Eltahawy, Will Griffin, Spike Lee

Let’s talk about it! What are your thoughts?

DIRECTOR OF BLACK CLASSIC,”THE WIZ,” SIDNEY LUMET DEAD AT 86 [video]

Legendary director/writer/producer Sidney Lumet has passed away at the age of 86, Saturday, April 9, 2011. His stepdaughter, Leslie Gimbel, told The New York Times that Lumet died of lymphoma. He is survived by wife, Mary Gimbel, daughters Amy Lumet and Jenny Lumet (by ex-wife Gail Lumet Buckley – daughter of the late great Lena Horne) among many family and friends.

Sometimes remakes of movies are done to reintroduce a classic historic film to a younger audience or to include a different perspective. I believe Sidney Lumet (1924-2011) has done that with the adaptation of “The Wiz“(1978). Although there are many flaws and debatable issues with the film, overall, I think we all can agree, the film is an African-American classic. Perhaps Lumet wanted to show his half black daughters another perspective, “The Wizard of Oz” (1939) did not.

Sidney Lumet leaves behind a legacy of great American cinema to study, examine and challenge the mind.  Two films that stood out to me during his long career of directing in Hollywood are, thought-provoking films, “12 Angry Men”(1957) and “The Verdict” (1982). His way of directing and conscious selective of film projects is one to study and take note.

WHO GETS TO TELL THE STORY? SPIKE OR STEVEN [video]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DAY 2:Re-Mixed and Re-Mastered(R2) produced by Michelle Materre.  I  look forward to Panel discussion: Who gets to tell the story? Representation, appropriation and distribution of the Black Image. I have very strong views on this matter. In fact, CINEMATIQ Magazine, takes on the challenge of debating representation behind the pen.  What are your views, does it matter who is behind the lens just as long as the story is told, or is that a part of the story? I use the same debate all the time; Two great historical films, done by people of the same race of their subjects. Would Malcolm X, the movie directed by Spike Lee be a story of “truth” if Steven Spielberg directed it? How about Schindler List, what if Spike Lee told the story.

NEW BLACK TELEVISION NETWORK [VIDEO]

What does NBCUniversal, CodeBlack and Rain Forrest Films have in common? Bounce TV! “The nation’s first-ever over-the-air broadcast television network designed exclusively for African-American audiences.”

 

FIRST-EVER 24/7 BROADCAST TELEVISION NETWORK CREATED

EXCLUSIVELY FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS TO LAUNCH THIS FALL:
BOUNCE TV TO FEATURE MOVIES, SPORTS, SPECIALS, SERIES, INSPIRATIONAL FAITH-BASED PROGRAMMING AND MORE .

Major Motion Picture Licensing Deals with NBCUniversal Television, Sony Pictures Television, Codeblack Entertainment and Image Entertainment to Bring New Net Nearly 400 Titles;

Ambassador Andrew Young, Martin Luther King III Among Founders;
Rainforest Films Co-Founders Rob Hardy and Will Packer,
Former Turner Broadcasting Executives Ryan Glover & Jonathan Katz
Head Leadership Team;
Former Sony Pictures Television Executive Jeffrey Wolf to Lead Distribution Efforts
Watch the video promo and read the official press release at http://bouncetv.com.

REMEMBERING DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR

On this day, the world morns the murder of Dr Martin Luther King Jr. What have you done to fulfill the King’s dream? What have you done to fulfill your dream? Please share your thoughts…

NEW PRINT MAGAZINE ON BLACK IMAGES IN CINEMA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: R. Ross                                                                        

Tel. 646.389.9790

Email: press@cinematiqmag.com

A new movement in balancing cinema at large

NEW YORK –Founder of Our Stories Productions, LLC Angel L. Brown announces the launch of CINEMATIQ, a quarterly resource magazine with a distinct perspective in Black Cinema. CINEMATIQ will cover the broad array of films from independent films to mainstream. The magazine is available in print exclusively at www.cinematiqmag.com.

In each issue you will find:

• In-depth film reviews by scholars, critics and renaissance artists of the time
• Insightful interviews with leading industry professionals and new wave filmmakers
• Reviews focusing on topics ranging from development to distribution
• Resources and support for independent producers seeking funding for their projects

“The goal is to create a magazine providing balance in Black cinema. The reviews, interviews and coverage will feature the style of an urban magazine complimented with the in-depth content of a scholarly journal,” explained Brown-Ross. “ Documenting key moments through our own voices are crucial beyond what mainstream outlets owned and operated by two or three companies feed us. Publishing a magazine in print is essential to Black history, American History, and World History. Getting my hands on an original copy of Fire! published by Langston Hughes, Richard Nugent, Zora Neal Hurston, and many other writers from the Harlem Renaissance era would be priceless to me, and that is my wish for CINEMATIQ magazine. ”

Qasim Basir, writer/director of “Mooz-lum” starring Nia Long, Evan Ross and Danny Glover graces the cover of the inaugural issue (available now) followed by our first Annual Black Women in Film & Television Issue (available March 11^th.) CINEMATIQ is available for purchase at www.cinematiqmag.com.

About CINEMATIQ Magazine (www.cinematiqmag.com) Founded and created by Angel L. Brown-Ross, CINEMATIQ is a quarterly resource magazine with a distinct perspective in Black Cinema. CINEMATIQ will cover the vast selection of films from independent films to mainstream. In each issue, readers will find; interviews, film and equipment reviews, review focusing on topics ranging from development to distribution, resources and support for independent producers seeking funding for their projects. The magazine is currently in print exclusively at www.cinematiqmag.com and will soon be available in stores.

About Our Stories Productions (www.ospfilms.com) Our Stories Productions, LLC is an independent multimedia production company, owned and operated by Angel L. Brown-Ross. Our Stories Productions produces stories in search of truth and spirituality. The mission to enlighten by re-introducing experiences from the African Diaspora from a distinct, unconventional perspective, aiming to collapse generations of silence, isms and stereotypes.

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If you’d like more information about CINEMATIQ, or to schedule an interview with Angel L. Brown-Ross, please call R.Ross at 646.389.9790 or email R.Ross at press@cinematiqmag.com