NYIHA Media Presents: The Miraculous/La Milagrosa

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Dir. Rafael Lara (2008) 105 mins.

The film entitled The Miraculous (La Milagrosa) debuted in New York on April 17, 2009 as part of the 10th Havana Film Festival New York. The film narrates the story of Eduardo, a young upper-class dweller of Bogota who has been kidnapped by a guerilla group in one of the “miracle” abductions that occurred in that country in the 1990s. During his captivity, Eduardo faced many challenging situations and characters, which ultimately reshaped his outlook on life in Colombia.

The Miraculous, which enjoyed a theatrical release in Colombia in August 2008, is the first feature film completed by Mexican filmmaker Rafael Lara. Conversations with Rafael Lara reflected a deep connection to Colombia. The fact that Antonio Merlano, the young and talented lead actor in The Miraculous wrote a personal story about kidnappings in Colombia was a major incentive to focus on this subject. For Rafael Lara, this painful subject interfaces both with human rights and rejection the armed conflict. He adds “This is a story that had to be told because it is no longer a Colombian matter. It is a human issue.”

AFTER THE MOVIE:

A timely and dynamic dialogue with Javier Guzman, in support of peace building, generating awareness, and impacting public policy on Colombia. Event attendees will be able to chat with peers one-on-one.

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Deathbowl to Downtown: The Evolution of Skateboarding in New York City

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(Special Screening in Honor of Andy Kessler)

Dir. Coan Nichols and Rick Charnoski (2009) 87 min.

Deathbowl to Downtown documents the shift in skateboarding primacy from the parks and the pools of sunny California in the 70s to the gritty streets of New York in the 1990's. This transition also foretells the recent hybrid uptake of skateboard culture in Harlem and other communities of color.

AFTER THE FILM: Panel Discussion and Reception sponsored by Brooklyn Brewery.

Jock Docs: Skateboarding

In our sixth monthly installment of Jock Docs we roll through the local history of skateboarding focusing on two legends of their eras: Andy Kessler and Harold Hunter. Both passed before their time, and we are recognizing their talents and impact through skate videos, documentary, demos, a photo exhibit, discussion and celebration. Presented in association with the Andy Kessler and Harold Hunter Foundations.

Summer of Music: Jazz On Film

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Thelonius Monk Straight, No Chaser

Dir. Charlotte Zwerin (1988) 90 mins.

Filmmakers Bruce Ricker and Charlotte Zwerin utilize Michael and Christian Blackwood's 1968 footage of modern jazz innovator, Thelonious Monk, to create a singular portrait of this Jazz master's life both onstage and off. Charlotte Zwerin brings her editing genius (Gimme Shelter, Salesman) to the fore as she weaves new interviews, archival photos and music through the Blackwoods' verité footage to deliver a comprehensive biography while maintaining the open, meditative space that characterizes Monk's compositions. Of the films she made with Albert and his brother David Maysles, Al says, "Charlotte is gone now, but she is still the best editor I know of."

 

Keeling's Caribbean Showcase

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Never before seen footage from the vaults of Keeling Beckford.

Reggae Heroes on Parade '93

Dir. Keeling Beckford (1993) 58 min.

Tappa Zukie gathered a lineup of reggae heroes to perform at Jamaica's famous dancehall, Coney Park, and Keeling was there, as always, to catch it on film. Only the greatest on this one: Sugar Minott, Johnnie Clark, Brigadiere Jerry, Melodians, U-Roy, Big Youth, Mykal Rose, and Tappa Zukie.

8:30 pm

Classic Films of the Afro-Caribbean Diaspora

Babylon

Dir. Franco Rosso, 1980, 91 min.

Babylon is set in South London at the start of the ’80s, a time when reggae music was at its peak, along with a distinctively British brand of xenophobia and racism that saw American boxer Marvin Hagler pelted with bottles at Wembley after beating Alan ‘I’ll never lose to a black man’ Minter. The plot concerns Blue, lead chanter for Ital Lion Sound (played by Aswad singer and former Double Decker Brinsley Forde), in the run-up to a competition with a rival crew led by Jah Shaka (who appears as himself). Over the course of the film Blue socialises with his friends and clashes with his family, employer, and a local clan of racists, before going on a spiritual and physical journey through small hours London where he encounters a series of trials and temptations that set up the film’s violent climax.

 

The Experiment

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Part 3: The Ethnographic Eye

The experiment is an ongoing series that examines the common ground between the documentary and the experimental/avant-garde modes of cinema.

On this night, curators Peter Buntaine and Lorenzo Gattorna reach the far corners the world through poetic eyes,  where ethnographic and experimental film traditions converge.

Films:

Trypps #6, Ben Russell

Aftermarks, Fern Silva

Path of Cessation, Robert Fulton

Failed States, Henry Hills

Phantoms of Nabua, Apichatpong Weerasethekul

Divine Horsemen, Maya Deren

Asian American International Film Festival

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Lt Watada

Dir. Freida Lee Mock, 2010, 40 min

"Lt. Watada" tells the story of the first commissioned military officer to refuse to deploy to Iraq and to speak out about his belief that the war is illegal and a violation of his oath to the Constitution. It's a David and Goliath story as Lt. Watada shows his willingness to face court-martial and eight years in prison rather than be a party to war crimes. The film charts his emergence as a public speaker and activist who has become a hero of the anti-war movement and a target for pro-war defense.

Summer of Music: Jazz on Film

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Sound??

Dir. Dick Fontaine, 1967, 25 min.

Although Rahsaan Roland Kirk and John Cage never actually meet in this film (Cage's enigmatic questions about sound are intercut with some of Kirk's more ambitious experiments with it) these two very different musical iconoclasts share a similar vision of the boundless possibilities of music. Kirk plays three saxes at once, switches to flute, incorporates tapes of birds played backwards, and finally hands out whistles to his audience and encourages them to accompany him, "in the key of W, if you please." Cage, on the other hand, is preparing a work for musical bicycle with David Tudor and Merce Cunningham at the Seville Theatre in London. Cage meets Rahsaan's music in an echo chamber, and he ends his search for the sound of silence in his favorite spot -- the anechoic chamber -- where it turns out to be the uproar of "your nervous system in operation." Rahsaan is in top form playing everything from “A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square” to his suite “Rip, Rig and Panic.”

Reception sponsored by Sugar Hill Ale

 

Summer of Music: Dirty: One Word Can Change the World

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Dir. Stephon Turner (2009) 86 min.

Filmmaker Stephon Turner (aka "Raison Allah") offers a personal corrective to the media's portrayal of the life and death of his brother, Russell Jones, known to the world as Ol' Dirty Bastard. Turner skillfully analyzes the elements of Jones' MC persona through his access to mutual family, friends and partners in the Wu Tang Clan and his own historical research. He reveals that Dirty's distinctive style is the bastard offspring of a cultural and family legacy - part Indian chief, r&b front-man and the drunken master of Kung Fu flicks.

After the Movie:

The film screening will be followed by a discussion headed by ODB's mother, Ms. Cherry Jones, filmmaker Raison Allah, King Downing (expert on police profiling of Hip Hop artists), and a slew of Wu Tang members and affiliates.

Reception sponsored by Sugar Hill Ale

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

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Saturday, July 17th, 1:00pm - 4:00pm SHARP! 

& Sunday, July 18th, 1:00pm - 4:00pm SHARP! 

Free For All Youth (aged 13-23), $10.00 Suggested Donation For Adults (No one turned away for lack of funds) 

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS TWO DAY WORKSHOP

Know what to do if a police officer stops you on the street? If a police vehicle pulls you over while driving?

Come & learn with original Black Panthers, Young Lords, Black Spades, Zulus, Combat Veterans, Martial Arts Experts, Cop Watch Soldiers & Activist Attorney's At War!

- See & Discuss: Anti-Police terror films / handouts.

- Get self defense training & weapon disarming tactics.

- Learn what to do in case of arrest, in jail, in court, and more about your legal rights.

- Participate in street, vehicle & home role play

- Free food, refreshments & materials for youth.

More information and reservations contact Bro. Shep:

panthershepcat@aol.com or (212) 650-5008

Summer of Music: “Nina Simone Great Performances: College Concerts and Interviews”

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Music: 7:00 pm

The National Jazz Museum All-Stars

This five piece intergenerational band will present instrumental variations on the compositions made famous by the inimitable jazz vocalist, Nina Simone.

Screening: 8:30 pm

“Nina Simone Great Performances: College Concerts and Interviews”

Andy Stroud, 2009, 60 mins. 

Rare film of this legendary artist performing at Amherst and Morehouse College. Includes interviews with Simone on her opinions on the role of the artist and race relations.

Brought to you by the Maysles Cinema, Target ® and the Historic Harlem Parks Coalition

Documentaries in Bloom: New Films Presented by Livia Bloom July 14-16

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Wednesday, July 14th, 6:00pm

Daisy: The Story of A Facelift

Canada, 1982, 58 minutes. Imported. National Film Board of Canada. Directed by Michael Rubbo.

Middle-aged Daisy shares her decisions, doubts, and stomach-turning medical procedure in this rare featurette from the earliest days of cosmetic surgery.

 

7:00 p.m.

An Image

Germany, 1982, 26 minutes. Greene Naftali Gallery. Directed by Harun Farocki.

A Playboy Magazine centerfold photo-shoot in Munich was documented by celebrated international artist Harun Farocki in this very rarely-seen short film. 

 

7:45 p.m.

Youth Knows No Pain

USA, 2009, 88 minutes. HBO Films. Directed by Mitch McCabe.

"Since my own dad was a plastic surgeon, as a child Iʼd find birthday cards from friends with breasts on them, before-and-after slides of patients, and the occasional implant lying around," says Mitch McCabe in her candid new documentary.

All screenings followed by discussion with director Mitch McCabe in person!

 

Thursday, July 15th

Daisy: The Story of A Facelift

Canada, 1982, 58 minutes. Imported. National Film Board of Canada. Directed by Michael Rubbo.

Middle-aged Daisy shares her decisions, doubts, and stomach-turning medical procedure in this rare featurette from the earliest days of cosmetic surgery.

 

7:00 p.m.

An Image

Germany, 1982, 26 minutes. Greene Naftali Gallery. Directed by Harun Farocki.

A Playboy Magazine centerfold photo-shoot in Munich was documented by celebrated international artist Harun Farocki in this very rarely-seen short film. 

 

7:45 p.m.

Youth Knows No Pain

USA, 2009, 88 minutes. HBO Films. Directed by Mitch McCabe.

"Since my own dad was a plastic surgeon, as a child Iʼd find birthday cards from friends with breasts on them, before-and-after slides of patients, and the occasional implant lying around," says Mitch McCabe in her candid new documentary.

All screenings followed by discussion with director Mitch McCabe in person! 

 

Friday, July 16th, 6:00pm

Daisy: The Story of A Facelift

Canada, 1982, 58 minutes. Imported. National Film Board of Canada. Directed by Michael Rubbo.

Middle-aged Daisy shares her decisions, doubts, and stomach-turning medical procedure in this rare featurette from the earliest days of cosmetic surgery.

 

7:00 p.m.

An Image

Germany, 1982, 26 minutes. Greene Naftali Gallery. Directed by Harun Farocki.

A Playboy Magazine centerfold photo-shoot in Munich was documented by celebrated international artist Harun Farocki in this very rarely-seen short film.

7:45 p.m.

Youth Knows No Pain

USA, 2009, 88 minutes. HBO Films. Directed by Mitch McCabe.

"Since my own dad was a plastic surgeon, as a child Iʼd find birthday cards from friends with breasts on them, before-and-after slides of patients, and the occasional implant lying around," says Mitch McCabe in her candid new documentary.

All screenings followed by discussion with director Mitch McCabe in person! 

 

Summer of Music: Jazz On Film

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The Last of The Blue Devils

Dir. Bruce Ricker (1979) 80 min.

The Last of the Blue Devils chronicles the 1979 reunion of many of these legendary players, combining interviews, vintage film footage, photos, and some inimitably swinging performances by Basie, Turner, pianist Jay McShann, and many others to create an intimate, good-natured portrait of what one old-timer calls the "cool, relaxed sound" of the city. The camaraderie among these men, all of whom are colorful raconteurs, is palpable. But it's the music, surely, that's the main attraction; performances include some familiar tunes, like Turner's "Shake, Rattle & Roll" and a Basie big band version of "Night Train" (featuring tenor saxophonist Jimmy Forrest, the tune's composer) that's as greasy as the local barbecue. The Last of the Blue Devils is an absolute delight not to be missed!"The Last of the Blue Devils" contains vintage footage of important Kansas City musicians as Big Joe Turner, Lester Young, Jay McShann, Charlie "Yardbird" Parker and the Count Basie Orchestra with Freddie Green, to name a few. Beyond the exceptionally filmed musical segments, the documentary's highlight remains the personal interactions between all of the wonderful Kansas City legends reunited in 1979 for a historic jam session.

 

Keeling's Caribbean Showcase

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Never before seen footage from the vaults of Keeling Beckford.

Reggae Heroes on Parade '93

Dir. Keeling Beckford (1993) 58 min.

Tappa Zukie gathered a lineup of reggae heroes to perform at Jamaica's famous dancehall, Coney Park, and Keeling was there, as always, to catch it on film. Only the greatest on this one: Sugar Minott, Johnnie Clark, Brigadiere Jerry, Melodians, U-Roy, Big Youth, Mykal Rose, and Tappa Zukie.

 

Classic Films of the Afro-Caribbean Diaspora

Babylon

Dir. Franco Rosso, 1980, 91 min.

"Criminally Underrated!"

Babylon is set in South London at the start of the ’80s, a time when reggae music was at its peak, along with a distinctively British brand of xenophobia and racism that saw American boxer Marvin Hagler pelted with bottles at Wembley after beating Alan ‘I’ll never lose to a black man’ Minter. The plot concerns Blue, lead chanter for Ital Lion Sound (played by Aswad singer and former Double Decker Brinsley Forde), in the run-up to a competition with a rival crew led by Jah Shaka (who appears as himself). Over the course of the film Blue socialises with his friends and clashes with his family, employer, and a local clan of racists, before going on a spiritual and physical journey through small hours London where he encounters a series of trials and temptations that set up the film’s violent climax.


 

So Fresh and So Clean: Food and Environment Film Series

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@ the Maysles Cinema Supported by The Whole Foods Market

Pairing films about food and the environment to think holistically about our most pressing collective human needs. Related speakers, food demonstrations, tastings and workshops will make the connections between food reform, gardens and green economies.


Food Inc.

Dir. Robert Kenner, 2007, 94 min.

Food, Inc. lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government's regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment.

 

Saturday, July 10th, 7:30pm

The Cove

Dir. Louis Psihoyos, 2009, 90 min.

In a sleepy lagoon off the coast of Japan lies a shocking secret that a few desperate men will stop at nothing to keep hidden from the world. In Taiji, Japan, former dolphin trainer Ric O'Barry has come to set things right after a long search for redemption. In the 1960s, it was O'Barry who captured and trained the 5 dolphins who played the title character in the international television sensation "Flipper." One fateful day, a heartbroken Barry came to realize that these deeply sensitive, highly intelligent and self-aware creatures must never be subjected to human captivity again. This mission has brought him to Taiji, a town that appears to be devoted to the wonders and mysteries of the sleek, playful dolphins and whales that swim off their coast. But in a remote, glistening cove, surrounded by barbed wire and "Keep Out" signs, lies a dark reality. It is here, under cover of night, that the fishermen of Taiji, driven by a multi-billion dollar dolphin entertainment industry and an underhanded market for mercury-tainted dolphin meat, engage in an unseen hunt. The Cove won the 2010 Academy Award for best feature documentary

 

Followed by a Q&A with Fisher Stevens, Actor, Cove Producer

Reception to follow sponsored by Sugar Hill Beer

 

Monday, July 12th, 7:30pm

Doc Watchers Presents: Curated by Hellura Lyle

Has God Forsaken Africa?

Musa Dieng Kala, 2008, 52 min.

Brussels, Belgium - August 1999. Two teenagers are found dead in the undercarriage of a plane from Conakry, Guinea. In the pocket of one of the young men was a letter in which he had written, “There’s too much suffering in Africa”.  Each year, thousands of young Africans risk their lives in search of a brighter future. Many drown or die of cold, hunger and fatigue.  Shocked by this growing phenomenon, director Musa Dieng Kala returns to Dakar, Senegal, where he grew up, and asks the painful question: Has God Forsaken Africa?  The film follows five young adults who seek to immigrate to the West at any cost.  This moving film makes the case for a global ecology in which no nation or people is abandoned.

 

Discussion & Reception to Follow Screening

Summer of Music: I Bring What I Love

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Dir. Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, 2008, 102 min.

Senegalese pop sensation Youssou Ndour has spent the last 20 years in the spotlight as a world-renowned musician and the iconic representative “voice of Africa.” At the height of his career, Youssou became frustrated by the negative perception of his Muslim faith and composed Egypt, a deeply spiritual album dedicated to a more tolerant view of Islam. The album’s brave musical message was wholeheartedly embraced by Western audiences but ignited serious religious controversy in his homeland of Senegal. The film chronicles the difficult journey Youssou must undertake to assume his true calling.

Jazzmobile Presents: Afro-Haitian Jazz with Buyu Ambroise

Film Screening: 8:30 pm

Brought to you by the Maysles Cinema, Target ® and the Historic Harlem Parks Coalition

 

Summer of Music: Say Amen, Somebody

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Dir. George T. Nierenberg (1982) 100 min.

This film documents the lives of since departed gospel stars, innovators of the genre from which soul, r&b, and even hip hop flowed. At center are “Professor” Thomas A. Dorsey and “Mother” Willie Mae Ford, who recall the conservative resistance they faced towards the rhythm and blues inflections of the “new” gospel music they wrote and performed. Say Amen, Somebody foretells the next cycle of growth exhibited by the evening’s live performers - the energetic R&B infused choir of the First Corinthian Baptist Church. Yet “Say Amen, Somebody” transcends it’s historical import as a masterful example of cinema verite: director George Nierenberg communicates personal and cultural histories by interweaving his subjects in informal conversation, recollection, listening to and performing music under the careful eyes of cinematographers Don Lenzer and Ed Lachman.

Music: 7:00 pm - First Corinthian Baptist Church Choirs

Film Screening: @ 8:30 pm

Brought to you by the Maysles Cinema, Target ® and the Historic Harlem Parks Coalition

 

Harlem Homegrown: P-Star Rising

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Dir. Gabriel Noble (2009) 104 min.

A documentary film about a single-father who is determined that his 9-year old daughter become a rap star and thus redeem his deferred dream. We follow the father-daughter duo through the grit and glamour of the music industry, the struggles of being a single dad with no means, and the sacrifices a child makes in order to make her father proud. 

 

Pajamas and a Movie!

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Madagascar

Eric Darnell & Tom McGrath, 2005, 86 min.

At New York's Central Park Zoo, a lion, a zebra, a giraffe, and a hippo are best friends and stars of the show. But when one of the animals goes missing from their cage, the other three break free to look for him, only to find themselves reunited ... on a ship en route to Africa. When their vessel is hijacked, however, the friends, who have all been raised in captivity, learn first-hand what life can be like in the wild. 

Young people’s slumber party and movie screening under the stars. Film TBA.Film Screening at @ 8:30pm

Brought to you by the Maysles Cinema, Target ® and the Mount Morris Park Community Improvement Association


 

Naked White Roses

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Dir. Henry B. Roa (2009) 105 min.

Trance is a New York City poet on the eve of a showcase that could, at last, propel him into the mainstream. But when he discovers that his lover of eight years is having an affair, his life is turned upside down and his dreams are suddenly deferred. Cut to five years later. Trance has moved on with his life when he meets Alex and a new fire is sparked. Will Trance find love again? Will he regain his voice? Only time will tell. Through music, poetry and stunning visuals, “Naked White Roses” explores the subjects of following your dreams, gay and bicultural relationships, and love and loss.