Cuates de Australia

Sunday, December 13th, 7:30pm
Proyector Presents: Cuates De Australia
(A Non-fiction and fiction hybrid Mexican film series)
Curated by Sebastian Diaz

Everardo González, 2009, 67 min, Mexico
Residents from the ejido (communal land) Los Cuates de Australia in Northeast Mexico perform every year a massive exodus to look for water during drought. In this exile, men, women, elders, and children wait for the first drops of water to return to their lands, metaphor of a small town that hides from death.

Festivals and Awards: Jury Prize for Best Documentary Feature, Los Angeles Film Festival, Official Selection International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam

Discussion with Dir. Everardo González and Richard Peña (Professor at Columbia and former director of the Film Society of Lincoln Center).
Mingle with music, complimentary Mexican food, and mezcal tasting.

Program 2: Digging the Roots of a Denied Civilization
A series of current visions of indigenous Mexico. Stories and subjects with a strong connection to nature, serve as a metaphor to explore global themes like identity, family or aging.

Events Partnerships: The Mexican Cultural Institute of New York, IMCINE, Cinema Tropical, Remezcla, Mex and The City, Mano a Mano: Mexican Culture Without Borders, Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) NYU, Brooklyn Documentary Club, Mu media.

Hecho en Harlem Presents: 2015 Holiday Market

Sunday, December 13th, 1:00pm-6:00pm
Hecho en Harlem Presents: 2015 Holiday Market

The Hecho en Harlem Pop Up Markets feature a carefully curated selection of Harlem based artists and merchants, with a mission to provide unique social experiences that highlight the artistic talent and vibrancy here in Harlem. The Holiday Market will offer attendees the opportunity to enjoy a glass of wine while partaking in an exciting and unique holiday shopping experience. Peruse beautiful fine jewelry, premium cosmetics and skincare, get a custom mani from onsite nail technicians and treat yourself to unique vintage or beautiful one of a kind fashions by some of Harlem's most talented designers. Featured Vendors are: Hecho en Harlem Fine Jewelry, Harlem Soap, Montgomery, 127 East Cosmetics, Again Eclectic Threads and Things, D.I.D Nailpolish, Donnie Rogers Fine Art, LMB Haute and the Knitterly Hooker. Just steps from some of Harlem’s hottest restaurants and bars, this event promises a satisfying Sunday afternoon of holiday shopping in one of Manhattan’s most exciting neighborhoods.

Entrance is free for all attendees with RSVP Right Here!

Hecho en Harlem is a fine jewelry line created and designed by Ifé Salam, inspired by the vibrant and unique visual aesthetic of Harlem, with its array of historical and cultural influences. Rooted in a focus on the geometric form, Hecho en Harlem Jewelry is bold, elegant and distinct.
See more at From Harlem With Love!

Rehje

Sunday, December 6th, 7:30pm
Proyector Presents: Rehje
(A Non-fiction and fiction hybrid Mexican film series)
Curated by Sebastian Diaz

Raúl Cuesta, Anaïs Huerta, 2009, 67 min, Mexico
Longing to escape the pressure and turmoil of Mexico City, a native Mazahua woman returns to her hometown only to find that things are not as idyllic as she remembered. Festivals and Awards: Best Documentary, “Documental” FF, France, 2012; Best Documentary, Human Rights International FF, Mexico, 2009; Best Documentary, Contra el Silencio FF, Mexico, 2010; Best Documentary, Présence Autochtone FF, Canada, 2010; Jury Prize, Nepal International Indigenous FF, 2011; Special Mention, Morelia International FF, Mexico, 2009; Mexican Academy Awards Nomination, 2010.

Discussion with Dir. Anaïs Huerta and Raúl Cuesta.
Mingle with music, complimentary Mexican food, and mezcal tasting.

Program 2: Digging the Roots of a Denied Civilization
A series of current visions of indigenous Mexico. Stories and subjects with a strong connection to nature, serve as a metaphor to explore global themes like identity, family or aging.

Events Partnerships: The Mexican Cultural Institute of New York, IMCINE, Cinema Tropical, Remezcla, Mex and The City, Mano a Mano: Mexican Culture Without Borders, Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) NYU, Brooklyn Documentary Club, Mu media.

Under the Influence of Albert Maysles: Approaching the Elephant

Sunday, December 6th, 4:00pm

Approaching the Elephant

 

Albert Maysles: A Festival and Celebration

Friday, December 4th-Sunday, December 6th we celebrate the life, birthday, and legacy of late, great documentarian and founder of the Maysles Documentary Center, Albert Maysles — November 26th, 1926 – March 5th, 2015 — with a sneak peek at his final masterwork, In Transit, as well as a look at some of the films and filmmakers under his influence. All proceeds from this festival will be donated back to the Maysles Documentary Center.

Amanda Rose Wilder, 2014, 89 min
Amanda Rose Wilder’s acclaimed feature debut dives head first into the inaugural year of the Teddy McArdle Free School in New Jersey, where all classes are voluntary and rules are determined by vote – adults and children have equal say. Wilder is there from the beginning to end of the school year, documenting and observing Alex Khost and an indelible cast of outspoken young personalities as they form relationships, explore their surroundings and intensely debate rule violations, until it all comes to a head. Evoking the immersive nonfiction styles of Albert Maysles, Frederick Wiseman and Allan King, with camerawork compared to Cassavettes' Faces and Lubtchansky under Garrel, while at the same time shepherding in a distinct new cinematic voice, Approaching the Elephant is a rare, inspired portrait of unfettered childhood and human relationships.

"When I saw Gimme Shelter for the first time I thought, 'I want to make films like that.' When I met Al for the first time I said to him, 'I'm a little starstruck.' He replied, 'I get starstruck looking up at the stars.' When I showed a rough cut clip from Approaching the Elephant at a Maysles Films intern screening (when I was an intern at Maysles Films), Al said, 'Did I shoot that?' Al touched people. He made it all possible: trust, love, opening up. He held people's hands. He looked you deeply in the eyes. He filmed without judgement or cynicism. He remains a huge influence on my filmmaking and my life." -- Amanda Rose Wilder

Q&A with director Amanda Rose Wilder and the founder of the Teddy McArdle Free School, Alexander Khost, to follow screening.

“Superb…astonishingly nuanced and intimate…a tour de force.”
-- The New Yorker

“One of the finest documentaries in recent memory.”
-- BlackBook

Winner of Maysles Brothers Award at Belfast Film Festival, 2014

Winner of Emerging Cinematic Vision Award - Camden Int. Film Festival, 2014

Nominated for Best Debut Feature Cinema Eye Honors, 2015

Nominated for 2015 Film Independent Spirit Award, Truer Than Fiction Award, 2015

Under the Influence of Albert Maysles: Summer Pasture

Saturday, December 5th, 4:30pm

Summer Pasture
 

Albert Maysles: A Festival and Celebration

Friday, December 4th-Sunday, December 6th we celebrate the life, birthday, and legacy of late, great documentarian and founder of the Maysles Documentary Center, Albert Maysles — November 26th, 1926 – March 5th, 2015 — with a sneak peek at his final masterwork, In Transit, as well as a look at some of the films and filmmakers under his influence. All proceeds from this festival will be donated back to the Maysles Documentary Center.)

Lynn True, Nelson Walker & Tsering Perlo, 2010, 85 min
Summer Pasture is a feature-length documentary that chronicles one summer with a young nomad family living in the high grasslands of eastern Tibet. Locho, his wife Yama, and their infant daughter survive in the mountains by herding yak, much as their ancestors have for generations. In recent years, however, nomadic life has become increasingly difficult and now many nomads are settling in town. Soon, Locho and Yama will face the same predicament, when they must choose whether to raise their daughter in the pasture or send her school -- a decision that will have deep implications for their future as nomads. Directors Lynn True and Nelson Walker have long been admirers of Albert Maysles and his collegues' work and Summer Pasture was made in the tradition of Direct Cinema, and was the film that preceded them being asked to direct In Transit with Albert Maysles.

Q&A with directors Lynn True and Nelson Walker to follow screening.

Nominated for the Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You, 2010

Nominated for Independent Spirit Truer than Fiction Award, 2011

New York Times Critics Pick, 2011

Under the Influence of Albert Maysles: In Transit

Saturday, December 5th, 2:00pm and 7:30pm

In Transit
(Sneak Preview)

Albert Maysles: A Festival and Celebration

Friday, December 4th-Sunday, December 6th we celebrate the life, birthday, and legacy of late, great documentarian and founder of the Maysles Documentary Center, Albert Maysles — November 26th, 1926 – March 5th, 2015 — with a sneak peek at his final masterwork, In Transit, as well as a look at some of the films and filmmakers under his influence. All proceeds from this festival will be donated back to the Maysles Documentary Center.)

Albert Maysles, Lynn True and Nelson Walker, Ben Wu, David Usui, 2015, 76 min
In Transit journeys into the hearts and minds of everyday passengers aboard Amtrak's Empire Builder, the busiest long-distance train route in America. Captured in the tradition of Direct Cinema, the film unfolds as a series of interconnected vignettes, ranging from overheard conversations to moments of deep intimacy, in which passengers share their fears, hopes and dreams. In the space between stations, where 'real life' is suspended, we are swept into a fleeting community that transcends normal barriers, and where a peculiar atmosphere of contemplation and community develops. To some passengers, the train is flight and salvation, to others it is reckoning and loss. But for all, it is a place for personal reflection and connecting with others they may otherwise never know.

Q&A with co-directors Lynn True, Nelson Walker and David Usui, and producer Erika Dilday (and Executive Director of the Maysles Documentary Center) to follow 2:00pm screening.

Q&A with co-directors Lynn True and Nelson Walker, story producer Martha Wollner, and associate producer Sophie Windsor Clive to follow 7:30pm screening.

"...beautifully assembled and touching, and an apt memorial for Mr. Maysles."
-- The New York Times

"Maysles and his collaborators capture 'the rhythm of the tracks' in their film. It is a machine that generates empathy."
-- RogerEbert.com

"Themes of escape, transformation and 'finding yourself' form a common thread through the stories, whether it's running toward something or away from it, and show that everyone has a tale to tell if you just ask."
-- Rolling Stone

"Magnifying ordinary people by turning their internal processes into objects of fascination, 'In Transit' epitomizes the Maysles legacy."
-- Indiewire

Cinema Eye Honors 2016
Nominee, Outstanding Achievement in Direction

Under the Influence of Albert Maysles: Class Divide

Friday, December 4th, 7:30pm

Class Divide
An HBO Documentary Film
(Sneak Preview)

Albert Maysles: A Festival and Celebration

Friday, December 4th-Sunday, December 6th we celebrate the life, birthday, and legacy of late, great documentarian and founder of the Maysles Documentary Center, Albert Maysles — November 26th, 1926 – March 5th, 2015 — with a sneak peek at his final masterwork, In Transit, as well as a look at some of the films and filmmakers under his influence. All proceeds from this festival will be donated back to the Maysles Documentary Center.

Marc Levin, 2015, 74 min
A look at NYC’s gentrification and growing inequality in a microcosm, Class Divide explores two distinct worlds that share the same Chelsea intersection – 10th Avenue and 26th Street. On one side of the avenue, the Chelsea-Elliot Houses have provided low-income public housing to residents for decades. Their neighbor across the avenue since 2012 is Avenues: The World School, a costly private school. What happens when kids from both of these worlds attempt to cross the divide?

The film will premiere on HBO in early February.

"In one of my last conversations with Albert at the Maysles Cinema, I told him I had recently realized how truly formative my teenage internship on Gimme Shelter was in shaping my work. All the themes I've explored in my films dealing with culture and politics, race, class, violence, music, sex, drugs and the legacy of the sixties - they all collide and explode in that one defining moment at Altamont when a young black man pulled a gun on the violent Hells Angels and was then stabbed to death as the Stones played on stage. It was literally the death of the sixties. Afterwards I told Al about our newest documentary Class Divide and how one of his quotes seemed to encapsulate our approach to this project which I felt was very connected to his style and spirit. 'We get crushes and we get crushed from almost all the subjects that we film.' I'm sorry he's no longer here to share his insights and feedback with us." -- Marc Levin

Q&A with director Marc Levin to follow screening.

"Run, don't walk, to see, "Class Divide." It gives the viewer incredible access to worlds you wouldn't otherwise have exposure to or know about. It will change you."
-- Huffingtonpost.com

“Levin’s documentary, Class Divide, is the most thoughtful and heartbreaking chronicle of how Mayor Bill de Blasio’s ‘Tale of Two Cities’ plays out in real time.”
-- Independent-magazine.org

DOC NYC Grand Jury Prize, 2015

Poetry Party

Sunday, November 22nd, 6:30pm
The Poetry Party
 
 

Open Mic Poetry, Spoken Word and Music. Come, share and have a drink or two.Doors Open at 6:30PM, Sign Up List starts at 7 (allowed to read multiple Pieces depending on time and length of list). Open Bar and Complimentary Snacks Too.

$10 suggested donation at the door.

More Info Right Here:
Facebook.com/ThePoetryParty
Instagram.com/ThePoetryParty

Am I

Thursday, November 19th, 7:00pm
Doc Watchers & African Film Festival, Inc.
Proudly Present:
Am I: Too African to be American or Too American to be African?

Nadia Sasso, 2015, 44 min
What does it mean to be an African born in America? Am I explores the complex identity formations of young African women living in America and West Africa who identify bi-culturally. It specifically looks at how they wrestle with the concepts of race, complexion, gender, and heritage among other issues. The film features interviews with a number of prominent first generation Americans of African descent, including actress Issa Rae of Awkward Black Girl fame.

Q&A with Filmmaker Nadia Sasso & Reception to follow screening.

Brilliant Soil

Sunday, November 15th, 7:30pm
Proyector Presents: Brilliant Soil
(A Non-fiction and fiction hybrid Mexican film series)
Curated by Sebastian Diaz

Sebastian Diaz, Jose Luis Figueroa, 2011, 74 min, Mexico
Brilliant Soil focuses of the touching story of Herlinda Morales, a native potter who has dedicated her life to the prevention of lead poisoning in her community.
Festivals and Awards: Material Culture and Archaeology Film Prize award at 13th RAI International Festival of Ethnographic Film 2013, Grand Prix winner at 8th International Film Festival on Clay and Glass, in Montpellier, France 2012; Best Film at International Festival of Indigenous Film, Puebla, Mexico 2012; Raindance Film Festival, London, England 2012.

Discussion with Co-director Sebastian Diaz and Eric O’leary (Ceramist and Chairman of Aid to Artisans International).
Mingle with music, complimentary Mexican food, and mezcal tasting.

Part of Program 2: Digging the Roots of a Denied Civilization
A series of current visions of indigenous Mexico. Stories and subjects with a strong connection to nature, serve as a metaphor to explore global themes like identity, family or aging.

Events Partnerships: The Mexican Cultural Institute of New York, IMCINE, Cinema Tropical, Remezcla, Mex and The City, Mano a Mano: Mexican Culture Without Borders, Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) NYU, Brooklyn Documentary Club, Mu media.

Under the Influence of Tom DiCillo: Down in Shadowland

Saturday, November 14th, 7:30pm
Under the Influence of Tom DiCillo: Down in Shadowland

Tom DiCillo, 2014, 69 min
"Down in Shadowland was shot over 7 years. In 2009 I decided to carry my video camera on the trains every day. The more I shot, the more I began to see this shadowy realm of the underground as a strange, alternate universe to bright glare of reality above ground. The entire film was shot on a camera just slightly larger than a pack of Marlboros. Most people were aware I was filming them. I did not try to hide the camera but its size helped make it less conspicuous. I was looking for moments of unguarded human revelation. Sometimes they were humorous, other times they were disturbing or profound. In all cases they were extremely elusive. For every one I managed to film I missed 10. I was amazed at how intimate and revealing people could be in this most public of New York places. Although not conventionally narrative the film embarks on a clear journey and finds unity and connection through emotional and visual motifs. After two decades in the independent film business it was inspiring to make this film with just me and the camera. My only obligation was to present a film as close as possible to what my eye sees.”
-- Tom DiCillo

Tom DiCillo is one of the founding members of the American independent film movement. Beginning with his first film, Johnny Suede starring Brad Pitt in 1991 and continuing with Living In Oblivion starring Steve Buscemi, Box of Moonlight, The Real Blonde, Double Whammy and Delirious DiCillo's films have been internationally recognized and awarded. Johnny Suede won Best Picture at the Locarno Film Festival. Living In Oblivion won Best Screenplay at the Sundance Film Festival and Delirious won Best Director at the San Sebastian Film Festival. His film, When You're Strange, the first documentary about The Doors won the Grammy in 2012. DiCillo has written two books about his experiences in the film business, "Eating Crow" (Living In Oblivion) and "Notes From Overboard" (Box of Moonlight). He is also the founding member of the band The Black and Blue Orkestre. In addition to writing, performing and singing with the band he directed all of their videos.

Q&A with Filmmaker Tom Dicillo after the screening.

Boxing Films: History of 8MM (Volume 12)

Friday, November 13th, 7:30pm
Boxing Films: History of 8MM (Volume 12)

(A mini-history of the Sub Genre including Albert and David Maysles' Muhammad and Larry (1980). A benefit for the Maysles Cinema. Will include 8MM and 16MM film. Dedicated to the memory of my father, my grandfather & Albert Maysles.)
Curated by 8mm Anonymous

"If you get belted and see three fighters through a haze, go after the one in the middle. That's what ruined me--going after the other two guys." - Max Baer, Onetime Heavyweight Champion.

".... like someone jammed an electric bulb in your face and busted it." - Former heavyweight champion James Braddock, describing what it was like to be hit by a Joe Louis jab.

My father, an avid boxing fan was born on the night of the (infamous) second Jack Dempsey - Gene Tunney fight (September 22, 1927) a.k.a." "The Long Count" because a referee apparently took longer than usual to count to ten while Tunney was down, unfairly giving him extra time to recover and go on to win the fight. Whether this "long count" actually affected the outcome remains a subject of debate. My grandfather lost a lot of money on the fight as the story goes (along with a lot of other people). We'll probably be showing footage from this fight.

The classic short Maysles Brothers film, Muhammad and Larry, which was the basis for the ESPN 30 for 30 feature Muhammad and Larry (2009) will be shown in this program in tribute to David and Albert Maysles. The film explores the dramatic relationship between rival heavyweight boxers Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes following both men as they train for an upcoming title bout between the two. It becomes apparent that each has a deep and abiding respect for the other, but still wants to crush him on fight night.

Possible films, this time, include:
- Knockout Thrills: Gene Tunney vs. Georges Carpentier, Jack Dempsey vs. Jack Sharkey, Joe Louis vs. James Braddock, etc. (Castle Films, reg. 8mm, silent, b&w, 1930's/1940's, c. 12 mins.)
- Jack Johnson v. Frank Moran (Reg. 8mm, silent, b&w, c. 1914, re-shot/transferred from 35mm onto 8mm)
- The Long Count & Other Footage (Super8, silent, b&w, c. 1927, c. 20 mins.)
- Muhammad & Larry by Albert & David Maysles (16mm, sound, color, c. 1980, c. 20 mins.)

-- 8mm Anonymous
 

Silvestre Pantaleon

Sunday, November 8th, 7:30pm
Proyector Presents: Silvestre Pantaleón
(A Non-fiction and fiction hybrid Mexican film series)
Curated by Sebastian Diaz

Roberto Olivares, Jonathan Amith, 2012 65 min, Mexico
Told with a lyrical combination of lingering imagery and ethnographic detail, Silvestre Pantaleon follows the protagonist as he struggles to pay for a curing ceremony and provide for his family. He dedicates himself to the only remunerative activities he knows: handcrafting rope for religious ceremonies and building seldom-used household objects that he alone still has the skills to produce.

Festivals and Awards: Best Feature-Length Documentary, 2011 Morelia Film Festival, 2011; National Geographic All Roads Film Festival; Gran Prix Tehuikan (best film, all categorie)s; 21st Montreal First Peoples’ Festival; Pemio 360° (Grand Prize), 2011 International Documentary Film Festival of Mexico City; 2012 Green Screens: Cinema Planeta, Film Society at Lincoln Center.

Discussion with Dir. Jonathan Amith and Amalia Córdova (CLACS NYU).
Mingle with music, complimentary Mexican food, and mezcal tasting.

Part of Program 2: Digging the Roots of a Denied Civilization
A series of current visions of indigenous Mexico. Stories and subjects with a strong connection to nature, serve as a metaphor to explore global themes like identity, family or aging.

Events Partnerships: The Mexican Cultural Institute of New York, IMCINE, Cinema Tropical, Remezcla, Mex and The City, Mano a Mano: Mexican Culture Without Borders, Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) NYU, Brooklyn Documentary Club, Mu media.

Natural Living Film Festival

Saturday, November 7th, 1:00pm
Natural Living Natural Living Film Festival
Curated by Yvonne Stafford

EFT Workshop
Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is a revolutionary, cutting-edge technology, research-based and clinically proven for clearing physical and emotional suffering rapidly.
Workshop facilitated by Stephanie Alston-Nero, Certified EFT Practitioner.

2:00pm
Fresh

Ana Sofia Joanes, 2009, 72 min
Among several main characters, Fresh features urban farmer and activist, Will Allen, a 2008 recipient of the MacArthur “genius” grant and recently named one of Time’s 100 most influential people; sustainable farmer and entrepreneur Joel Salatin, made famous by The Omnivore’s Dilemma, the best-selling book by Michael Pollan, who is also featured in the movie; and, Kansas City supermarket owner David Ball, who is challenging our Wal-Mart-dominated economy every day by stocking his stores with products from local suppliers.

Tickets and More Information Right Here

3:45pm
Raw and Living Food Demonstration
Our fabulous Raw and Living Food Demonstration with Chef T and guests. Understand the value of adding more delicious raw and living food to your diet. You will receive copies of all the recipes as well as enjoy the meal.

5:30pm
Buena Vista Social Club

Wim Wenders, 1999, 105 min
Aging Cuban musicians whose talents had been virtually forgotten following Castro's takeover of Cuba, are brought out of retirement by Ry Cooder, who travelled to Havana in order to bring the musicians together, resulting in triumphant performances of extraordinary music, and resurrecting the musicians' careers.
A reception will follow the film featuring Afro Cuban Music and food.
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Tickets and More Information Right Here

E-Motion

Friday, November 6th, 6:45pm
Natural Living Natural Living Film Festival
Curated by Yvonne Stafford

E-Motion

Frazer Bailey, 2015, 85 min
Imagine a world where the trapped emotions, fears, anxieties and unprocessed life experiences we hold in our bodies are the source of everything that ails us. That’s the world we live in. Now imagine a world where everyone is manifesting from their heart the perfect creation that’s inside each of us. Imagine a world where abundance, inner peace, longevity and loving relationships abound. Imagine emotion experts from around the world sharing their wisdom and negative emotion clearing techniques to light a new pathway for humanity. Imagine we are sacred, spiritual beings here for a much larger reason, serving a much higher purpose, a divine purpose. That’s where we’re going…

Tickets and More Information Right Here

Evolution of a Criminal

Thursday, November 5th, 6:45pm
Natural Living Film Festival
Curated by Yvonne Stafford
Evolution of a Criminal

Darius Clark Monroe, 2015, 90 min
How does a 16-year-old evolve into a bank robber? In Evolution of a Criminal, filmmaker Darius Clark Monroe explores what led him to pull a heist as a teenager in Texas, and returns to the scene of the crime. By interviewing family members, close friends, and mentors, we learn about his transformation from a joyous childhood to the moment he realized the severity of his family’s financial problems, and how their struggles changed his outlook on his own life. Returning to his neighborhood several years after the crime, Monroe creates an incredibly intimate and personal journey of reflection and forgiveness while beautifully examining lower class struggles, the desperation of a teen under pressure, and the emotional impact that rippled in the aftermath of that day.

Tickets and More Information Right Here

Rumors of the Lake

Sunday, October 25th, 3:00pm
Congo in Harlem 7
Presented by Friends of the Congo and True-Walker Productions

Rumors of the Lake

Rumors of the Lake
Wendy Bashi, Belgium/DR Congo, 2015, 52 min
(French & Swahili w/ English subtitles)
In Rumors of the Lake, Lake Kivu in DR Congo is portrayed through the stories of local fishermen. They depend on the lake and they know all its secrets. Drifting on their pirogues or during a late night gathering along the water’s banks, we hear stories of two warring countries, the rumor of a killer fish, a gigantic reserve of methane about to explode… So many stories about life and death, fishing and legacy, which together form a collection of memories and reveal the secret identity of an amazing place.
Followed by Q&A with filmmaker Wendy Bashi.

This presentation is made possible in part with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts’ Electronic Media and Film Presentation Funds grant program, administered by The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes.

2 Works in Progres

Saturday, October 24th, 12:00pm
Congo in Harlem 7
Presented by Friends of the Congo and True-Walker Productions
2 documentary works-in-progress about Congo’s 2016 election

Telema (Stand Up) Work-in-progress
Sarah M. Kazadi & Rebecca Sesny, DR Congo/USA, 2015, 13 min
(French, English & Lingala w/ English subtitles)
Fred Bauma is paying the price for trying to motivate the Congo’s youth to “TELEMA” which is native Lingala for “stand up.“ Imprisoned since March 15th, the 25-year-old activist managed to sneak a phone into his prison cell. He’s been communicating with his large network of fellow activists, who have vowed to keep fighting to bring tangible change to their country. With the 2016 presidential elections approaching, and President Kabila threatening to stay in power past
the 2-term limit, the youth activists have one unifying goal: rally the youth to have a say in the country’s future, by any means necessary.

A Tales from Kin Productions Work in Progress Screening
Patrick Flynn & Natacha Ikoli,DR Congo/USA, 2015, 75 min.
(French & Lingala w/ English subtitles)
In Kinshasa, the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, an elected member of parliament strives to gain the support of his poor, rural constituents while pursuing his own individualistic ambitions. In the DRC, where tribalism defines social hierarchies and state service is the dominant form of wealth creation; corruption becomes the rule rather than the exception, ensnaring even the most fervent idealists. Bana Congo Oyez! presents the everyday reality of the DRC’s dysfunctional leadership through the barnstorming,sloganeering election campaign of an idealistic congressman. It’s a rare glimpse into the relationship between voters and the elected representatives of a state corroded by systemic corruption. Can a politician be elected without being tainted by that corruption?

Followed by Q&A with the filmmakers.

This presentation is made possible in part with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts’ Electronic Media and Film Presentation Funds grant program, administered by The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes.

Special Panel Discussion Congo in Harlem 7

Saturday, October 24th, 3:00pm
Congo in Harlem 7
Presented by Friends of the Congo and True-Walker Productions
100% Free

Elephant's Dream

Saturday, October 24th, 7:30pm
Congo in Harlem 7
Presented by Friends of the Congo and True-Walker Productions
Closing Night Celebrations
Elephant's Dream

Elephant's Dream
Kristof Bilsen, DR Congo/Belgium, 2014, 72 min.
(Lingala & French w/ English subtitles)
Elephant’s Dream tells the story of a group of public sector workers who live in the third largest city in Africa, Kinshasa, DR Congo, where the weight of history has not stopped them from pursuing their hopes and dreams. The film takes us beyond the usual reports of the Congo, providing poetic and compassionate insight into a country in transition, as seen through the microcosm of three state-owned institutions: a rail station, the central post office and the only existing fire station in Kinshasa. At times surreal, at times hopeful, this film reveals a surprising perspective on lives lived beyond chaos.

Followed by Q&A with filmmaker Kristof Bilsen and reception with live music by Isaac Katalay and the Life Long Project.

This presentation is made possible in part with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts’ Electronic Media and Film Presentation Funds grant program, administered by The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes.