The Brooklyn Academy of Music will be screening a series of contemporary films culled from the 13th annual African Diaspora Film Festival Feb 17-22 at BAM Rose Cinemas.
via BAM's website :
African American Shorts Program (2005) Fri, Feb 17 at 2pm
Rubber Souls (2005) U.S. Dir. Christine Turner ; Squirrel Man (2005) U.S. Dir. Jeffrey Lynn Shepherd ; All Falls Down (2005) U.S. Dir. David Koepp. 
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Boy Called Twist (2004) South Africa Fri, Feb 17 at 4:30pm ; Sat, Feb 18 at 9:15pm
Dir. Tim Greene
Based on Oliver Twist, this South African version takes you into the world of Cape Town with a harrowing tale of a street kid in search of love, identity, roots, understanding, and family.
Afro-Latino Program Fri, Feb 17 at 6:50pm
African Blood (2004) Mexico. Dir. Roberto Olivares ; Maluala (1979) Cuba. Dir. Sergio Giral.
The Dinner (1997) Fri, Feb 17 at 9:15pm
*Q&A with filmmakers from Slave Reparations : The Final Passage
Dir. Bernie Casey, U.S.
Veteran actor Bernie Casey makes his filmmaking debut with a story about three prosperous African-American men who meet at an expensive restaurant for dinner, where they discuss the destructive impact of “the System” on Black America, and how to prosper despite it. With Slave Reparations: The Final Passage (2004) USA. Dir. John Eisler. Eisler cuts through the misconceptions about reparations by providing an historical background through interviews with some of the movement’s most prominent proponents.
Faces of Change (2005) Sat, Feb 18 at 2pm ; Tue, Feb 21 at 6:50pm
*Q&A after screenings
Dir. Michèle Stephenson
Winner of the ADFF 2005 Public Award for the Best Film Directed by a Woman of Color; grassroots activists go behind the camera to find a voice denied to them because of their social, racial, gender, or ethnic background. Though they live in five different countries, their cameras show strikingly similar vistas—from broken-down homes, dust, and threadbare clothing to demonstrations of profound social inequity.
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Radio Favela (2002) Sat, Feb 18 at 4:30pm ; Mon, Feb 20 at 9:15pm
Dir. Helvecio Ratton
Based on a true story, this is a music-driven story of young heroes rising from the anonymity of the urban ghetto to popular recognition. From within their impoverished surroundings, four young boys from the Favelas (slums) in Rio set up an underground radio station, which quickly gains a huge following. With Soul in the Eye (1974) Brazil. Dir. Zozimo Bulbul. A short silent film paying homage to the legacy of Africans in Brazil. In Portuguese with English subtitles.
Nina Simone, Love Sorceress (2000) Sat, Feb 18 at 6:50pm ; Tue, Feb 21 at 9:30pm
Dir. Rene Letzgus, France
This rarely seen 1976 Paris concert captures Simone's breathtaking singing and mercurial behavior. Watch as the riveting High Priestess of Soul creates something akin to a performance art piece—fusing classical, jazz, blues, folk, pop, and soul music.
Arthur! A Celebration of Life (2005) Sun, Feb 19 at 2pm ; Tue, Feb 21 at 4:30pm
*Q&A with filmmakers
Dir. Joe James, U.S.
Take a spiritual journey with the tennis great, activist, humanitarian, and author Arthur Ashe. This docu-drama tells his story with modern-day realism using a soundtrack that includes songs by such artists as Alicia Keys and Angels VOP (Voices of Praise) male singing trio.
The Importance of Being Elegant (2004) Sun, Feb 19 at 4:30pm ; Mon, Feb 20 at 4:30pm
Dir. George Amponsah & Cosima Spender
Set to the soundtrack of Papa Wemba's extraordinary music, this outrageous and eye-opening film depicts the underground world of a flamboyant African fad. As the camera follows Papa Wemba, the legendary Congolese singer living in Paris, discover a fascinating world of music, life in exile, and fashion. In French with English subtitles.
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On the Verge of a Fever (Le goût des jeunes filles) (2004) Sun, Feb 19 at 6:50pm ; Wed, Jan 22 at 4:30pm
*Q&A and reception
Dir. John L'Ecuyer
It’s 1971 Haiti and this fifteen-year-old boy just wants to experience life for himself. But when he decides to hide out at his beautiful neighbor's house for the weekend, he is trapped between his fear of being caught and the fulfillment of his deepest fantasy. In French with English subtitles.
Tsotsi (2005) Sun, Feb 19 at 9:30pm ; Wed, Jan 22 at 6:50pm
Dir. Gavin Hood
Nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film and based on the book by acclaimed writer Athol Fugard, this film traces six days in the life of a young gang leader who shoots a woman, steals her car, and then finds her baby in the back seat. Pumping with the high energy of Zola’s ‘Kwaito’ music, and told from an African perspective, Tsotsi is an extraordinary portrait of ghetto life in the sprawling Johannesburg townships—a story about the triumph of love over rage.
Desamores (2004) Mon, Feb 20 at 6:50pm
Dir. Edmundo H. Rodriquez
Afro-Puerto Rican detective Isabelo is hired to discover who is responsible for a horrendous massacre in San Juan. As he starts his investigation, he is quickly thrown into a web of intrigue and manipulation beyond his imagination. In Spanish with English subtitles.
Masai : the Rain Warriors (Massai : les guerriers de la pluie) (2005) Wed, Jan 22 at 9:15pm
Dir. Pascal Plisson
Follow a group of young warriors who have been chosen to kill the lion-god responsible for the drought in their village. A beautiful story of initiation, friendship, teamwork, and sacrifice set on the vast ochre savannah of Kenya. In Masai with English subtitles.
Additional information about the films can be found on the African Diaspora Film Festival website.
BAM Rose Cinemas is located in the Peter Jay Sharp Building, 30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, NY.
For tickets, call 718.777.FILM (theater ID #545) or buy online via their website
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