[Event] The Best of The African Diaspora International Film Festival: Jan 13-15th, NYC

 

Since our post of The Story of Lovers Rock, a few people had been asking when it would be screened in the US. According the bfm website the film had its debut screening this month and will also be shown at the African Diaspora International Film Festival next week.

There’ll be a review of the film on the site soon but if you’re in the NYC area and can make it, I’d definitely suggest you booking a ticket.

The African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF) presents an eclectic mix of urban, classic, independent and foreign films that depict the richness and diversity of the life experience of people of African descent and Indigenous people all over the world.

For more information about the festival which takes place from January 13-15th at Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street – 263 Grace Dodge, check out the following links:

Website

@ADIFF

 

Included in the festival lineup are the following films:

A Lot Like Me

Seattle based Filmmaker Eli Kimaro is the daughter of a Tanzanian father and a Korean mother.  When her father retires in Tanzania to re-establish ties to his native Chagga tribe, Kimaro, who felt she never developed a strong kinship with the African side of her family, decides to follow him and document his life journey. There, she discovers powerful stories of community, and shocking stories of violence against women, that she artfully weaves into her own life story as an abuse survivor, anti-violence advocate, and mother to a young daughter. As the story unfolds, Eli’s Tanzanian father and Korean mother serve as colorful, humorous cultural liaisons to her past.

 

 

 

The Story of Lovers Rock

Lovers Rock, often dubbed ‘romantic reggae’ is a uniquely black British sound that developed in the late 70s and 80s against a backdrop of riots, racial tension and sound systems. Live performance, comedy sketches, dance, interviews and archive shed light on the music and the generation that embraced it. Lovers Rock allowed young people to experience intimacy and healing through dance- known as ‘scrubbing’- at parties and clubs. This dance provided a coping mechanism for what was happening on the streets. Lovers Rock developed into a successful sound with national UK hits and was influential to British bands (Police, Culture Club, UB40) These influences underline the impact the music was making in bridging the multi-cultural gap that polarized the times. The film sheds light on a forgotten period of British music, social and political history.

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