Three popular titles that premiered in the African Diaspora International Film Festival will have a run at the newly opened three screen movie theatre, MIST CINEMA in Harlem. The 3 films – Youssou N’Dour: Return to Goré, The Story of Lovers Rock and Filling The Gap will screen from April 19 to April 25, 2013.
Youssou N’Dour: Return to Goré
2007. Pierre-Yves Borgeaud. 108 mins. Switzerland/Luxembourg. Color, Released by ArtMattan Films
The Story of Lovers Rock
This is first and foremost a film about Black Social Dance. The US parallel would be the “slow-dance,” the “Bop,” “Sunset Bop.” Under dark blue or red lights in a crowded room young men and women came together to experience the ritual intimacy of dance, flirtation and love to the sound of romantic music.
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.
2011, Menelik Shabazz. 96mins. UK. Color, Released by ArtMattan Films
Filling The Gap
Filling The Gap highlights the contributions of African immigrants and African-Americans to U.S. History prior to the Civil War. Conceived as an effort to alter the way African-American children see themselves and their ancestors, this docu-drama highlights the inventive and inspired contributions of little-known Americans of African descent and their incredible creativity in the 1840s, the period leading to the Civil War in American history.
Listen to Director Tyrone Young explain the value of this film in his own words!
2010, Tyrone Young, 83 min, USA, Docu-Drama, Released by ArtMattan Films
Additional information:
MIST CINEMA
46 West 116th Street
New York, NY 10026
Tel: 646·688·5886
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SHOWTIMES April 19 to April 25
1 pm Filling the Gap
3 pm The Story of Lovers Rock
5 pm Return to Goree
7:15 pm The Story of Lovers Rock
9:15 pm Return to Goree