Hommage
From November 30th until December 3rd , New York’s Film Forum will honor the tremendous work of Africa’s most important filmmaker, the late Sembène Ousmane. Although he only started making movies when he was in his early 40’s Ousmane, who passed away last June, is considered to be the father of African cinema. The Senegalese, who was already a well-respected novelist in the 1960’s, decided to study filmmaking, as he strongly believed cinema to be the best way to reach out to the masses, “everything can be filmed and transported to the most remote village in Africa”, he said back in 2005. During his career, he adapted most of his novels into films, starting with Black Girl which earned him the prestigious Prix Jean Vigo in 1966, a first for an African filmmaker at the time. The retrospective will feature 10 movies in which the director deals with social issues such as polygamy, religion, the role of women in society, and political corruption. He dissects post-colonial West African society, and show it as it is. Sembène Ousmane highlights the constant struggle between tradition, and newly adopted “western” values. His characters are everyday heroes that sometimes fall victim to their own fate. Sembene had faith that a prosperous future for his continent could not be attained without the full participation of women, and most of films focus on strong females characters. The best examples are Dounia, the tragic heroin of “Black Girl” (1965) and Colle in “Moolaadé” (2005) who fiercely fights female circumcision in her village. “In Africa”, he ironically said, “you don’t make movies to earn a living, but to communicate.” (”En Afrique, on ne fait pas de cinema pour vivre, mais pour communiquer.”) Sembène was well aware of the lasting power of image and sound, and his films rest as a testimony to his love and faith in Africa. For more information about the screenings go here.
Rise Up
Autumn 2005: the death of two teenagers leads to France’s worse civil unrest in more than 40 years. We all remember the images of torched cars, riots and warlike scenes that were not only shot in Parisian suburbs, but throughout the country during that three week period. It seems that France will not have to wait another 40 years for its urban youth to show its anger once again, as riots started once again last Sunday night after yet again another accident that led to the death of two young men. This sadly reveals that relations between the police and young people haven’t improved since the 2005 riots. Young people feel like outcasts, and again on the edge of society. But it seems that mainstream media outlets want us to think that violence is the only vehicle they’ve found to express their rage.
Urban culture has a more creative way to show emotion. The film collective Kourtrajme (French slang word for court-metrage or short film, pronounced the other way around) is showing us that there’s more to anger than violence. The 135 member clique includes directors, actors, rappers, musicians, dancers and graffiti artists. Starting with VHS quality short movies in 1995, their films are provocative, no budget productions dealing with underground suburban culture. No authorization, no intervention needed, as Kourtrajme’s real territory is the Internet. Spreading their films through online networks, the collective is now running film festivals, shooting video clips for respected artists, and has acquired the movie industry’s respect. So when it comes to uprisings, the collective feels concerned and in touch with the real issues.
Ladj Ly, 26, an actor, director and Kourtrajme member, comes from the troubled suburb Clichy Montfermeil. For several years, he has organized and filmed many different cultural events in his neighborhood until worldwide media outlets started showing interest in his neighborhood after the 2005 riots. Ladj Ly did not stop filming during the upheaval, and he now boasts a 90 minute documentary with exclusive images that take you into the heart of the riots. ‘365 Jours a Clichy Montfermeil’ (365 days at Clichy Montfermeil) is an overwhelming testimony of the bitter reality facing the kids of the ‘hood, and it points out the government’s unwillingness to answer issues concerning immigration in France. This documentary will give you a genuine sense of what goes down in the French suburbs; a completely different picture from the sensationalistic images the media tends to provide. Learn more here.
Justice.Arts.Music
DJ Jam Master Jay is not going out like that. On Thursday, Nov 29 the J.A.M. Awards is reviving the spirit of collective consciousness. Following the mission of the Jam Master Jay Foundation for Music, the event is the first of its kind within the Hip Hop community to recognize the social responsibility within local and global communities. The evening’s tribute celebration will feature performances from veteran and upoming hip hop heavyweights like DMC, Kid Capri, Dead Prez, Marley Marl, De La Soul, DJ Kay Slay, Papoose, Q-Tip, Raekwon, Jim Jones, MOP, Snoop Dogg, and many more. A special J.A.M. award will be given out to activists in the fields of social Justice, the Arts, or Music. The honoree is chosen based on their recent efforts focused on encouraging community growth through artistic expressions. Past winners include Chuck D, Spike Lee, and Kanye West. The J.A.M. awards will be hosted by Jay’s wife, Terri Corley-Mizell, and the event will take place at the Hammerstein Ballroom on 34th Street. Advance tickets are $55. Doors open at 8pm and all ages are welcome.
The Jam Master Jay Foundation for Music is a charitable organization whose mission is to defend every child’s equal rights to access the arts, regardless of socio-economic status, giving them a chance to advance their concept of worldwide reciprocity.
From A Galaxy Far Away…
If René Magritte, the 20th surrealistic Belgian painter, was reincarnated, he would have come back as Christophe Huet. The Parisian graphic designer has such a personal vision, that his specialty is photoshopping the most mundane images of daily life. Reality is not nearly as much fun as the imagination. Why not add a giant head on a tiny body, or a door to another realm placed keenly in the middle of a library? His pictorial signature has pleased an increasing numbers of magazines and companies, so much so that Christophe launched his own agency a few years back called Asylum (Agence Asile). Working for Cartier, Lancôme, Microsoft and Playstation, Christophe Huet was given total carte blanche to strike our imagination, and pep up the sometimes mundane companies. He’s used to making up whole worlds, from fang high hills to dancers with a jungle creeper-cable. With a camera and a computer in hand, there’s just one limit: how far will Huet’s imagination stretch? To the ends of the earth, we hope.
Reminisce
For their latest collection, L.A. streetwear company FUCT teamed up with well-respected fashion photographer Shawn Mortensen to give us two limited edition tees featuring the mugs of hip hop icons Snoop and the King of New York himself, the Notorious B.I.G. The photographs, shot in California, show Snoop as a young up-and-comer, pointing a gun at the camera, and a visibly cheery B.I.G, who, according to Mortensen kept telling jokes during the shoot. They are part of Mortensen MCMXC Photo Series and were both shot in Cali between 91′ and 92′. Mortensen, whose celebrity portraits have graced the pages of various publications - remember Trace’s Gwen Stefani cover ?! - was an excellent choice to document this prolific era in rap when the East Coast/West Coast rivalries were at the very core of the creative process. You can order them here.
Africa Is The Future
With a slogan like this, these funky t-shirts will surely catch your attention. Africa Is The Future, is a Paris based line that was born in 2001, when Franco-Congolese Nicolas Premier, on a plane from Brazzaville to Paris, decided to print a set of 30 t-Shirts with the somewhat provocative slogan. The shirts quickly sold out, and Premier decided to put out another collection, this time more diverse, hip and colorful. Over the last five years, Premier and his partners have created more than 10 collections of stickers, t-shirts, tanks and sweaters for men, women and children. They all boast a very simple but efficient design: a black, red or yellow top on which the slogan is written in bright and bold letters. The latest collection “The Children Know” turned out to be the most successful - Premier’s line has now become a real statement and many French artists like the queens of French neo-soul Les Nubians, and Mokobe from the hip hop trio 113 have adopted them. Like Premier, we all long for the day when this message will be more than just a slogan, but in the interim we should all proudly flaunt it on our chests.
Crossover
YOUNITY, started by active New York artists Toofly and Alice Mizrachi, is bringing a new face to the name of women and the arts. YOUNITY is an organization, a community, a process, and the future of women and expression free of any confining purpose or direction. Its mission, “to create an international collective of female visual artists, designers, photographers and craftswomen,” comes at a perfect time as more and more women are getting sick and tired of being put on the back burner. Keeping the focus on the visual arts, they plan to do shows in galleries, craft markets, and fashion shows that will be anything but predictable. The collective hopes to stand as a support system for young artists on the rise by mentoring, building tight networks, sharing resources and developing a community in which women can grow and flourish as artists. Annually, YOUNITY will hold a showcase in New York to allow the public to view some of its work. Today will mark the first exhibit, from 6-9pm at the Showroom Gallery featuring art from ladies worldwide. Don’t miss this moment of history in the making.
Wonder-Remix
When I think of some of the happiest moments of my life, about 75% of them included Stevie Wonder singing in the background. From Superstition to Rocket Love, Stevie’s tracks continue to inspire and create moments of celebration in the young and the young at heart. The musical guru himself will be playing at the Madison Square Garden at 8pm this Saturday, but anyone not up to fighting through crowds and bartering with scalpers can catch the after party @ REBEL. KeiStar has been throwing some of the freshest parties since 98’, and promises this night will keep you dancing till your sweat beads sweat. The Annual WONDER-full event has been known to attract and pack in thrill seekers, music lovers and happy feet including Stevie Wonder’s own daughter. The legendary DJ Spinna will be Living for the City as he plays originals, remixes, covers and samples this Saturday from 10pm till 4am, until we reach that Higher Ground.
$20 with ticket stubs from the Stevie concert/$30 without. Worth every penny.
Safety First
Azumi and David Percival Yamashita, the two designers behind London-based brand A’N'D have a very distinctive approach to the arts. These Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design alumni emerged in the mid-90s with an exclusive set of poetry books and performance art - during one show the couple walked around London’s Tate Gallery wearing sandwich boards. This Japanese-British duo has time and time again proved their tremendous creative abilities. With their first collection in 1999, they added a much needed touch of humor to the world of fashion. Their “things to wear”, as they like to call their creations, are as inventive as they are unusual. From their adorable safety pin necklaces, to their key shaped brooches, A’N'D create accessories and clothes with fresh and unique designs that will please every die-hard fashionista. I love the black leather bag with a heel shaped bottom! Check them out here.
Time Shock
Casio G-SHOCK is out to expand, and for the first time in the brands history, offer the new CONCRE exclusive watch line worldwide this month. Introducing model’s made in collaboration with New York Artist like Eric Elms, Madsaki and Rostarr, these watches bring you back to the Casio’s in the 80’s with revamped street approach. This year is G-SHOCK’s 25th year of bringing some of the “toughest” and functional timepieces around. Any G-SHOCK fan knows how difficult it can be to get the exclusives in the US, but there will be limited quantities available at sneaker and streetwear boutiques, skate shops and other boutiques across the USA, UK, Europe and Asia. Get one while while you can!