THE JOURNEY OF THE LION

$295.00

THE JOURNEY OF THE LION

DIRECTED BY FRITZ BAUMANN

JAMAICA AND GERMANY / 1992 / ENGLISH / 90 MIN

SYNOPSIS

Brother Howie is a Jamaican Rastifari who dreams of the land of his ancestors: Africa. On a journey in search of his roots and his identity he travels through three continents and - with great humor and sensitivity - discovers the world...and Africa.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Fritz Baumann

Starring: Sheeba

Starring: Trucker

Starring: Aron

GENRES

Docu-drama
DVD sale: $295 Part of "Jamaican Music & Soul" 2 DVD set with "Made in Jamaica"

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THE MALI-CUBA CONNECTION / AFRICA MIA

$395.00

In the midst of the Cold War, ten young promising musicians from Mali are sent to Cuba to study music and strengthen cultural links between the two socialist countries. Combining Malian and Afro-Cuban influences, they develop a revolutionary new sound and become the iconic ensemble ‘Las Maravillas de Mali’. New Year’s Eve 2000. Richard Minier, a French music producer meets a former member of the band in Bamako and decides to bring the band back together.

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THE MAN WHO MENDS WOMEN: THE WRATH OF HIPPOCRATES (L'HOMME QUI RÉPARE LES FEMMES: LA COLÈRE D'HIPPOCRATE)

$345.00

THE MAN WHO MENDS WOMEN - TRAILER 10-23 from ArtMattan Productions on Vimeo.

THE MAN WHO MENDS WOMEN

DIRECTED BY THIERRY MICHEL AND COLETTE BRAECKMAN

CONGO AND BELGIUM / 2015 / FRENCH, ENGLISH, SWAHILI AND MASHI WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES / 113 MIN

SYNOPSIS

Portrait of the impressive life and work of internationally renowned gynecologist Dr. Denis Mukwege from the Democratic Republic of Congo. He received the 2014 prestigious Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought and the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 for his struggle against sexual violence. Mukwege medically assisted over 40,000 sexually abused women in sixteen years of professional practice.

Sexual violence against women has been used as a weapon of war for years in the violence-ridden and poverty-stricken Democratic Republic of Congo. In order to provide medical, psychological and emotional aid to the victims, Dr. Mukwege founded the Panzi hospital in Bukavu in 1999. Besides his work as a physician Dr. Mukwege also defends human rights and seeks to raise global awareness on the issue of sexual violence in his country. He condemns the political reluctance to tackle the problem and is not afraid to hit the nail on the head.

His work is not without danger, as Dr. Mukwege experienced in 2012, when armed men entered his home and started shooting. Mukwege and his family survived the attack, but his guard was killed. The doctor now lives cloistered in his hospital in Bukavu under the protection of the United Nation peacekeepers. The women, whose physical and emotional integrity and dignity have been restored, stand beside him, true activists for peace, and hungry for justice.

The Man Who Mends Women - The Wrath of Hippocrates was awarded on the 8th of February 2016 the Best Documentary Magritte given once a year by the Académie André Delvaux to the Best Feature Length Belgium Francophone Documentary of the year.

It also received on January 29, 2016 the HUMANUM AWARD by the Belgium Film Critic Union (Union de la Presse Cinématographique Belge - UPCB) for its advocacy in favor of harmonious living among different peoples.

Other awards include:
* Best Documentary Special Jury Award at the 2016 Pan African Film Festival, in Los Angeles (USA);
* Special Mention at the Festival Internacional De Cine Documental De La Ciudad de Mexico 2015 (Mexico);
* The Public Award at the Algiers International Film Festival 2015 (Algeria);
* The Golden Butterfly - A Matter of Act award at the Movies That Matter Festival 2015 (The Netherlands)

The film has received so far 5 Human Rights Awards, 3 Audience Awards, and 4 Grand Prizes for Best Documentary in festivals worldwide!

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Thierry Michel and Colette Braeckman

GENRES

Documentary

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THE SILENT MONOLOGUE

$245.00

DIRECTED BY KHADY SYLLA AND CHARLIE VAN DAMME

SENEGAL AND BELGIUM / 2008 / WOLOF AND FRENCH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES / 48 MIN

SYNOPSIS

In a voice-over, we hear the thoughts of Amy, a girl from a rural area of Senegal who works as a domestic for a well-to-do family in Dakar. She complains about her employer, who continuously criticizes her and gets on her case, and she talks about her dream of one day opening her own eatery. Meanwhile, we see her sweep the pavement, prepare the food and clean the house. The contrast with her vast and barren native region is enormous. In Dakar, some 150,000 young women work as housekeepers for families whose daughters can go to school. "Why does the emancipation of some result in the servitude of others?" Amy wonders. The filmmakers interview other young maids who dream of going to school, and they film a woman who shouts her furious lyrics straight into the camera in rapper-like fashion: "I keep your houses squeaky clean, but you all think I'm dirty!" In a dramatized scene in a slum, the women demonstrate how they'd like to deal with a woman who doesn't pay her housekeeper enough. In response to the situation, the filmmakers make an appeal to change the rules of the world economy.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Khady Sylla and Charlie Van Damme

GENRES

Docu-drama

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THE STORY OF LOVER'S ROCK

$295.00

The Story of Lovers Rock Trailer - ArtMattan Films from ArtMattan Productions on Vimeo.

DIRECTED BY MENELIK SHABAZZ

U.K. AND BARBADOS / 2011 / ENGLISH / 96 MIN

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.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Menelik Shabazz

Starring: Dennis Bovell

Starring: Paulette Harris-German

Starring: Janet Kay

GENRES

Musical Documentary

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THE VALLEY OF THE BLACK DESCENDANTS (EL VALLE DE LOS NEGROS)

$295.00

THE VALLEY OF THE BLACK DESCENDANTS
(EL VALLE DE LOS NEGROS)

DIRECTED BY Richard Salgado

Chile / 2017/ SPANISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES / 52 min

SYNOPSIS

In the Azapa Valley (Chile), an oasis in the driest desert in the world, a group of descendants of enslaved men and women brought from Africa are organizing the first African census in the history of Chile. Their aim is to get official recognition from the State that has concealed their culture and African identity for more than 200 years.

DIRECTOR

Director: Richard Salgado

GENRES

Documentary

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TIME AND JUDGEMENT: A STORY OF A 400 YEAR EXILE

$195.00

TIME AND JUDGEMENT: A DIARY OF A 400 YEAR EXILE

DIRECTED BY MENELIK SHABAZZ

U.K. AND BARBADOS / 1988 / ENGLISH / 84 MIN

SYNOPSIS

Time and Judgement is an overview of the African Liberation Movement that spans a period of 400 hundred years. The film narrates the tribulations and successes of people of African descent in and out of Africa with a special focus on the struggles of the last century. Through extensive footage of the movement in the Caribbean, Africa, America and Europe, the viewer is exposed to the critical political analysis of leaders such as: Maurice Bishop of Grenada, Walter Rodney of Guyana, Jessie Jackson, Kwame Ture (Stokley Carmichael) and Louis Farrakhan of the USA, Samora Machel of Mozambique, Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, Bob Marley and Marcus Garvey of Jamaica, and more.

Through the creative use of various art forms including theater, poetry, songs and art, Time and Judgement establishes a connection between a biblical prophecy with the times we are living in, leading toward the final confrontation between the heart and money - the heart symbolizing love and life, and money symbolizing greed and lust for power.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Menelik Shabazz

Starring: Doris Harper-Wills

Starring: Thomas Pinnock

Starring: Anita Breveld

GENRES

Documentary

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Walter Rodney: What They Don't Want You To Know

$395.00

Walter Rodney: What They Don't Want You To Know

An original circa 72-minute documentary featuring a murder, Cold War conspiracies, Black Power, the end of the British Empire, and how that connects to the policing and surveillance practices of today. It feeds a growing appetite for history from a different perspective, as we grapple with the legacy of colonialism, and its impact on the modern world.

"Walter Rodney" is a compelling documentary that delves into the life and legacy of Dr. Walter Rodney, a prominent historian, activist, and champion for civil rights. Through a series of enlightening interviews and footage captured across Guyana, Barbados, Jamaica, Tanzania, the United States, and the United Kingdom, the film presents a comprehensive portrait of a man who dedicated his life to fostering unity in the face of adversity. Rodney's ideals and struggles continue to resonate with contemporary global movements for social justice and equality.

In 1980, Walter Rodney's life was tragically cut short in Guyana, South America, as a result of actions taken by the oppressive government of Forbes Burnham, which was supported by the CIA and MI5. Four decades after his untimely death, the Guyanese government has finally acknowledged the state's involvement in his assassination, shedding light on a dark chapter in the nation's history.

This is the first film where Walter’s widow reveals the personal impact on the family of Walter’s assassination. Contributors include Angela Davis, Gina Miller, former President of Guyana Donald Ramotar, Edward and Donald Rodney, and Walter’s wife Patricia Rodney, as well as prominent historians.

The film premiered at the British Film Institute's largest screen to a sell-out audience of 450, the BFI is Britain’s most prestigious film organization.

Directed by Arlen Harris and Daniyal Harris-Vajda, UK, 2023, 72min, Documentary in English. Special thanks to The Walter Rodney Foundation and the Ameena Gafoor Institute.

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Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun

$395.00

Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun, directed by Sam Pollard, is an illuminating documentary that captures the life and legacy of one of the most significant African American writers of the 20th century, Zora Neale Hurston. The film takes its audience on a journey through Hurston's eventful life, from her early years in Eatonville, Florida, to her pivotal role in the Harlem Renaissance. It delves into her works, her unique storytelling style that blended folklore with rich depictions of African American life, and her contributions to African American literature. The documentary also addresses the challenges Hurston faced, including her struggle with financial instability and her controversial viewpoints that often placed her at odds with the mainstream civil rights movement. Through interviews with scholars, contemporaries, and excerpts from her own writings, Pollard's film pays homage to Hurston's indomitable spirit and enduring impact on literature and African American culture.

Directed by Sam Pollard, 2008, USA, 84 Min, Documentary, English

"Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun is a moving interpretation of Zora Neale Hurston's life and career. In fact, a viewer can easily sit halfway through the eighty-four-minute film and forget one is watching a documentary," ~Project Muse

"Kudos to Bay Bottom News and American Masters for their professional production, and for bringing to light an amazing and long overdue story of a legendary icon and storyteller of the Harlem Renaissance and beyond,"~ Pennsylvania State University

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