As a young man born and raised in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tshopher Kabambi dreamed of making movies. He is the director of “Heart of Africa”, the first Congolese-American production of its kind with a story that conveys Christian themes of brotherly love and overcoming prejudice.
By Trent Toone
Continue reading “Congolese Director, Tshopher Kabambi’s dream realised with release of ‘Heart of Africa’”
By ELVIS ONDIEKI
A young Kenyan-American is trying hard to make an impression on the American movie industry. Raymond Watanga, 26, left Kenya in 2006 at the age of 12 with his mother and elder brother.
This was after his mother won the Electronic Diversity Visa Lottery (Green Card) to live and work in the United States.
Continue reading “Kenyan-born actor, Raymond Watanga, makes moves in Hollywood”
By Mira Maged
America Abroad Media (AAM) honored Egypt’s acclaimed star Yousra at its seventh edition during its annual dinner that took place in Washington, DC, celebrating the star’s artistic contributions that have presented Americans with remarkable representations of Egyptian history, according to the press release.
The statement applauded Yousra’s significant role in lifting taboos in Egyptian society and generating fruitful social dialogue. The award celebrates Yousra’s entire career.
Continue reading “Egyptian star Yousra honored by America Abroad Media”
By Afua Hirsch
The penny about the US’s worldview dropped for me when I recently interviewed a highly educated, accomplished, politically and racially literate American. I mentioned something about the British empire and he looked at me blankly. “What is that exactly?” he asked.#OscarsSoWhite: a 10-point plan for change by the hashtag’s creator
Excluding Lionheart for using English shows Africans are still expected to satisfy American ideas of authenticity.
Continue reading “An Oscars ban for a Nigerian film shows the Academy still doesn’t get it on race”
By Fatima Moosa
The Zulu Wedding is finally releasing in cinemas. The movie’s release has been delayed many times in the past two years. The movie is about Lu (Nondumiso Tembe) a dancer from South Africa who is currently working in America. She falls in love with Tex (Darrin Dewitt Henson). However, there’s a problem – Lu has been promised to marry a Zulu prince (Pallance Dladla). Returning home to South Africa with Tex, Lu has to navigate the complication that is her life. The Daily Vox team spoke to about the film’s director Lineo Sekeleoane.
Continue reading “‘Zulu Wedding’ Director Eager For South Africans To See Movie”
By Nadia Neophytou
When Euzhan Palcy released the second film she’d ever made, A Dry White Season, in 1989, she wrote herself into the history of filmmaking, becoming the first black female filmmaker to helm a studio movie—one with big name actors and a budget to go along with it. It should have heralded a new era in her life, as a filmmaker of note, but it’s only now, 30 years later, that she looks set to return to her love of cinema.
Continue reading “The seminal Hollywood movie on apartheid South Africa and its pioneering black female director”
Viewers will soon be transported to the vast and magical grasslands of Africa when Discovery Channel’s new series, Serengeti, premieres on Sunday. The docuseries follows the heartwarming and harrowing tales of wildlife living within Tanzania’s largest national park.
Kenya native Lupita Nyong’o narrates the six-part series, produced by Emmy-winning filmmakers Simon Fuller and John Downer, who also directed the show.
Continue reading “LUPITA NYONG’O TALKS BEING THE ‘VOICE OF GOD’ WHILE NARRATING THE MAJESTY OF ‘SERENGETI’ IN DISCOVERY CHANNEL NEW DOCUSERIES”
by Eve M. Ferguson
The African Diaspora International Film Festival returns to the Marvin Center at George Washington University from Aug. 9-11, celebrating “the human experience of people of color around the world.”
This year showcases heroes of African diaspora history, from the opening night with “Ali’s Comeback: The Untold Story,” directed by Art Jones, to the closing night film, “The Robeson Effect,” in which actors Danny Glover and Ben Guillory, friends for more than 50 years, tell how actor Paul Robeson affected their lives, leading to the creation of the Robey Theater Company in Los Angeles.
Continue reading “African Diaspora Film Festival Returns to GW”
The partnership between Birdman and Solomon Onita to make a new film also has Benny Boom on board.
By Gbenga Bada
Nigerian American filmmaker, Solomon Onita Jr. has partnered with Cash Money’s Birdman for his new film, ‘Tazmanian Devil’.
Continue reading “Birdman is producing a Nigerian American filmmaker’s film, ‘Tazmanian Devil’”
The 17th annual African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF) will run from June 21 to 27 at Chicago’s Facets Cinematheque (1517 W. Fullerton Ave.) Established in 1993, the ADIFF is a minority-led, not-for profit international gala that presents, interprets and educates about films that explore the human experience of people of color all over the world. Along the way, it inspires imaginations, disrupt stereotypes, and help transform attitudes that perpetuate injustice.
Continue reading “The African Diaspora International Film Festival plays at Facets Chicago June 21 – 27”
The Egyptian movie “Between Two Seas” directed by Anas Tolba won the prize for the best narrative film and the Mariam Naoum Art Achievement Award at the end of the 22nd edition of the Brooklyn Film Festival, which ran from May 31 to June 9 in United States of America.
Continue reading “Egyptian movie wins 2 awards at Brooklyn Film Festival”
Historical and recent migrations have resulted in the merging of cultures and shared experiences.
With its Migration Stories Film Series, the African Diaspora International Film Festival presents a rich palette of migration stories from around the world.
Continue reading “Africans v. African Americans Subject of Film Festival”
Netflix has signaled that Africa holds massive untapped potential for their expansion — and even Thierry Fremaux recognizes the continent is about to have a filmmaking explosion.
By Tambay Obenson
Netflix has acquired worldwide rights (excluding China, Benelux, Switzerland, Russia, France) to French-Senegalese filmmaker Mati Diop’s feature debut, the award winning “Atlantics,” which premiered at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, where it was awarded the Grand Prix.
Continue reading “Netflix acquires Senegalese Cannes Film Festival’s ‘Grand Prix’ winner”
By Wilson Morales
The 26th New York African Film Festival(NYAFF) kicks off at BAM Film on Thursday, May 23, and runs through Monday, May 27, as a part of BAM’s popular dance and music festival.
The popular festival includes 68 films of multiple genres from 31 countries across the diaspora, and is presented by FLC and African Film Festival, Inc. (AFF).
Continue reading “The 26th New York African Film Festival opens at Lincoln Center May 30 – June 4”
Egyptian-Canadian actor Mena Massoud, who stars in the anticipated live action reboot of Aladdin alongside Will Smith, sent a dedicated message to his Egyptian fans on social media to express his pride of being Egyptian and encourage his fans to see it.
Titled ‘Egypt, this one’s for you!’, Massoud begins the video with “Oh Egyptian people, greetings!”
Continue reading “Egyptian-Canadian Mena Massoud is Aladdin, with Will Smith as Genie”