Tag: Beninese Americans

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WITH BIGGER THAN AFRICA, TOYIN ADEKEYE UNIFIES PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENTS

By SHAIBU HUSSEINI | The Guardian Newspaper

Although he has been touring festivals worldwide screening his first feature documentary, Bigger Than Africa, Toyin Ibrahim Adekeye’s dream was to have the cultural documentary stream on a global platform so that more people will get to see the film outside festivalgoers.

That dream came through for the filmmaker and President of Motherland Productions in Los Angeles on May 13, 2022, when the documentary film about the journey of enslaved Africans through the lens of the Yoruba culture of West Africa debuted on the global streaming platform Netflix.

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Entertainment

Djimon Hounsou Joins Tony Kaye’s ‘African History Y’

By Anthony D’Alessandro | DEADLINE

 Djimon Hounsou has boarded director Tony Kaye’s African History Y. The plot is being kept under wraps billed only as “a story of tragedy and redemption.” Charles Chanchori, Jason Corder and Kaye are writing. DeForrest Taylor, Marc Le Chat, Kaye and Raymond J. Markovich are producing.

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Leonard Wantchekon |Beninese professor leads new effort to propel Black students into top economics Ph.D. programs

By Delaney Parrish | Princeton University

In 2014, Princeton professor Leonard Wantchekon opened the doors to what is now one of the top-ranked economics programs in Africa. Today, the African School of Economics (ASE), with campuses in Benin and Côte d’Ivoire, offers several undergraduate degrees, four master’s degrees, a Ph.D. program and a pre-doctoral program, all aimed at providing “a greater voice to African researchers and entrepreneurs in the debate over the continent’s development.”

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It’s Angélique Kidjo’s Birthday, and Her Country’s Too

She is probably Africa’s most widely respected international vocalist, and one of its hungriest synthesizers of culture and ideas.

By Giovanni Russonello|The New York Times

The Beninese vocalist Angélique Kidjo was born into one of the most hopeful moments of the 20th century. Just two weeks after her birth in 1960 — in Ouidah, Dahomey — her country finally gained independence from France. It was one of 17 African nations to declare independence that year.

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Movies

Djimon Hounsou set to play Congolese Nobel Peace Laureate in new film

By Mildred Europa Taylor

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Oscar-nominated actor, Djimon Hounsou, will kickstart shooting the much-anticipated biopic ‘Panzi’ this summer.

The Beninese-American actor and model who is best known for his Oscar-nominated performance in “Blood Diamond,” is set to portray the role of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Denis Mukwege, in the film “Panzi”.

The film will be directed by actress-turned-director Marie-Helene Roux, Variety reports.

Mukwege was jointly awarded last year’s Nobel Peace Prize with Iraqi Yazidi human rights activist Nadia Murad for “their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict.”

Image result for Djimon Hounsou and denis mukwege
Denis Mukwege. Pic credit: mediacongo.net

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DJIMON HOUNSOU, the Hollywood star who remembers his roots in Africa

Djimon Hounsou was born and raised in Benin Republic. The actor came to America as an adult to work in the fashion industry before landing his leading role in Amistad that changed everything. He has since gone on to star in Hollywood blockbusters like Jurassic Park  and Guardians of the Galaxy   .

He dated fashion and reality TV star, Kimora Lee Simmons, with whom he has a son, Kenzo Lee Hounsou. Last summer, Hounsou took Kenzo to Benin Republic to acquaint him with his African roots. This report by Sarie on bckonline.com
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