8PM: WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2012
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - MILLER THEATRE
2960 Broadway at 116th St. NY, NY. 10027
LIMITED FREE TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE – RESERVE YOUR TICKETS NOW! http://ARTIVIST-NYC2.eventbrite.com
Join us for an exciting evening of inspirational films, panel discussions, and the Honoring of Artist-Activist “Artivist” Sonia Sanchez. Tonight’s film program includes the Award Winnings Shorts: “Bid’Em In” Directed by Neal Sopata, and “Umoja Directed by Elizabeth Tadic; followed by a special screening of “SONIA SANCHEZ: SHAKE LOOSE MEMORIES”, a musical and poetic journey through the life, art and activism of Sonia Sanchez, Directed by Jamal Joseph.
She is Sonia Sanchez. A poetry icon, professor emeritus at Temple University, co founder of the Black Arts Movement, pioneer of the Black studies program at San Francisco State, and tireless fighter for human rights. She is a stuttering child from Alabama, abused step-daughter from Harlem, single mother struggling to raise her children, artist revolutionary battling oppression on all fronts. Sonia’s poetry, performance and reflections weave together to create a moving “cine poem.”
“Shake Loose Memories” celebrates the work of Ms. Sanchez as a poet and activist. The film is anchored around interviews
with Sanchez, Amiri Baraka, her family, and two live performances of “The “Full Moon of Sonia,” a ground breaking eclectic mix of spoken word, jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and blues celebrating her life and work of a cultural icon. Sonia Sanchez’ influence is far-reaching and wide ranging and can be heard in such artists as Mos Def, Jill Scott, and Talib Kweli, to name a few. She is a beacon of the Black Arts Movement.
FILM PROGRAM INCLUDES:
“SHAKE LOOSE MEMORIES”
Director-Producer: Jamal Joseph. Executive Producer: Voza Rivers. Producer: Rachel Watanabe-Batton A Documentary Cine Poem Featuring Amiri Baraka, Toshi Regan,T.C. Carson, Oscar Brown, Jr.
“BID EM’ IN”
ARTIVIST AWARDS: BEST SHORT – HUMAN RIGHTS
Director: Neil Sopata An animated musical short-film version of an Oscar Brown Jr. song, “Bid ‘Em In” is a harrowing, percussive tale of a woman being auctioned off at a slave market in 19th century America.
“UMOJA”
2011 ARTIVIST AWARDS: BEST SHORT – HUMAN RIGHTS
Director: Elizabeth Tadic
“Umoja: No Men Allowed” tells the life-changing true story of a group of tribal Samburu women in Northern Kenya who reclaim their lives, turning age-old patriarchy on its head, when they set up a women’s only village. Their story began years ago when almost 600 women admitted to being raped by British soldiers. When the women returned home, their husbands beat them and cast them out,
asserting they had brought shame to their families for being raped. In 1995, several survivors banded together to establish the women-only village of Umoja [freedom], on an unoccupied field in the dry grasslands. The finale is a showdown between the women and a village chief sent in to resolve the conflict. But there’s simply no turning back for these brave women who are committed towards reclaiming their lives, their identity, and their future.
To learn more about the Artivist Film Festival, visit: http://ymlp.com/zXaJCq