Now in its 12th year, Washington University’s annual African Film Festival boasts some of Africa’s most acclaimed films on the big screen. And festival coordinator Wilmetta Toliver-Diallo is especially proud of what the series of films will bring to the screen this weekend at Brown Hall.
“In creating this year’s lineup, I tried to mix genres and ensure a mix of diverse and distinct cultures, but in each feature narrative, the premise of each film is love – and that looks different from culture to culture,” Toliver-Diallo said.
This year’s showcase features nine films – including the acclaimed Nollywood drama 76, which dominated last year’s African International Film Festival. Also in the crop is a homage to Prince, “Rain the Color Blue with a Little Red in It,” featuring Mdou Moctor, a known Tuareg musician. The beauty in the film is the wide shots of the Niger landscape and the glimpse into the guitar scene in Agadez. Aside from Moctor, the actors in the film are non-professional actors.
“76” is the first Nollywood feature ever featured in the festival and is the opening night feature. A historical fiction – the film retells the story of the 1976 coup against General Murtala Muhammed in Nigeria. “76” features Nigeria’s hottest stars and plenty of Nollywood elements, but more importantly, the film offers audiences a glimpse into 1970s West African fashion and music. The festival also will feature a screening of the acclaimed series, “Children of the Mountain,”followed by a conversation with director Priscilla Anany – an advocate for telling women’s stories in Africa. ‘Children’ has received much acclaim in international festivals with its protagonist claiming many Best Female lead awards. The Saint Louis Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. will sponsor the reception following Saturday evening’s screenings.
Film fun for the kids
The festival sets aside 1-3 p.m. Saturday for its special “Eye on Youth” programming. This year’s selected shorts are “Stick Man,” an animated adventure about a father’s epic quest home; “Orisha’s Journey,” an animated fantasy about a mysterious walking forest and “Hair that Moves,” the charming tale of a girl who wants to win a singing competition.
Toliver-Diallo says the movies’ themes are universal, but they also offer a unique look at the perspectives and people of Africa.
“I love film’s power to transport us to other landscapes within minutes,” said Toliver-Diallo, who is also assistant dean in Arts & Sciences and senior lecturer in African and African-American Studies at Washington University. “I hope these films provide children an opportunity to compare their lives with the lives others thousands of miles away and to gain a more complex, 3-D understanding of other cultures.”
Immediately following the screening, animator, comic book illustrator and storyboard editor Abdul Ndadi will lead an interactive workshop, “From Idea to Life.” Ndadi is excited about his visit to Saint Louis. “I am honored to be presenting my film ‘Orisha’s Journey’at Washington University in St. Louis for their African Film Festival,” said Ndadi. “And I feel privileged to be working with youth about creating stories of their own.”
Supplies provided for the interactive workshop are courtesy of the Saint Louis Art Museum.
The Festival is sponsored by the Department of African & African American Studies, Program in Film & Media Studies and the African Students Association of Washington University. The festival is supported with funding from the Washington University Women’s Society, Missouri Humanities Council and the Missouri Arts Council.
Washington University’s 12th Annual African Film Festival will take place from March 31-April 2 in Brown Hall on the Danforth Campus. All films and related programming are free and open to the public. For a full list of films at this year’s festival, visit africanfilm.wustl.edu or call (314) 935-7879.
