- Title: African films find audiences in America as the industry continues to grow.
- Date: 11th May 2016
- Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (MAY 05, 2016) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) JIMMY JEAN-LOUIS, ACTOR STARRING IN "THE CURSED ONES", SAYING: "It's beautifully shot. It's exactly where 'Beast of no Nations' shot their movie. We used most of their crew and most of the actors as well. And it's a funny story because it's a small little village in Ghana. And suddenly, back-to-back they have two huge movies coming to their village. And those villagers just don't know how to react, it was like, 'what's going on here?' Cameras, lights, people, cars. It's a nice little story, well told and it's a human story and I'm very proud of it so hopefully it will do well here and we'll have a way to distribute it." JEAN-LOUIS TALKING IN FRONT OF POSTER SCREENING DATE OF "THE CURSED ONES" (SOUNDBITE) (English) JIMMY JEAN-LOUIS, ACTOR STARRING IN "THE CURSED ONES", SAYING: "It's true that the heart of Africa is lacking theatres. Congo doesn't have any. Cameroon doesn't have any. Senegal has a few, Ivory Coast a few. So it's not enough, you know, we need to build that infrastructure and I guess that is up to us. Just to come together and see what works - not just for us now, but for us in the future, for the next generation."
- Embargoed: 26th May 2016 22:13
- Keywords: New York African Film Festival Lincoln Center Film Society Jimmy Jean-Louis actor movies
- Location: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES / UNKNOWN FILM LOCATIONS
- City: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES / UNKNOWN FILM LOCATIONS
- Country: USA
- Topics: Film
- Reuters ID: LVA0094HI32AF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: For the 23rd year, the New York African Film Festival provided an audience for films that can sometimes have trouble finding viewers.
This year 52 films were selected to be shown at the event that ran from May 4-May 10 at Lincoln Center.
"We have 52 films and believe me, we had a selection of maybe double that. And 52 films from 26 countries," said festival founder and executive director, Mahen Bonetti.
After each film, audiences had a chance to interact with film makers, which Bonetti called a rare opportunity.
"New York is really an international community, so having that engagement with audiences is so - I can't tell you enough how much they express the importance of them having those post screening discussions. And also, interacting with each other because here it's an even playing field. Other places where they go to where there is a hierarchy."
Although the landscape of African films is changing, Bonetti said the template will always be Nollywood, Nigeria's multi million-dollar film industry producing more than 2000 films a year.
In recent years, technology has helped to create and develop African storytellers.
"No matter what we think Nollywood has given us a template. And to create, you know, your own specific regional cinema. There are budding artists everywhere on the continent who are making their films and showing it to their neighbourhoods, sharing files. You can go on the internet, you can make your film and post it. That is how some people get discovered. And that's how also we get to know about some film makers," said Bonetti.
Haitian actor Jimmy Jean-Louis says these are better days for African film and even Nollywood, which made its name through churning out low budget, low quality productions, is leveraging its economic success to improve how the films are being made.
"I think the past five years we've seen a little shift in what you call Nollywood and what you call the new era of Nollywood. And people there will also make that distinction, and it's pretty clear as well. And I think that's what interests me, that new era of Nollywood. You have a handful of great filmmakers. The actors are good, depending on how they are being directed. The technicians are getting there and also because the cameras are easier to get now, compared to ten years ago. It's easier to have quality movies than what they used to do 10, 15 years ago," he said.
Jean-Louis stars in "The Cursed Ones," a film screened at the festival about a village overcome by a fear of dark forces and accuses a young girl of witchcraft.
"It's beautifully shot. It's exactly where 'Beast of no Nations' shot their movie. We used most of their crew and most of the actors as well. And it's a funny story because it's a small little village in Ghana. And suddenly, back-to-back they have two huge movies coming to their village. And those villagers just don't know how to react, it was like, 'what's going on here?' Cameras, lights, people, cars. It's a nice little story, well told and it's a human story and I'm very proud of it so hopefully it will do well here and we'll have a way to distribute it," said Jean-Louis.
Jean-Louis said a lot more resources and funding need to be pumped into Africa's film and theatre arts before a major breakthrough can happen however, he feels that the industry's future is bright.
"It's true that the heart of Africa is lacking theatres. Congo doesn't have any. Cameroon doesn't have any. Senegal has a few, Ivory Coast a few. So it's not enough, you know, we need to build that infrastructure and I guess that is up to us. Just to come together and see what works - not just for us now, but for us in the future, for the next generation," he said.
The New York African Film Festival closed with Manthia Diawara's Negritude: A Dialogue Between Wole Soyinka and Senghor. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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