THE OBENSON REPORT

Covering Cinema From All Across The African Diaspora
Showing posts with label docs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label docs. Show all posts

TRAILER, SUNDANCE - Nollywood Babylon

Posted on 3:40 PM comments (2)
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Below is the trailer for another Sundance Film Festival 2009 entry titled, Nollywood Babylon, a feature documentary about the explosive popularity of Nigeria's movie industry, aka Nollywood, the third largest in the world, behind Hollywood and Bollywood.

This is the second documentary on Nollywood that I am aware of. The first, Welcome To Nollywood, failed to make much of a splash, however is available for sale on DVD via the National Black Programming Consortium.

I hear Nollywood Babylon is better, thorough, and delves much deeper beneath the surface of it all. I hope I get to see it eventually.

Here's the trailer:

Watch Me Explode... On Camera!

Posted on 9:52 AM comments (2)
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DOC
Ok... so I'm not really exploding, but I look like I'm about to in this clip below from Sujewa Ekanayake's documentary, Indie Film Blogger Road Trip - a project I previously mentioned, which was produced over the summer.

In the feature-length documentary, Sujewa, the self-described "Brooklyn based, ultra-indie/low-budget/superdelicious filmmaker, who generally rocks," interviews a cadre of people who blog about independent movies, the film scene/industry, and related matters. And the result is a medley of diverse and interesting portraits of each subject, as well as a revealing report on the varied states of both the independent and mainstream movie industries, as seen through the lenses of each blogger interviewed.

I certainly learned something. And I think you will too... after you see it!

To whet your appetites, Sujewa unveiled the first 9 minutes of the documentary, on his website, which I've included below. In it, we see: Anthony Kaufman talk about the moment when he knew he would "make it" as a professional film journalist; we see Sujewa himself introduce the documentary; and lastly, you see my recorded segment, as I speak about the blogging community that I've become a part of, and how blogging has helped me as both a blogger and a filmmaker.

The full 95-minute documentary will be available at screenings and on DVD in 2009. For more information and news about the project visit: http://indiefilmbloggersmovie.blogspot.com/

And now, watch me almost explode in all my nervousness :o):
DOC

TRAILER - The People Speak

Posted on 3:23 PM No Comments
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the people speak


Curious...

It's called The People Speak, a documentary based on Howard Zinn's groundbreaking books, A People's History of the United States and Voices of a People's History of the United States. both books I STRONGLY recommend, it you haven't already read them - notably the former, which I've committed to re-reading once every year!

The film brings together accomplished performers to re-create the emotional impact of moments in American history - several great speeches from the voices of those marginalized, rarely heard in mainstream histories, like Malcolm X, Abbie Hoffman, César Chávez, Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Allen Ginsberg, and countless others.

These readings are woven together with historical footage, music and narrations from Ben Affleck and Howard Zinn.

Featured appearances include: Don Cheadle as Richard Wright, Danny Glover as Frederick Douglass, John Legend as Muhammad Ali, Mos Def as Malcolm X, Kerry Washington as Sojourner Truth, Jasmine Guy as Abbey Lincoln, and Michael Ealy as Benjamin Banneker, and many, many more... Viggo Mortensen, Sandra Oh, Sean Penn, Rosario Dawson, Matt Damon...

The program will air in TV and be released on a special DVD some time next year. I have no idea when exactly, and couldn't find any more info.

Now that it's on my radar, I'll certainly be looking out for it. You can sign up for future updates at the film's official website: http://www.thepeoplespeak.com/.

Here's the trailer:

"U People" - Trailer & Award

Posted on 3:36 PM No Comments
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I've talked about this doc previously on this blog, so some of you long-time readers will be familiar. If you're not, look it up and enlighten yourself. The filmmaker is a fellow Brooklynite and a former acquaintance.

Hanifah Walidah is her name.

I just learned that her documentary film, titled U People, won the documentary section's grand jury prize at image+nation, Canada's oldest and largest LGBT film festival, which closed up its 2008 edition Sunday in Montreal.

Where can you see it if you want to? Apparently, a deal of some kind is being worked out with the LOGO cable TV channel, to broadcast U People in early 2009.

The film's producers are also coordinating with colleges, community spaces and the like, to organize a spring and summer tour of the film next year.

Visit I Love U People for a lot more information, including podcasts (both audio and video) hosted by the filmmakers.

In the meantime, here's a trailer for the documentary. And below it is the music video that started it all, and one of the coolest things I've seen in awhile:




Here's the "Make A Move" music video:

"Pray The Devil Back To Hell"

Posted on 11:51 PM No Comments
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I missed this entirely. It's called Pray The Devil Back To Hell and has been in limited release here in New York since November 8th; although it's playing until the 4th of December - this Thursday; so if you, like me, live in New York City and haven't seen it yet, you should.

I've heard nothing but absolutely wonderful things about the film, and I'm looking forward to experiencing it. It played at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year, where it won the award for Best Documentary.

Pray the Devil Back to Hell is described as - the gripping account of a group of brave women who demanded peace for Liberia, a nation torn to shreds by a decades-long civil war. In 2003, Liberia was a country devastated by decades of political dislocation, humanitarian crisis, and street-to-street urban warfare. Charles Taylor, then President of Liberia, had emptied the country's pockets as creatively as any dictator in memory. His ascent to power led to the deaths of thousands of people and a nation in complete ruin. Out of the wreckage, more than 2000 Christian and Muslim women throughout the country began to organize and banded together in an effort to bring an end to the fighting. At great personal risk, they protested creatively and persistently for peace in the worst days of brutal and protracted civil conflict.

According to the film's official website, it only just begun its nationwide theatrical run, and will be traveling through several cities between now and the end of the year, likely to get Academy Award consideration. Check the website for all theatrical listings. It might be coming to your city.

Here's the trailer:





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