Friday Sept 25 – Opening Night Double Bill
Location: Eng 103, George Vari Building, Ryerson University
Time: 6:30 PM
Delroy Kincaid: Where Do White People Go When The Long Weekend Comes?
Dir: Powys Dewhurst
7 min // 2008 // Canada
An artistic black boy is raised in a vibrant seaside Caribbean village by his grandmother. When they travel to the First World to live with his parents and his grandmother dies, a lonely and confused Delroy must journey alone to understand his life and identity in this new world as an ‘immigrant’.
The Tenant
Dir: Lucky Ejim
90 min//2008//Canada
Obinna (Lucky Ejim), an African refugee in Canada, faces deportation in 30 days. When all hope seems lost, a chance confrontation with Timothy, his terminally ill landlord, provides him an opportunity to remain in the country. Timothy who is a former immigration officer makes him a deal; he will intervene in his pending deportation if Obinna finds his estranged daughter Nicole and convinces her to see him one last time before he dies. With the clock ticking, Obinna fights to save his dreams, in the course of which he stumbles on a discovery that will shake the very foundations of his beliefs.
Location: Eng 103, George Vari Building, Ryerson University
Time: 9:30 PM
Who Are You Wearin’?
Dir: Powys Dewhurst
6 min//2008//Canada
Who Are You Wearin’? is a timely thought-provoking satire that pokes fun at the controversial fad of Third World adoption by celebrities. What happens when babies are yanked from mud huts and thrust into the spotlight to replace designer bags?
The Black Candle
Dir: M.K. Asante Jr
71 min//2008//US
The Black Candle is a landmark documentary that uses Kwanzaa as a vehicle to explore the African-American experience. Narrated by world-renown poet Maya Angelou, The Black Candle is an extraordinary, inspirational story about the struggle and triumph of African-American family, community and culture. Filmed across the United States, Africa, Europe and the Caribbean, The Black Candle is more than a film about a holiday, it’s a celebration of a people!
Saturday Sept 26 – Youth on Camera – Youth Group Showcase
Location: National Filmboard Mediatheque
Time: 1:00 PM
Demon Buddy
Dir: Ray Wilson
5 min//2009//Canada
A young man in a chance meeting with a old friend finds out the hard way what happens to people who can’t stop talking and oversteps the boundaries of personal space.
Stall
Dir: Regents Park Focus Directors Group
16 min// 2009 // Canada
A mean boss feels the ultimate sting of karma when he is locked inside a smelly secluded bathroom at the office and tries with all his might to escape before he loses his mind.
The Smoker
Dir: Kayla McCalla
5 min// 2008 // Canada
Mr Mohammed is a chain smoker. Despite his daughter’s concern for his health, he is unable to find the will power to quit. The consequences prove to be beyond tragic.
Also Featuring:
True Loyalty
Dir: Monique McKenzie
9 min// 2008 // Canada
Two friends loyalty is tested when a new girl comes to there school and they both have an eye for her
Dishonour
Dir: Tanisha Evans
10 min// 2008 // Canada
A young woman is torn between two worlds: the religious one her father belongs to and the new immigrant contemporary one that is filled with new temptations.
Alwyn
Dir: Alwyn Barry
8 min//2009//Canada
A short documentary about a young man diagnosed with cancer at the age of sixteen.
B2DS (Dir: Blitz Program Youth Crew, 8 min), BeLovED (Dir: Blitz Program Youth Crew), UNITY or Die (Dir: Gashanti Unity)
Saturday Sept 26 – CBFF/The AfriCan Heritage Festival Present – Nollywood Blockbusters
Location: Jackman Hall, Art Gallery of Ontario
Time: 11:00 AM
Diplomatic Swange – 11:00 AM
Dir: Bayo Akinfemi
71 min// 2008 // Canada
With participation by the Benue State Government of Nigeria and the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa, Canada, the documentary dubbed as the guideline to ‘improving Nigeria-Canadian relationships through cultural diplomacy’, highlights the rich culture of this diverse Western African country through dance. Diplomatic Swange takes the viewer on a rollercoaster ride of dazzling performances and high energy live shows, showcasing some of the best Nigerian performers the country has to offer. Featuring captivating interviews by some of the key proponents of West African dance, it brings the aspirations and hopes of Canadians and Nigerians to a glimpse of fruition.
The King Is Mine – 12:30 PM
Dir: Frank Raja Arase
140 min// 2008 // Ghana
The King Is Mine is one of the most popular titles to come out of the thriving African movie industry. Made in Ghana, it tells the story of a young king of the Doduala Kingdom (John Dumelo), who desperately desires an heir to his throne. The Queen of Doduala Kingdom is given away in marriage to the new King, her brother in-law, after the death of her husband in a marriage which produced a female child and no apparent heir. After the Queen has four still births, the King decides to seek a new bride with intriguing results. The star studded cast includes Nollywood heavyweights Kalsum Sinare, Jackie Appiah, Irene Opare, Kojo Dadson and Emmanuel Armah.
Love My Way – 5:00 PM
Dir: Ikechukwu Onyeka
140 min // 2008 // Nigeria
Love My Way, is a fascinating example of the Nollywood narrative. It charts the story of Tekena (Jim Lyke), whose world is turned upside down when he realizes his lovely fiancée is not what both he and his fiancée herself thought she was! Life’s funny incidents bring Tekena and Keylin together, while Keyla, Tekana’s more suitable love interest the real deal was out of town. Tekena later realizes that he has been living with a stranger, but is unable to emotionally break free. In the process, two sisters stumble over their family’s long hidden secrets. What will happen to Tekena’s disheveled world? Staring Genevieve Nnaji, Jim Iyke, Tonto Dike and Kalu Ikeagwu.
Sunday Sept 27 – Black*Woman*Love Program
Location: Jackman Hall, Art Gallery of Ontario
Time: 12:00 PM
Esther, Baby and Me
Dir: Louis Taylor
21 min // 2000 // Canada
Esther, Baby and Me takes us on a hysterical romp through the mind of Louis Taylor as he discovers he is about to become a father. Responsibility, race guilt, alcohol poisoning, SUV’s and a serious lack of sex plague Lou’s journey towards fatherhood and maturity. A journey he never planned on making. Crushingly honest and incredibly amusing, it is a must see for those who value a dose of intelligence in their short films.
Soulmate
Dir: Andrea Wiley
83 min // 2006 // USA
43% of African-American Women remain unmarried. Soulmate presents the realities facing today’s successful, saved and single African-American women. This personal portrait reveal the trials and triumphs of remarkable women while offering hope and practical advice on wuch issues as loneliness, the desire for sexual intimacy, men on the down low, the ticking biological clock and the uncertainty of the future. Winner of Best Feature Film African American Women in Cinema Film Festival. Winner Best Documentary, San Fransisco WYSIWYG Film Festival.
Location: Jackman Hall, Art Gallery of Ontario
Time: 4:30 PM
Africa’s Daughters
Dir: Natalie Halpern
25 min // 2008 // USA
Winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary Short at the Atlanta Film Festival, Africa’s Daughters, captures the inspiring journey of two Ugandan girls with one big dream: to lift themselves and their families out of poverty. To do that they must challenge cultural traditions and graduate high school, something nearly impossible for most African girls.
The First Time
Dir: Ngozi Paul
6 min // 2008 // Canada
Created for the Toronto International Film Festival Talent Lab in 2008, The First Time is a portrait piece that ask 3 generations – a grandmother, a mother and a daughter….what happened that very ‘first time’.
Embracing Da Kink: A Retrospective of ‘Da Kink In My Hair’ Plus ‘Secrets of a Black Boy Sneak Preview’
Dir: Joel Gordon
44 min // 2008 // Canada
The documentary follows the journey of the play from its humble beginnings in 2000 through to its reincarnation as a dazzling television series in 2007. The growth of the play in Embracing Da Kink is paralleled by Anthony’s personal transformation from a dispirited, out of work actor to a television diva. As this production gave an entertaining new voice to several hard-hitting issues, Anthony never realized it would attract such a large and diverse audience.
Sunday Sept 27 – New Faces Program
Location: LIB 72, Library Building, Ryerson University
Time: 12:00 PM
Counting Headz: South Afrika’s Sistaz in Hip Hop
Dir: Erin Offer
49 min // 2007 // South Africa
Counting Headz is a platform for stories that are often drowned out among the male voices in hip hop. This ground-breaking documentary reveals the position of South Africa’s women today; their stories are mediated through the experiences of three major artists in South Africa’s hip hop scene.
Beauty Lies
Dir: Karen Chapman
19 min // 2007 // Canada
Winner of the new perspectives award at the Vancouver Student Film Festival, Beauty Lies, questions the ideals, motivations and images of beauty in the media that could be seen as manifesting a ‘white standard’ of beauty. Narrated through a series of intimate video diaries and interviews, Chapman seeks to challenge generations of deeply woven misconceptions of a beautiful woman by pivotally shaving off her permed hair and posing the question- where does beauty really lie?
Location: LIB 72, Library Building, Ryerson University
Time: 2:30 PM
Type O
Dir: Brianna Brown
7 mins// 2008// Canada
Veronica has no options for her sick daughter Monique other than agree to a risky surgery or see her live in pain. Her ex-husband and his new wife criticize her for not consenting but Veronica waits and searches for assurance.
Jamie and Eddie: Souls of Strife
Dir: Pascal Aka
90 mins// 2007 // Canada
In a Canadian School designed for future secret agents and warriors; Jamie and Eddie are former best friends turned rival honor roll students. They find themselves competing for a valuable scholarship that will enable them to train in the United States. In order to prove to the American government that his Canadian students are worthy, the school principal invites a terrorist at the top of the US hit list to compete with his students. Jamie and Eddie have no choice but to join forces again and they are left with a battle for a prize and for their lives.
Sunday Sept 27 – A Linc In Time (Closing Ceremony)
Location: Eng 103, George Vari Building, Ryerson University
Time: 7:30 PM
Delroy Kincaid: Where Do White People Go When The Long Weekend Comes?
Dir: Powys Dewhurst
7 min // 2008 // Canada
An artistic black boy is raised in a vibrant seaside Caribbean village by his grandmother. When they travel to the First World to live with his parents and his grandmother dies, a lonely and confused Delroy must journey alone to understand his life and identity in this new world as an ‘immigrant’.
Who Are You Wearin’?
Dir: Powys Dewhurst
6 min//2008//Canada
Who Are You Wearin’? is a timely thought-provoking satire that pokes fun at the controversial fad of Third World adoption by celebrities. What happens when babies are yanked from mud huts and thrust into the spotlight to replace designer bags?
After K
Dir: Jermaine Bagnall
22 min // 2008 // Canada
After K critically examines how life is being rebuilt in New Orleans four years after Hurricane Katrina ripped through the city. The film takes you on a tour through the city’s infrastructural and cultural revitalization and how it affects its citizens
A Linc In Time
Dir: Nicole Brooks
50 min // 2008 // Canada
The documentary, A LINC IN TIME is the revealing portrait of the great Lincoln Alexander, the first black Member of Parliament in Canada and the first black Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. The surprising, funny, often heartbreaking but always inspiring account of his life are all shared by the Honourable Alexander himself, in his own words.
