Only When I Dance From VIFF

Beauty, vibrant color, family loyalty, a supportive, loyal dance school and the search for perfection are featured in this movie entitled Only When I Dance. It shows the quest of two talented young Afro Brazilian ballet dancers as they attempt to break racial and economic barriers to follow their muse. The dance sequences are exquisite and the ability of the dancers to focus and “become the dance” is well illustrated. The families of the dancers, battling the poverty and violence of the Brazilian favelas or slums, show tremendous loyalty and support to their youth, Irlan (Giorgia Lo Savio) and Isabela (Nikki Parrott) and provide the foundation for them to succeed.
If money were spent by governments on providing music, dance and art to those living in slums, it is believed that a lot of talent would be created and the slums would slowly disappear. If all government officials and companies would donate a portion of their salary to provide creative disciplines, there would be a major transformation in the poorest areas. Research in neuroscience has shown that everyone has powerful creative talents that are waiting to be activated.
The film is directed by Beadie Finzi and is co produced by Brazil (Jinga Production) and the UK (Tigerlily Films) in Portuguese and French with English subtitles. Web: www.onlywhenidance.com
The film is well worth seeing for dancers and anyone with a love of dance. It is being shown at the famed Vancouver International Film Festival, Wed. 14th, 10:45 am at PCP. For tickets and information go to www www.viff.org | www.vifc.org

Movie review by  The Afro News Reporter, Ariadne Sawyer,

Precious%201 Review VIFF

MA“Precious “from the novel Push was originally written by African American, poet and writer Sapphire. Skillfully adapted for screen by Damien Paul and directed by the Academy Award Winner Lee Daniels; it is a remarkable film where multigenerational trauma and poverty weave together a hard core tragedy with glimpses of hope. Shown at the Vancouver International Film Festival, this award winning film has received the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at Sundance 2009.
It follows the life of 16 year old Harlem teen “Precious” Jones (played by actress Gabourey Sidibe) who is the victim of sexual and emotional abuse. Treated badly by her classmates, she joins an alternative learning program and finds the support of Ms. Rain (Paula Patton) as well as the welfare counselor aptly played by Mariah Carey.
“Precious” has the ability to escape her painful life and fantasize herself as a superstar. When her abusive mother Mary (Mo’Nique) uses emotional and verbal battering to put her daughter down, Jones uses her into her dream world to go to a safer and happier place.
This gritty hard hitting film portrays the hidden hopes and small acts of kindness through an overlay of profanity and violence.
Research has shown that the effects of slavery and multigenerational trauma, even after many generations has an ongoing effect on many levels.
In my opinion this film is an example of the imprisonment of spirit due to the effects of ongoing trauma and is well worth seeing.

By Afro News Reporter, Ariadne Sawyer.

Cargo To Africa

Made in scenic Montreal and surrounding rural areas, this film follows the adventures of Norbert (Pierre Lebeau, Winner of the Grand Prize of the Americas at the 2009 World Film Festival, 2009 for his exceptional body of work).
Norbert is forced to return to Canada as an evacuee from a civil war in Africa after spending 20 years doing humanitarian work. He finds himself back in Montreal with ill health, feeling displaced and responsible for his cherished pet monkey Trotsky. Desperate to return to “home” to Africa, he hopes to be a stowaway on a cargo ship but realizes he cannot take his monkey with him. Enter Christophe, (Julien Adam) a confrontational young boy with family problems who becomes an advocate for the monkey. Norbert and Christophe form an unlikely bond in their efforts to find a home for Trotsky and in the process from a bond which helps them to overcome the life challenges while often finding themselves in humorous situations.
Read the full story

Prom Night in Mississippi

A unique event was set into motion when the Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman decided to sponsor and pay for an integrated prom in his home town of Charleston, Mississippi. He was turned down once in 1997 and tried again in 2000, this time being accepted by the school board. The school of 435 students with a majority of Afro American students had never had an integrated senior prom and he wanted to give them the opportunity to participate The integrated student council did a wonderful job planning the event with courage and perseverance.
The idea of a mixed prom instead of two segregated ones brought out a lot of deeply masked racial anger and resentments from the white community with generational of prejudice. Some white parents decided to have their own segregated prom and forced attendance from their sons and daughters with threats and other types of intimidation.
Read the full story