TAN – The Afro News

John Witherspoon - Ageless Wonder

By Robert Waldman ,The Afro News Vancouver

Certain actors age like a fine wine. That comparison suits dapper funnyman John Witherspoon. While Detroit fades this Michigan native continues to resonate with audiences looking for that little extra quality and good time when taking in a flick or for that matter turning on the television set as this dynamo made considerable inroads on the boob tube way back when.

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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

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.
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