Kino Lorber, New York film distribution company has released the first trailer to the documentary “Finding Fela,” which made its world premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
‘Finding Fela’– a look at the life and music of Fela is certainly not the first documentary to be made about the legendary AfroBeat maestro, musician, composer and performer Fela Anikulapo Kuti aka Fela Kuti. Directed by Oscar-winner Alex Gibney, the film was produced by Jigsaw Productions, Knitting Factory Entertainment, Okayplayer and Okayafrica.
Synopsis
Alex Gibney’s Finding Fela (2014) is a sweeping portrait of the artist as guerilla warrior. Set to the insistent groove of Nigerian superstar Fela Kuti’s revolutionary Afrobeat sound, the remarkable story of one man’s courageous stand against a corrupt and dictatorial government gives testament to the transformative power of music as a force of social and political unification.
Finding Fela tells the story of Fela Kuti’s life (1938 – 1997), his music, and his social and political importance. This in-depth look at the man who created Afrobeat (a fusion of Jazz, traditional West African rhythms, Funk, Highlife, and psychedelic rock) brings audiences close to Mr. Kuti’s fight against the dictatorial Nigerian government of the 1970s and 1980s. With his audacious music and a great deal of courage, Kuti helped bring a change towards democracy in Nigeria, promoted Pan Africanist politics to the entire world and became an inspiration in the global fight for the rights of all oppressed people. As a committed critic of the legacies of European cultural imperialism, Mr. Kuti became a major political force in Nigerian and African politics – even becoming a Presidential candidate (twice) in the 1980s. His socialist political views and truly subversive life style also lead to a criminal, government-sanctioned attack on his commune in 1977, which lead to his arrest and the death of his 82-year-old mother. Mr. Kuti was eventually released, but his mother’s death shaped the rest of his life. Culled IndieWire
View Trailer
“Finding Fela” will begin its US theatrical run on August 1, with an exclusive Manhattan engagement at IFC Center; it’s also scheduled to open in DC on August 8 (at Landmark’s E Street Cinema), as well as in Boston (at Landmark’s Kendall Square) and Atlanta (Landmark’s Midtown) on August 15.
With a dazzler of a smile and a warm personality that radiates on screen and in her pictures and the fact that she is so talented, Adepero Oduye is an actress to be reckoned with. I’d followed her work and journey since I saw her extremely impressive acting in the Pariah movie.
Adepero was featured on Indigo Tongues Women in Media Segment, Series 1 Episode 5. Produced by Iyalode Productions, Indigo Tongues is an exciting new interview series with trailblazers of Africa and the diaspora.
Adepero Oduye, who recently played the riveting role of Eliza, along side Chiwetel Ejifor, Brad Pitt and Lupita Nyong’o in the Oscar winning film 12 Years a Slave met up with Indigo Tongues for an exhilarating interview.
About Adepero Oduye — Adepero Oduye is a Nigerian American Actress. She is the one of seven children born to Nigerian parents. A graduate of Cornell University, Adepero began appearing in short films such as Water and Fall, and in 2006 appeared in the independent drama Half Nelson. After several roles in off-Broadway production, in 2009, she debuted on Broadway in the musical Fela!. In 2011 she starred in the critically acclaimed independent film Pariah. She has received several awards, including a nomination for Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead. Oduye cast in the upcoming Steel Magnoliasremake with the same title as Annelle Dupuy-Desoto, a role that had been originated by Daryl Hannah.In 2013, Oduye appeared in Ava DuVernay‘s short film The Door part of Miu Miu‘s ad campaign known as The Women’s Tales.She also starred alongside Chiwetel Ejiofor in the film 12 Years a Slave, directed by Steve McQueen. Culled – Wiki
Adepero Oduye is one of the outstanding breakthrough actresses of the last decade. Her career includes an outstanding body of work in Film, Stage and TV. Her stellar debut lead role as Alike in Pariah, earned her several awards and nominations including The African-American Film Critics Association Award for Best Breakthrough Performance and the NAACP Image Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture (nominated). Her role in 12 Years a Slave earned her a nomination for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. She made her Broadway debut in A Trip to Bountiful, a production that has won several theater awards including a Tony Award for Best Actress by Cicely Tyson. Adepero, the third of seven children is a graduate from Cornell University and lives in New York City. – Indigo Tongues
Mojisola Sonoiki of Iyalode Productions had this to say about the interview..
“I was thinking of who the subject for my next interview would be and one day on the platform of the A train at Jay Street in Brooklyn, I saw Adepero walk right by me (one of the beauties of NYC living….bumped into Dr Oz my first week in the city.) I had seen Pariah and I knew she would be a perfect guest on the series. Once again “the planets aligned” as they have since I started producing this series and it happened. A young Nigerian friend of mine was attending the Ake Festival in Abeokuta, Nigeria and told me that Adepero would be attending. I asked her to make a connection on my behalf and before I knew it, I was speaking to Adepero via email and coordinating an Indigo Tongues interview.
One can only but admire this young lady. Her tenacity, grace, contagious smile and the stream of good vibrations just seemed to radiate effortlessly from her. She is had a depth to her that was refreshing and heartfelt at the same time. Adepero has been involved in projects that many actors/actresses would only dream of and still remains pleasant, humble and respectful. We talked about many things, she shared stories about working in an industry that still grapples with Women and in particular women that look like her.
A very down to earth and pleasant conversationalist, we sat down to some Nigeria food – Jollof rice (Cy’s super recipe) and Dodo (her favorite) got down to the nitty gritty and had so many moments of belly laughs.”
Enjoy, share and leave a comment. To watch other Indigo Tongues interview series, click here to subscribe to the YouTube channel
Interview Date: February 9th 2014 Location: Brooklyn, New York
It gives me joy to write about Africans in the Diaspora who are talented and getting the well deserved attention for their excellent creative works. Multiple award winning and highly sought after Ghanaian fashion designer, Afua Sam is one on the spotlight in the fashion industry. The founder and brain behind STUDIO D’MAXSI, one of the fastest growing fashion houses based in Washington, DC. Unique, innovative, and edgy STUDIO D’MAXSI, creates masterpieces for the chic, bold and funky modern woman. Born to a family of six, remarkably self-taught Afua draws her creative artistic inspiration from her late father who was a touring musician and her rich Ghanaian culture. Having come from a poor and humble background, Afua’s journey in fashion and design started in Ghana, West Africa and continued after she relocated to the USA. Despite hardships and personal life challenges she faced growing up and also later in life , fashion designing was the only thing that kept her going.
Afua Sam – Fashion Designer (Studio D’Maxsi)
STUDIO D’MAXSI ‘s first collection was in 2007 for DC Fashion week; numerous fashion shows followed, charity based ones like Fashion Fight Poverty, Steps To The Cure, Fashion Fusion, Fashion For World Peace, others like the New York African Fashion Week, Golden Scissors Awards Show, among numerous others and recently ‘Runway For Moms’ just to name a few.
Here I am in one of her designs – 🙂
Tosinger in Dress by Studio D’Maxsi, Photo by Lola Scott
The ‘Fashion Designer of the Year’ ( 2nd Annual African Awards USA) award winner is also passionate about giving back and empowering young women through her Foundation – Operation Prom. ‘Operation Prom’ is a competition open to academically excellent high school female students who will get a custom made prom dress. Her clientele include Jamie Foster Brown, Grammy nominated Artist Carolyn Malachi, Glynn Jackson of the Golden Scissors Awards Show, Abiodun Koya Opera Singer, Miss Ghana Universe , Miss China America First Runner Up, Miss Maryland, Miss Black USA DC among others . For more info on STUDIO D’MAXSI, visit http://www.studiodmaxsi.com/
Adorable kids strutting in Studio D’Maxsi
Afua says “My message through my fashion brand is “Be As Bold As You Can Be But Very Chic And Sexy At The Same Time” Afua believes her life’s story is a perfect example of what can happen when one is not afraid to go after their dreams no matter how poor or disadvantaged they may be. She believes “you don’t have to be rich to help anybody. As long as you have a voice and a will, you can have an impact on someone’s life. You don’t have to be somebody’ in order to make a difference”
Directed and Written by Elaine Mensah of SVELTE LLC, ‘The Politics of Fashion: DC UNBOXED’ is DC’s first ever fashion documentary, a film that takes you on a journey from the perception of DC fashion by the outside world, through its evolution in retail, style, and business, to the debate about whether or not DC fashion is heading towards a true industry or is just a fashionable city. It opens in AMC Theaters in Friendship Heights, DC on June 3, 2014. For more information, visit http://thepoliticsoffashion.com/
The Politics of Fashion: DC UNBOXED hosts other nationally recognized cast, including Pulitzer winning fashion writer & critic Robin Givhan, runway coach extraordinaire Miss J Alexander, Washiontonian Magazine fashion editor Kate Bennett, Gilt City DC senior curator Marissa Schneider, Bloomingdale’s Operating Vice President & GM Susan Cannaday and many more. See the full cast list on IMDb.
Countdown! Countdown! to the season’s festivities – Christmas, coming New Year et al. I know everyone’s getting busy busy busy. A friendly reminder of the essence of the celebrations – love & kindness, peace and joy, the ultimate gift of salvation from the reason for the season – Jesus! And as we climb the stairway of life, I pray it’s upward ever, backward never.
As a Creative Arts Consultant, I get to be involved with quite a few fun and interesting projects (many people have wondered what I do professionally, apart from my artistic talent of singing/songwriting so this should clear that air, see right section for more info) and this year, a particular project was one of the highlights. A pioneering, phenomenal, history making project where I got to use practically almost all of my skills. 🙂 It was an experience. I was on board the team as a PR/Event Promotions Consultant ( My company Dreamweavers Entertainment) and as a Vocalist for the production of ‘Wedlock of the gods’, a play written by Nigeria’s first female playwright – the late Dr Zulu Sofola. The first of its kind in the US diaspora and a forerunner for more to come, an authentically African stage play, directed by New Nigeria Cinema & Nollywood’s Wale Ojo took place May/June 2013 in Atlanta. Thanks to Zulu Sofola Productions and Chi Ife Productions for making this possible.
Thanks to my friends at KokoAtDawn Productions who recorded these behind the scenes ‘mini doc’ clips of the journey of the production. Watch below.
TOSINGER'S BLOG 