STAMBALI

$245.00

STAMBALI

DIRECTED BY NAWFEL SAHEB-ETTABA

TUNISIA / 1999 / ENGLISH AND ARABIC WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES / 52 MIN

SYNOPSIS

In Tunisia, the history of stambali goes back to the arrival of the first Africans taken as slaves from Mali, Timbuktu specifically. Practicing their music and worship in the house of their masters, the enslaved and their musical traditions survive to this day.

Stambali is a religious ritual in Tunisia, a journey with the rhythm of the "gombri" and "chkackek," traces an individual and collective hypnosis, an annual tribute that the disciples of Sidi Saad pay to their master during an initiatory journey and rite of purification that lasts three days.

In "Stambali," the camera, video and film follow the rhythm of the possession, dances, and goes into a trance, in the cemetery, in an open space of grass, trees, dust and sand, in the eroticism that is released by this physical and spiritual representation.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Nawfel Saheb-Ettaba

GENRES

Documentary

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STORIES FROM 2 ISLANDS: PUERTO RICO & MAURITIUS

$395.00

Two coming of age stories that explore the life of 2 young women on 2 islands.

Set in Puerto Rico, ANGÉLICA is a drama about a young Afro- Latino woman who must fight to find her voice.

THE CATHEDRAL, from Mauritius, follows free spirited Lina as she faces an important decision that will impact her life.

ANGÉLICA

Angélica, after a long absence from Puerto Rico, returns home when her father, Wilfredo, suffers a stroke. This unexpected return and her father’s illness force Angelica to re-evaluate her relationship with her mother and family members who don’t accept her because of her skin color. She must face herself and discovers that she does not know who she is. After her father’s death, Angelica must decide whether to return to the comfort of her previous life, dissatisfied, but secure, or set on an adventurous path to rediscover herself as an independent, modern, strong, black, and Puerto Rican woman.

Directed by Marisol Gómez-Mouakad, Puerto Rico, 2016, 100min, Drama, English & Spanish w/English subtitles

THE CATHEDRAL

The Cathedral is a lyrical narration set in the beautiful and unusual setting of Port-Louis, capital of Mauritius. Lina, a young woman in search of her identity interacts daily with friends and family in a carefree happy manner that will be challenged when one day her dancing catches the eye of a photographer... The Cathedral is based on a short story by Ananda Devi.

Directed By Harrikrisna Anenden , Mauritius, 2006, 78 Min, drama in Creole With English Subtitles.

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STORIES OF POST-COLONIALISM

$395.00

STORIES OF POST-COLONIALISM is a double DVD that is a source of information, reflection, retrospective and critical thinking regarding the presence of foreign powers on the continent and what that entails for the general population as very well illustrated in THE BIG BANANA. In the nation building process, governments have to face a multiplicity of tasks to build the countries' economic, educational, health, and justice systems, to name a few. CELL 512 illustrates the challenges of building a democratic society in a new nation.

THE BIG BANANA

Banned in Cameroon,The Big Banana illustrates the poor working conditions in banana plantations and exposes the adverse impact on the people of a corporatocracy government that affords super profits for corporations at the expense of the local population.

The Big Banana outlines land grabbing tactics by company Plantation du Haut Penja (PHP) and the ensuing devastation for communities: poverty, pollution, and sickness from pesticides. Bieleu, who spent two years filming residents in the remote countryside of Cameroon also features local cooperatives resisting the devastation through business alliances with fair trade organizations.

By Franck Bieleu, Cameroon, 2011, 85min, Documentary in French with English subtitles.

CELL 512

A spoiled young man makes a bet with his friends: riding a motorbike at a brisk pace without brakes or lights for a week, without being worried. He will be hit by Honorine, a woman driving her car. She will end up in jail. Should corruption, rape and denial of justice be the lot of those without financial means to defend themselves?

By Missa Hebie, 2015, Burkina Faso, Drama, 99 min, French w/ English subtitles.

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TASUMA, THE FIGHTER

$295.00

TASUMA, THE FIGHTER

DIRECTED BY DANIEL KOLLO SANOU

BURKINA FASO / 2003 / DJULA AND FRENCH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES / 90 MIN

SYNOPSIS

A comedy set in contemporary Burkina Faso, Tasuma tells the story of a World War II veteran who has been trying for more than 50 years to obtain his well-deserved military pension. Convinced that he will be paid shortly, Sogo buys a mill on credit for the village. But the money does not arrive. When Sogo is put in prison because he cannot reimburse his loan, the women of the village rally to set him free.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Daniel Kollo Sanou

Starring: Ali Keita

Starring: Mamadou Zerbo

Starring: Noufou Ouédraogo

GENRES

Comedy
DVD entitled GREAT AFRICAN FILMS - VOL 2- also includes feature film Sia, the Dream of the Python

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THE BIG BANANA

$245.00

THE BIG BANANA

DIRECTED BY FRANCK BIELEU

CAMEROON / 2011 / FRENCH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES / 85 MIN

SYNOPSIS

Banned in Cameroon, The Big Banana illustrates the poor working conditions in banana plantations and exposes the adverse impact on the people of a corporatocracy government that affords super profits for corporations at the expense of the local population.

The Big Banana outlines land grabbing tactics by company Plantation du Haut Penja (PHP) and the ensuing devastation for communities: poverty, pollution, and sickness from pesticides.

Bieleu, who spent two years filming residents in the remote countryside of Cameroon also features local cooperatives resisting the devastation through business alliances with fair trade organizations. As a result, The Big Banana not only exposes multinational corporations culpability in the land grab of Africa but also makes us reconsider where we get our fruit from.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Franck Bieleu

GENRES

Documentary

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THE CATHEDRAL

$195.00

THE CATHEDRAL

DIRECTED BY HARRIKRISNA ANENDEN

MAURITIUS / 2006 / CREOLE WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES / 78 MIN

SYNOPSIS

The Cathedral is a lyrical narration set in the beautiful and unusual setting of Port-Louis, capital of Mauritius. Lina, a young woman in search of her identity interacts daily with friends and family in a carefree happy manner that will be challenged when one day her dancing catches the eye of a photographer... The Cathedrale is based on a sort story by his wife Ananda Devi.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Harrikrisna Anenden

Starring: Ingrid Blackburn

Starring: Ashwin Anenden

Starring: Gaston Valayden

GENRES

Drama/Comedy

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THE DESERT ARK

$295.00

THE DESERT ARK

DIRECTED BY MOHAMED CHOUIKH

ALGERIA / 1997 / ARABIC WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES / 90 MIN

SYNOPSIS

Romeo and Juliet in the Algerian desert. Amin and Myriam are secretly in love. Their families are rivals and when their relationship is discovered, conflict is inevitable. In the quiet atmosphere of the palm groves, the two communities have long nurtured the seeds of discord and hatred. The persecution is the first signal of inevitable evil. From inside the cave where they have taken refuge, the two young people hear the cries of a senseless murderous raid. A universal metaphor to denounce the horror of all extremist violence, The Desert Ark is a splendid and terrifying metaphor for a burning contemporary reality.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Mohamed Chouikh

Starring: Hacen Abdou

Starring: Messaouda Adami

Starring: Shyraz Aliane

GENRES

Epic Drama
Part of 2 DVD set Great African Films Vol 3 with Daratt (Dry Season)

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THE PIROGUE

$295.00

The Pirogue trailer - ArtMattan Films from ArtMattan Productions on Vimeo.

THE PIROGUE

DIRECTED BY MOUSSA TOURÉ

SENEGAL, FRANCE AND GERMANY / 2012 / WOLOF AND FRENCH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES / 87 MIN

SYNOPSIS

In Moussa Toure’s powerful epic fiction film, a group of 30 men sail to Europe in a pirogue, facing the sea - and the possibility of never reaching their destination - in exchange for the myth of a better life in Europe.

Baye Laye is the captain of a fishing pirogue. Like many of his Senegalese compatriots, he sometimes dreams of new horizons, where he can earn a better living for his family. When he is offered to lead one of the many pirogues that head towards Europe via the Canary Island, he reluctantly accepts the job, knowing full-well the dangers that lie ahead. Leading a group of 30 men who don't all speak the same language, some of whom have never seen the sea, Baye Laye will confront many perils in order to reach the distant coasts of Europe.

"Senegal, a West African nation on the Atlantic Ocean, was home to Africa’s greatest movie-maker, Ousmane Sembene. Today, Moussa Toure follows in the master’s footsteps with this drama of 30 men (and one woman, a stowaway) who set out on an illegal 7-day voyage to Spain - making the perilous trip in a pirogue - a boat resembling a vastly oversized dinghy. While sharing a common desire to build a better future, these men hail from different ethnic and religious backgrounds. The story grows from a finely delineated mosaic of personalities - reactions to the journey’s mounting danger - that span the emotional panoply of human experience. Toure’s compelling tale says as much about the universal nature of courage and perfidy as it does about the economic realities faced by so many of the world’s people. THE PIROGUE was featured in Cannes 2012, in the Un Certain Regard section." ~ Film Forum.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Moussa Touré

Starring: Souleymane Seye Ndiaye

Starring: Laïty Fall

Starring: Malaminé 'Yalenguen' Dramé

GENRES

Drama

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THE SILENT MONOLOGUE

$245.00

DIRECTED BY KHADY SYLLA AND CHARLIE VAN DAMME

SENEGAL AND BELGIUM / 2008 / WOLOF AND FRENCH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES / 48 MIN

SYNOPSIS

In a voice-over, we hear the thoughts of Amy, a girl from a rural area of Senegal who works as a domestic for a well-to-do family in Dakar. She complains about her employer, who continuously criticizes her and gets on her case, and she talks about her dream of one day opening her own eatery. Meanwhile, we see her sweep the pavement, prepare the food and clean the house. The contrast with her vast and barren native region is enormous. In Dakar, some 150,000 young women work as housekeepers for families whose daughters can go to school. "Why does the emancipation of some result in the servitude of others?" Amy wonders. The filmmakers interview other young maids who dream of going to school, and they film a woman who shouts her furious lyrics straight into the camera in rapper-like fashion: "I keep your houses squeaky clean, but you all think I'm dirty!" In a dramatized scene in a slum, the women demonstrate how they'd like to deal with a woman who doesn't pay her housekeeper enough. In response to the situation, the filmmakers make an appeal to change the rules of the world economy.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Khady Sylla and Charlie Van Damme

GENRES

Docu-drama

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VOICES OF THE NEW SOUTH AFRICA

$295.00

From the new South Africa comes this double feature focusing on the struggle of Black South Africans - both those who lived in exile and those who stayed home - to find their place in their country after apartheid.

NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH

Nothing But the Truth (John Kani, 2008, 78 mins.), which is based on the award-winning, long-running play by director and actor John Kani, explores the complex dynamic between those who risked their lives to remain in South Africa to end apartheid and those who lived in exile to bring attention to the cause. In New Brighton, librarian Sipho Makhaya prepares for the return of his brother’s ashes. His brother had gained a reputation as a hero of the anti-apartheid movement while Sipho spent most of his life on the front lines.

HOMECOMING

Homecoming (Norman Maake, 2005, 90 mins.), a film version of the hit mini-series, follows three veteran soldiers of the African National Congress who return to South Africa after years in exile to pick up the pieces of their lives and careers. Charlie wants to open a club; Thabo struggles to reacquaint himself with his wife and family; and Peter remains in politics to uncover the hard truths about those who betrayed the ANC. In English.

John Kani/Norman Maake---South Africa---2008/2005---168 mins.

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WÙLU

$395.00

WULU Trailer from ArtMattan Films on Vimeo.

WÙLU

Shot for a good deal of the time using hand-held cameras, WÙLU is an African thriller that has an urgency and a vibrancy most Western made films lack.

Ladji, (a beautifully understated Ibrahim Koma), is the young man who, after losing his job on the cross-border taxis, takes up smuggling cocaine with lucrative if highly dangerous results.

A social commentary about the impact of corruption on intelligent, hard working African youths looking to improve their standard of living at home.

Official Selection TIFF 2016.

Directed by Daouda Coulibaly, 2016, France/Mali, 95min, crime drama, French w/ English subtitles

"In Wùlu, Malian cinema has found a promising and intriguing new voice." ~ Pamela Pianezza, Variety

"The film's foretold but very understated ending, which keeps a key moment offscreen to devastating effect, again confirms that Coulibaly is a talent to watch." ~ Boyd van Hoeij, Hollywood Reporter

"Coulibaly's Wùlu is a well-acted, fast moving, episodic depiction of some of the issues in contemporary Africa." ~ Alexa Dalby, Dog and Wolf

"A rags-to-riches crime saga like you won't see anywhere else." ~ Brent McKnight, The Last Thing I See

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YAFA Forgiveness

$395.00

Demba is an African who has fled an oppressive regime in his own country and is seeking asylum in Paris. One night he encounters Lucien, a policeman from the Caribbean, who speaks to him in the voice of the dominant class. But in his country Demba is a professor of History and Geography while Lucien left school early to help his mother, a cleaning lady.

“YAFA Le Pardon” explores the social and economic dynamics at work in their relationship as they seek to understand each other, aided by Welcome, a Baule Komian who does not hesitate to officiate as the parties meet on the Quai de l’Oise, in the centre of Paris.

Directed by Christian Lara, France, 2019, 85 Minutes, drama, French with English subtitles

"In my young adult years in France, I could see that there was tension between the Caribbean community and the African community, but I didn’t know why. The hidden historical facts, the great Black characters erased or transformed, the identity and culture construction... This is the thread of the ongoing dialogue between Demba (Sidiki Bakaba) and Lucien (Luc Saint-Eloy). The migrant and the policeman. Africa and the West Indies." ~ Karukerament
Read full review HERE

ABOUT DIRECTOR CHRISTIAN LARA
Christian Lara is a Guadeloupean/French film director, writer, cinematographer and producer. Having shot more than twenty feature films in the Caribbean, France, Canada and Africa, he is regarded by many as "the Father of French Antilles cinema".

Official Selection
Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival 2022
African Diaspora International Film Festival, NYC 2022

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