MADE IN BANGLADESH

$395.00

MADE IN BANGLADESH

Shimu, 23, works in a clothing factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Faced with difficult conditions at work, she decides to start a union with her co-workers.

Despite threats from the management and disapproval of her husband, Shimu is determined to go on. Together the women must fight and find a way.

Directed by Rubaiyat Hossain, Bangladesh/France/Denmark/Portugal , 2019, 95min, social drama, English & Bengali w/English subtitles

* Toronto Intl Film Festival - Contemporary World Cinema
* London BFI
* Stockholm International Film Festival - Competition Films from the South

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KUESSIPAN

$395.00

KUESSIPAN

The award-winning drama Kuessipan by Myriam Verreault was adapted from the acclaimed novel Kuessipan and co-written with the novel’s First Nation Canadian author Naomi Fontaine. Kuessipan means "your turn" in the Innu language, a title chosen to mark the notion that it is the Innu people's turn to tell their story.

“The Innu voice is ever present, which is so important as it offers a glimpse into their lives without a Colonial perspective. It's a feature that, while seemingly an obvious advantage, is hardly ever utilized for similar films. It means that audiences can enter the world in a respectful manner - which isn't to say the film shies away from the issues, but it does mean that those issues are approached in a confident and dignified way” writes Joel Kalkopf in his review for Switch.

The story follows two girls who grow up as best friends in a Quebec Innu community. While Mikuan has a loving family, Shaniss is picking up the pieces of her shattered childhood. As children, they promised each other to be lifelong friends. But as they mature, their lives take different paths, and their personal ambitions diverge leading them to a cultural and identity clash that tests their bond.

Directed by Myriam Verreault, Canada, 2019, 117min, Drama, Montagnais, French, English w/English subtitles

"Kuessipan is quiet and mesmerizing and tragic and full of hope. It is a triumph, and a privilege to spend time with." ~ Globe and Mail

"Myriam Verreault excels at crafting a film told through an Indigenous lens that discusses universal themes of friendship, identity, love, and heartbreak." ~ Exclaim!

"Kuessipan is a beautiful, un-sensationalized look at young womanhood, friendship and community." ~ NOW Toronto

"Heartbreakingly exploring Indigenous identity and the bonds that root us to a community, Kuessipan is a bold ode to young womanhood." ~ MUBI

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ANGELICA

$395.00

ANGELICA

Angelica, 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

"Purposely challenging the Eurocentric beauty standards that blatantly plague Latin America on and off screen, Puerto Rican director Marisol Gómez-Mouakad sets out to tell the story of an empowered Afro-Latina fighting colorism at home in her debut feature Angélica." ~ Remezcla

“People talk about racism and sexism in the U.S.,” Gómez-Mouakad explains. “They may not do much, but in talking about it they are at least addressing the problem. In Puerto Rico — and across the Caribbean and Latin America — there is a lot of denial. If you do talk about the issues, you are accused of being over sensitive. But words have power and words can hurt.” ~ director Marisol Gómez-Mouakad

"In addition to the theme of racism, the film touches upon the implications of machismo in a patriarchal society from the perspective of women." ~ Repeating Islands

"Another glorious, glorious portrait on race and the roles women play—by pressure, by tradition, by choice. " ~ Guilie Castillo Oriard

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SHE HAD A DREAM

$395.00

SHE HAD A DREAM - Young, Tunisian and Black

Ghofrane, 25, is a young Black Tunisian woman. A committed activist who speaks her mind, she embodies Tunisia's current political upheaval. As a victim of racial discrimination, Ghofrane decides to go into politics.

We follow her extraordinary path, ranging from acting on her ambition to be in politics to disillusion. Through her attempts to persuade both close friends and complete strangers to vote for her, her campaign reveals the many faces of a country seeking to forge a new identity.

In its own unique way, this documentary sheds light on the place of women and Black people in Tunisia's changing society.

Directed by Raja Amari, Tunisia, 2020, 90min, documentary, Arabic and French w/English subtitles

* IDFA 2020 - World Premiere

"Binous' determination to be an agent of change lends the film an engaging, upbeat energy that enhances its appeal..." ~ Screen International

"Effortlessly balancing the personal and the political - and the invisible line between them - the filmmaker offers a glimpse into the future of a better Tunisia through Binous's unique odyssey." ~ Film Inquiry

"As a Black woman from a working-class neighborhood in Tunisia, 25-year-old Ghofrane Binous has spent her whole life dealing with class inequality, racism, and sex discrimination. Following an extremely racist incident in 2018 while working as a flight attendant, she posted a cry for help on social media that was widely viewed, then joined a women’s movement and became politically active. The film follows this charismatic figure in the run-up to the 2019 national elections—during the turbulent campaign period, on the way to countless meetings, and in heated conversations with family members, friends, and party members.

The camera stays close to this young woman who is keen to perpetuate the myth of her own invulnerability—and maybe that’s exactly what she needs to do to rise to the top. The backdrop to her political ambition is a divided society where people have little confidence in their own democracy. Connecting it all is the voice-over in which Binous shares her vision of life, and her motivations for becoming politically active in a paternalistic, segregated society where women generally draw the shortest straw." IDFA

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MYOPIA

$395.00

MYOPIA

Fatem, sixth month pregnant, leaves her village perched in the mountains, to fill a frame with empty glasses for the elder of her village, the only person who can decipher the letters sent by members of the villagers’ families who have gone to work in the cities. She moves from station to station to arrive in town in the middle of a protest. This will turn her trip into a peaceful revolution that she is hardly aware of.

Directed by Sanaa Akroud, Morocco 2020, 86min, drama, Arabic w/English subtitles

"A beautifully observed meditation on faith, perseverance and integrity, Moroccan director Sanae Akroud’s sophomore feature is an immersive and heart-breaking unique female saga. " ~ The Brazilian

"This film, which carries beautiful qualities of image and lighting, speaks of poverty, of the feminine condition and of a happiness so simple that one can hardly grasp its meaning nowadays. ~ La Presse

"Fatem is played by Sanaa Akroud, also the film's director. Akroud was in the acclaimed 2011 Egyptian film "Scheherazade, Tell Me a Story". In "Myopia" she is brilliant as our unsettlingly passive villager, whether inquiring about a letter from an absent husband or when wandering innocently through the city in search of an eyeglass shop." ~ Barbara Nimri Aziz

"She will be questioned by the police, defended by an association, interviewed by a journalist… She is accused of having endangered her baby, she is asked some of the most intrusive questions, but each person applies their own way of thinking - myopia of a society incapable of perceiving its difference. Agressive police officers falsely accused, activists urging her to press charges, sensationalist journalist who transforms news, even a listening minister… none understand that she only wants to fix the glasses." ~ Olivier Barlet

"It is in listening to these women that Sanaa Akroud wrote this script which she both interprets and directs. Apart from the interviews, she does it with few words. Wolfango Alfi's sequence shots respond to this desire to account for the time taken by everyday acts. They contribute to the open-mindedness called for by this film without a clear message, if not to invite people to understand that an equivocation is not a limit but a complexity." ~ Olivier Barlet

"This story is sure to resonate with many American viewers learning about the depth of racial disparities and the flaws in U.S. democracy where agents of ‘liberal’ society and opposition parties once again reach out to Black and Brown Americans and immigrants with shallow promises of equality and reform." ~ Barbara Nimri Aziz

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MAMA AFRICA: MIRIAM MAKEBA + ACES

$395.00

MAMA AFRICA: MIRIAM MAKEBA

DIRECTED BY MIKA KAURISMÄKI

SOUTH AFRICA AND GERMANY / 2011 / ENGLISH / 90 MIN

SYNOPSIS

Mama Africa: Miriam Makeba focuses on the life and influence of the South African singer and civil rights activist, Miriam Makeba. The film's segment concerning her time in the USA is particularly significant, as it showcases her impact on the Civil Rights Movement and her artistic collaborations in the country.

During her time in the United States, Makeba's music and activism became deeply intertwined with the African-American experience. Her marriage to Stokely Carmichael, a prominent figure in the Black Panther Party, marked a crucial period where her artistry and advocacy for African rights gained prominence, but also led to controversy and eventual exile from the USA. The documentary explores how Makeba used her voice not only to enchant American audiences with her music but also to raise awareness about the struggles against apartheid in South Africa, making her a vital cultural and political link between Africa and the African-American community.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Mika Kaurismäki

Starring: Hugh Masekela

Starring: Angélique Kidjo

Starring: Harry Belafonte

GENRES

Documentary

BONUS FILM

ACES

DIRECTED BY NTANDAZO "DIDI" GCINGCA

SOUTH AFRICA / 1999 / ENGLISH / 17 MIN

SYNOPSIS

Aces is the story of a young man who fights against the battering of his mother by his drunken father. The situation escalates until Ace desperately stabs his father to death, and is sent to jail for a period of 15 years. Nine years later he is out on parole. He kills again within a day's time of his release.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Ntandazo "Didi" Gcingca

GENRE

Short Drama

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Ludi

$395.00

Trailer LUDI Art.mp4 from ArtMattan Productions on Vimeo.

"Ludi," directed by Edson Jean, is a compelling exploration of the Haitian immigrant experience set in the vibrant community of Little Haiti in Miami. The film follows the resilient protagonist, Ludi, portrayed by the talented Shein Mompremier, as she grapples with the challenges of forging a new life in America. In the pursuit of the elusive American dream, Ludi confronts the harsh realities of the immigrant experience.

Edson Jean's directorial finesse captures the nuances of cultural identity, economic struggle, and the indomitable spirit that propels individuals to persevere against adversity. The film not only sheds light on the immigrant narrative but also serves as a poignant reflection on the strength and resilience of those who dare to seek a better life in a new land. "Ludi" stands as a significant contribution to the cinematic exploration of diasporic experiences within the Afro-Caribbean context.

Directed by Edson Jean, USA, 2021, 81 Minutes, drama, English and Haitian Creole with English subtitles

"Jean's "Ludi" is the type of low-stakes drama that's easy to root for, and even more wonderful to see" - Robert Daniels, The Playlist

"This is one of the best films of the year so far, and that comes as a result of the hard work and dedication from everyone involved." - Kyle Bain, Film Threat

"An examination of the difficulties inherent in that so-called American Dream, with a magnetic lead performance from Shein Mompremier. Ludi is a charming, tragic, painful, and beautiful film to behold." -Aaron Peterson, Hollywood Outsider

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ANGELS ON DIAMOND STREET

$395.00

Angels On Diamond Street Trailer - Art HD from ArtMattan Productions on Vimeo.

ANGELS ON DIAMOND STREET

DIRECTED BY Petr Lom

U.S.A. / Netherlands / 2019 / ENGLISH / SPANISH w/English Subtitles / 88 MIN

SYNOPSIS

Angels on Diamond Street spotlights three women fighting for social justice in an African-American church in Philadelphia. We follow head cook Mamie Mather, former Black Panther Barbara Easley-Cox and Pastor Renee Mackenzie at the soup kitchen of the Church of the Advocate: a national monument with a rich history in the civil rights movement.

When an undocumented Mexican immigrant family - Carmela Apolonio Hernandez and her children - asks the church for sanctuary, they are welcome with open arms. Pastor Mackenzie courageously defies the ICE immigration authorities in an act of civil disobedience.

A documentary about compassion that invites us to forget about all borders, be they of race, nationality or religion.

"Angels on Diamond Street, by the Netherlands-based director Petr Lom, is rich with quotable quotes. It is a tender look at an American church with an old, persevering, social justice soul, and the people who make their soup kitchen a communal magnet.

The film was recorded during a two-year focus on North Philadelphia's activist congregation of the Church of the Advocate in the heart of a poor, African American neighborhood. The church building is a huge, stone beauty finished in 1887, named the George W. South Memorial Church, but is best known by its current moniker. Informative and strung together chronologically, it grows into an occasional conversation between the man behind the camera and the people he follows. You can read a lot in its details." ~ JoAnne Velin, moderntimes.review.com

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Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun

$395.00

Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun, directed by Sam Pollard, is an illuminating documentary that captures the life and legacy of one of the most significant African American writers of the 20th century, Zora Neale Hurston. The film takes its audience on a journey through Hurston's eventful life, from her early years in Eatonville, Florida, to her pivotal role in the Harlem Renaissance. It delves into her works, her unique storytelling style that blended folklore with rich depictions of African American life, and her contributions to African American literature. The documentary also addresses the challenges Hurston faced, including her struggle with financial instability and her controversial viewpoints that often placed her at odds with the mainstream civil rights movement. Through interviews with scholars, contemporaries, and excerpts from her own writings, Pollard's film pays homage to Hurston's indomitable spirit and enduring impact on literature and African American culture.

Directed by Sam Pollard, 2008, USA, 84 Min, Documentary, English

"Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun is a moving interpretation of Zora Neale Hurston's life and career. In fact, a viewer can easily sit halfway through the eighty-four-minute film and forget one is watching a documentary," ~Project Muse

"Kudos to Bay Bottom News and American Masters for their professional production, and for bringing to light an amazing and long overdue story of a legendary icon and storyteller of the Harlem Renaissance and beyond,"~ Pennsylvania State University

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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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MARY LOU WILLIAMS: THE LADY WHO SWINGS THE BAND

$295.00

MARY LOU WILLIAMS TRAILER from ArtMattan Productions on Vimeo.

MARY LOU WILLIAMS: THE LADY WHO SWINGS THE BAND

DIRECTED BY CAROL BASH

U.S.A. / 2015 / ENGLISH / 70 MIN

SYNOPSIS

She was ahead of her time, a genius. During an era when Jazz was the nation's popular music, Mary Lou Williams was one of its greatest innovators. As both a pianist and composer, she was a font of daring and creativity who helped shape the sound of 20th century America. And like the dynamic, turbulent nation in which she lived, Williams seemed to redefine herself with every passing decade.

From child prodigy to "Boogie-Woogie Queen" to groundbreaking composer to mentoring some of the greatest musicians of all time, Mary Lou Williams never ceased to astound those who heard her play. But away from the piano, Williams was a woman in a "man's world," a black person in a "whites only" society, an ambitious artist who dared to be different, and who struggled against the imperatives of being a "star." Above all, she did not fit the (still) prevailing notions of where genius comes from or what it looks like. Time and again, she pushed back against a world that said, "You can't" and said, "I can." It nearly cost her everything.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Carol Bash

Starring: Alfre Woodard

Starring: Geri Allen

Starring: Carmen Lundy

GENRES

Documentary

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FOREIGN BODY (CORPS ETRANGER)

$395.00

FOREIGN BODY

DIRECTED BY RAJA AMARI

TUNISIA AND FRANCE / 2016 / ARABIC AND FRENCH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES / 92 MIN

SYNOPSIS

Seeking refuge from her Islamist radical brother whom she informed on, a young woman arrives in France illegally following Tunisia's Jasmine Revolution and discovers a new world of both hope and danger, in the fourth feature from writer-director Raja Amari (Satin Rouge, Buried Secrets).

In the turbulent aftermath of the Tunisian revolution, young Samia (Sarra Hannachi) flees her homeland. She braves hostile seas in the crossing to France, but once there she finds that her struggles have only just begun. With no friends, no family, and - most crucially - no immigration papers, Samia has to figure out how to make a life and a living in a foreign land.

She meets a young man, Imed (Salim Kechiouche, Blue is the Warmest Color), and soon finds work in the employ of the elegant Leila (the inimitable Hiam Abbass, subject of an In Conversation With event at the Festival this year). But her presence in Leila's middle-class household triggers a shift in its dynamics, and soon Samia is enmeshed in a web of sexual tension.

Timely as it is, Foreign Body seems to typify a media narrative of forced mass migration: desperate, distressing, impossible. The film transcends this sweeping, reductive thinking due to the way director Raja Amari immerses her camera in Samia's new reality. She shoots with a close, handheld aesthetic that makes abstraction and generalization all but impossible, bringing us the story of a unique young woman.

Hannachi portrays her character's inner turmoil brilliantly. Samia is sometimes ragged and sometimes refined, ranging from stoic to sensual, but this is not because she's unstable. Rather, it's because of her ability to change in response to different situations and environments - an ability born of necessity. This is a woman determined to survive at all costs.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Raja Amari

Starring: Sarra Hannachi

Starring: Salim Kechiouche

Starring: Hiam Abbass

GENRES

Drama

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DESIREÉ

$245.00

DESIREÉ

DIRECTED BY FELIX DE ROOY

NETHERLANDS AND USA / 1984 / ENGLISH SUBTITLES / 96 MIN

SYNOPSIS

Set in Brooklyn, New York this Dutch film is based on a true story that appeared on a New York newspaper in 1980.

Desirée lives in the past. A series of flashbacks expose us to her psychologically troubled childhood very much affected by a promiscous mother. Her present life evolves around three people: her employer Mrs. Resnick, Freddy, her lover and Father Siego, leader of the church "The True Confessors".

Desirée's relationship with each one of these characters is at the origin of her falling apart. Freddy is an insecure black man who finishes their love affair with a sad note, Father Siego is the leader of a rigid narrow-minded religious sect and Mrs Resnick is a racist, prejudiced white woman who feels black people are inferior and incapable of living their own live.

Rejected by all because of her pregnancy, Desirée blames her child as the source of evil. She is then possessed by evil and wants to exorcise it. The only way is to get rid of her daughter...

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Felix de Rooy

GENRES

Drama

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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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WHITE LIES + WHITE LIKE THE MOON

$395.00

White Lies Trailer - ArtMattan Films

WHITE LIES

SYNOPSIS

Based on a novel by Whale Rider writer Witi Ihimaera, White Lies - New Zealand's entry in the 2014 Oscar competition for best foreign-language film - is an intense drama that explores with great humanity and sensitivity such difficult topics as race relations, skin bleaching and motherhood.

Paraiti is the healer and midwife of her rural, Maori people - she believes in life. But new laws in force are prohibiting unlicensed healers, making the practice of much Maori medicine illegal. She gets approached by Maraea, the servant of a wealthy woman, Rebecca, who seeks her knowledge and assistance in order to hide a secret which could destroy Rebecca’s position in European settler society. This compelling story tackles moral dilemmas, exploring the nature of identity, societal attitudes to the roles of women and the tension between Western and traditional Maori medicine.

Official Selection Toronto International Film Festival 2013

DIRECTOR

Director: Dana Rotberg

GENRES

Drama

WHITE LIKE THE MOON

DIRECTED BY MARINA GONZALEZ PALMIER

U.S.A. / 2001 / ENGLISH / 23 MIN

SYNOPSIS

A Mexican-American girl struggles to keep her identity when her mother forces her to bleach her skin. White Like the Moon is a revealing film about a dilemma not very well known outside Latino communities; that of the myth of the light skin superiority in Indigenous and Indigenous descendant communities.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Marina Gonzalez Palmier

Starring: Misha Aziz

Starring: Diana Burbano

Starring: Crystal Leah Chacon

GENRES

Drama

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STAND DOWN SOLDIER

$245.00

STAND DOWN SOLDIER

DIRECTED BY JERYL PRESCOTT

U.S.A. / 2015 / ENGLISH / 82 MIN

SYNOPSIS

Stand Down Soldier, directed by Jeryl Prescott, is a compelling narrative that delves into the complex realities faced by African American women in the military. The film follows the journey of Sergeant Stacy Armstrong as she returns home from multiple deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, battling the invisible wounds of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The film adeptly portrays the struggles of reintegrating into society, family life, and finding a sense of normalcy after the life-altering experiences of war and adds another layer to Sergeant Armstrong’s challenges by addressing the unique trauma associated with being a woman in the military. It explores the difficulties she faces in a predominantly male environment, including gender-based discrimination and the additional mental health stresses that arise from such experiences.

Stand Down Soldier not only highlights the personal battles of Sergeant Armstrong but also sheds light on broader themes such as the mental health issues faced by women veterans, the lack of adequate support systems, and the specific experiences of African American soldiers. It is a poignant reflection on the sacrifices and unseen scars of war, emphasizing the need for greater understanding and support for veterans' mental health.

As Sergeant Armstrong struggles with the transition back to civilian life, the film portrays her battle against not only the trauma of combat but also the internal conflicts stemming from her experiences as a female soldier. These experiences include navigating a system that often lacks sufficient support for the specific needs of women veterans.

This film is particularly relevant for discussions in Africana and Women Studies for its exploration of intersecting themes of race, gender, and military service. It provides a unique perspective on the African American military experience, particularly focusing on the often-overlooked narratives of women veterans. This film is a poignant reminder of the need for greater awareness and support for all veterans, especially those facing compounded challenges due to their gender and race.

Writer, director, producer, and lead actress in Stand Down Soldier, Jeryl Prescott - an actress best known for her portrayal of Jacqui in The Walking Dead - started writing the award-winning script for Stand Down Soldier after conversations with female family members and friends from her home state of SC who served in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“It was both revelatory and refreshing to see that a film about a soldier’s return home from active duty in Iraq is focused on a woman.” ~ Highbrow Magazine
Read Full Review HERE

“Stand Down Soldier is a poignant film about an African-American female soldier back to civilian life after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. This film took me by surprise, and I really enjoyed it.” ~ Film Monthly.

Read Full Review HERE

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Jeryl Prescott

Starring: Jeryl Prescott

Starring: Maria Russell

Starring: Harry Lennix

GENRES

Drama

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WHITE LIKE THE MOON

$145.00

WHITE LIKE THE MOON

DIRECTED BY MARINA GONZALEZ PALMIER

U.S.A. / 2001 / ENGLISH / 23 MIN

SYNOPSIS

A Mexican-American girl struggles to keep her identity when her mother forces her to bleach her skin. White Like the Moon is a revealing film about a dilemma not very well known outside Latino communities; that of the myth of the light skin superiority in Indigenous and Indigenous descendant communities.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Marina Gonzalez Palmier

Starring: Misha Aziz

Starring: Diana Burbano

Starring: Crystal Leah Chacon

GENRES

Drama

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LOIMATA, THE SWEETEST TEARS

$395.00

With Ema diagnosed with terminal cancer, the Siope family searches for healing by confronting intergenerational trauma head on and returning to their homeland of Sāmoa.

The redemptive tale of waka builder and captain Lilo Ema Siope’s final years, the stunning LOIMATA, The Sweetest Tears is a chronicle of journeys. Confronting intergenerational trauma head on, the Siope family returns to their homeland of Sāmoa. For Ema’s father, this is his first time back to his birthplace since leaving in 1959. The result is a poignant yet tender story of a family’s unconditional love for each other, and a commitment to becoming whole again.

By Anna Marbrook, New Zealand / Sāmoa. 2021, 94 minutes, Documentary, English & Samoan with English subtitles

"I walked into this film expecting to see a portrait of a world-renowned ship builder, navigator and sailor, undertaking one of the final voyages of her life. And, in a way, that is what Loimata is. But not in the way I was assuming it would be." ~ stuff.co.nz

Themes: First Nation / Women / Sexual Abuse / LGBTQ+ / Family / Healing

AWARDS:

FIFO (Festival International du Film Documentaire Océanien), 2021
Grand Prix du Jury

NZTV Awards, 2021
Best Documentary, Winner
Best Director, Nominee

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SCHEHERAZADE, TELL ME A STORY

$295.00

Scheherazade, Tell Me A Story Trailer from ArtMattan Productions on Vimeo.

SCHEHERAZADE, TELL ME A STORY

DIRECTED BY YOUSRY NASRALLAH

EGYPT / 2009 / ARABIC WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES / 135 MIN

SYNOPSIS

SCHEHERAZADE: TELL ME A STORY is a tale ripped from today’s headlines and yet a clever reference to the myths and lore of the Middle East. When her husband (Hassan Saeed) asks her to tone down the subversive political rhetoric on her program, Egyptian talk show host Hebba (Mona Zaki) draws even more heat by beginning a series that explores the experience of women in contemporary Egypt. As three women speak out about the mistreatment they've suffered in a deeply patriarchal society, Hoda must contend with her own disintegrating marriage.

"Lively, swift, vibrantly colorful and for the most part wonderfully acted, the film is slyly aware of the daytime talk show as a vehicle for women's concerns." ~ The New York Times

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Yousry Nasrallah

Starring: Mona Zaki

Starring: Rehab El Gamal

Starring: Hassan El Raddad

GENRE

Drama

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NAOMI'S JOURNEY (Naomis Reise)

$345.00

Naomi's Journey Trailer - ArtMattan Films from ArtMattan Productions on Vimeo.

NAOMI'S JOURNEY

Twenty-year old Naomi lives a simple life with her younger siblings in Peru. Only her big sister seems to live a life of fortune, being married in Germany. But now she is dead, murdered by her German husband.

Stunned by the news, Naomi can't imagine accompanying her mother to Germany, the land of the crime. But then she changes her mind, becomes a joint plaintiff, and takes part in the trial in Berlin.

In Naomi's Journey Frieder Schleich (Otomo) continues to explore the life of immigrants in Germany. His staging of a realistic trial using real-life lawyers illustrates the inner working of the German justice system and its dispassionate proceedings.

"The film follows the murder trial of a young South American woman within the framework of a hidden women and marriage trafficking market. The film is about justice and objectivity in the German legal system." ~ Hof international film festival

Directed by Frieder Schlaich, 2018, Germany / Peru, 93min, legal thriller, German and Spanish with English subtitles.

"The director composes a haunting puzzle about moral standards, trust and cultural clashes." ~ Brazilian Press

"Rising star Scarlett Jaimes gives a compelling performance in the title role presenting the turbulence of a fragile young lady with brilliant nuance." ~ Brazilian Press

"It's a gripping, accurate courtroom drama." ~ Brazilian Press

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SEXY MONEY

$295.00

SEXY MONEY

DIRECTED BY KARIN JUNGER

NIGERIA AND THE NETHERLANDS / 2014 / ENGLISH / 85 MIN

SYNOPSIS

A reflection of the difficult social conditions of women in many societies in different parts of the world, SEXY MONEY explores frontally with much sensitivity and compassion the broken hopes and hard choices of poor Nigerian women as they struggle to reintegrate Nigerian society with dignity after being expelled from Europe where they were looking for a better life.

SEXY MONEY presents a subtle indictment of the social reality of poor women in contemporary Nigeria. In recent years, a growing number of Nigerian women, among other West African women, have settled in the suburbs of major cities in the Netherlands and other parts of Europe. The women go there in order to escape poverty. But for most of them, the European adventure is a disappointment that ends when they fly back to their native countries empty-handed.

The film listens to these women talk about their European adventure and follows the development of two women in particular who, after returning to Nigeria, try to build a new life. There are countless obstacles. The film exposes the challenges these women face while celebrating their resilience.

Music, as a source of pleasure and beauty plays an important role in the lives of these women and also in the film, with songs especially composed for it by Nneka, one of Nigeria’s best.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Karin Junger

Starring: Nneka

Starring: Laura Akuoyibo

Starring: Janet Ogheneovo

GENRES

Documentary

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ROSA CHUMBE

$345.00

ROSA CHUMBE

DIRECTED BY JONATAN RELAYZE

PERU / 2015 / SPANISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES / 75 MIN

SYNOPSIS

Critically acclaimed Rosa Chumbe is a rare film from Peru where the multiculturalism and multiracialism of Peruvian society is present everywhere.

Rosa is an indigenous mature police officer with both a gambling and a drinking problem. She lives with her daughter Sheila, who has a little baby. One day, after a big fight between them, Sheila steals her mother's savings and storms out of the house leaving her baby behind. Rosa is forced to spend some time with her grandson. Something changes inside her heart of stone. However, everything takes a wrong turn one night. Only a miracle can save her.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Jonatan Relayze

Starring: Liliana Trujillo

Starring: Cindy Díaz

Starring: Daysi Ontaneda

GENRES

Drama

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SCHEHERAZADE, TELL ME A STORY + FALLEN ANGELS PARADISE & ROTATING SQUARE

$395.00

Scheherazade, Tell Me A Story Trailer from ArtMattan Productions on Vimeo.

SCHEHERAZDE, TELL ME A STORY

DIRECTED BY YOUSRY NASRALLAH

EGYPT / 2009 / ARABIC WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES / 135 MIN

SYNOPSIS

SCHEHERAZADE: TELL ME A STORY is a tale ripped from today’s headlines and yet a clever reference to the myths and lore of the Middle East.Â Â When her husband (Hassan Saeed) asks her to tone down the subversive political rhetoric on her program, Egyptian talk show host Hebba (Mona Zaki) draws even more heat by beginning a series that explores the experience of women in contemporary Egypt. As three women speak out about the mistreatment they've suffered in a deeply patriarchal society, Hoda must contend with her own disintegrating marriage. Yousry Nasrallah directs this drama.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Yousry Nasrallah

Starring: Mona Zaki

Starring: Rehab El Gamal

Starring: Hassan El Raddad

GENRES

Drama
Also features Fallen Angels Paradise

FALLEN ANGELS PARADISE
(GANNAT AL SHAYATEEN)

DIRECTED BY OUSSAMA FAWZI

EGYPT / 1999 / ARABIC WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES / 80 MIN

SYNOPSIS

A homeless man dies of an overdose in a popular Cairo neighborhood. He was once an ideal husband and represented security for his family. Then one day, everything changed. Upon his death his friends from the underworld drag the corpse around for a whole night of madness, drinking and hallucinating situations. A game with death where the dead man becomes more alive than the living and fallen angels live according to their own rules, laws and desires in the chaos of the Egyptian capital. The film is based on a famous short story written by the Brazilian writer Jorge Amado.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Oussama Fawzi

Starring: Mahmood Hemaidah

Starring: Lebleba

Starring: Caroline Khalil

GENRE

Dramatic Comedy

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SUSANA BACA; MEMORIA VIVA

$245.00

SUSANA BACA: MEMORIA VIVA

DIRECTED BY MARC DIXON

PERU ND BELGIUM / 2003 / SPANISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES / 54 MIN

SYNOPSIS

Susana Baca is not only a champion in the performance and preservation of Afro-Peruvian heritage, but also an elegant singer whose shimmering voice sings of love, loss and life. Susana and her husband Ricardo Pereira have founded the Instituto Negrocontinuo “Black Continuum” in Lima, a spirited facility for the exploration, expression, and creation of Black Peruvian culture. While Baca has dedicated herself to researching and performing virtually all forms of Afro-Peruvian folklore, it is the lando that has become her trademark. This slow to mid-tempo, highly evocative mix of Spanish, Indigenous and African rhythms has become what the son is to Cuba, or the samba to Brazil--the lando is the sound of Black Peru.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Marc Dixon

GENRES

Musical Documentary

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MAMA AFRICA: MIRIAM MAKEBA

SYNOPSIS

GENRES

ACES

SYNOPSIS

ANGELS ON DIAMOND STREET

SYNOPSIS

THE CATHEDRAL

GENRES

MARY LOU WILLIAMS: THE LADY WHO SWINGS THE BAND

SYNOPSIS

GENRES

FOREIGN BODY

SYNOPSIS

GENRES

DESIREÉ

SYNOPSIS

GENRES

ANGÉLICA

THE CATHEDRAL

WHITE LIES

SYNOPSIS

GENRES

WHITE LIKE THE MOON

SYNOPSIS

GENRES

STAND DOWN SOLDIER

SYNOPSIS

GENRES

WHITE LIKE THE MOON

SYNOPSIS

GENRES

SCHEHERAZADE, TELL ME A STORY

SYNOPSIS

GENRE

NAOMI'S JOURNEY

SEXY MONEY

SYNOPSIS

GENRES

ROSA CHUMBE

SYNOPSIS

GENRES

SCHEHERAZDE, TELL ME A STORY

SYNOPSIS

GENRES

FALLEN ANGELS PARADISE (GANNAT AL SHAYATEEN)

SYNOPSIS

GENRE

SUSANA BACA: MEMORIA VIVA

SYNOPSIS

GENRES

FALLEN ANGELS PARADISE
(GANNAT AL SHAYATEEN)