Narratives

MADE IN BANGLADESH
MADE IN BANGLADESH
MADE IN BANGLADESH
MADE IN BANGLADESH
MADE IN BANGLADESH
MADE IN BANGLADESH
MADE IN BANGLADESH
MADE IN BANGLADESH

MADE IN BANGLADESH

Regular price $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

Cart
DANCING THE TWIST IN BAMAKO
DANCING THE TWIST IN BAMAKO
DANCING THE TWIST IN BAMAKO
DANCING THE TWIST IN BAMAKO
DANCING THE TWIST IN BAMAKO
DANCING THE TWIST IN BAMAKO

DANCING THE TWIST IN BAMAKO

Regular price $395.00
/

Dancing The Twist in Bamako - Trailer - ArtMattan Films 

DANCING THE TWIST IN BAMAKO

The 1960s were a time of change everywhere, and that includes Bamako, the capital city of Mali, a nation only recently independent from French colonial rule.

DANCING THE TWIST IN BAMAKO is a romance fraught with the drama of political change, infused with the musical energy of that decade. Samba, a young, idealistic socialist, works toward creating a more just nation by day and dances with girlfriend Lara to the Beach Boys, Otis Redding, and the Supremes by night.

The film’s sensibility is inspired by the vibrant images, patterns, and compositions of famed Malian photographer, Malick Sidibé. Lara’s orange silk dress and Samba’s dazzling white suit, shot against the striped backdrop of their dance club and the black and white checked dance floor they cut up — all suggest that change is coming rapidly, that life is for living.

by Robert Guédiguian, France / Canada / Senegal, 2021, 129min, Romantic Drama, French with English subtitles.

 

"Inspired by the photographs of Malick SidibéDancing the Twist in Bamako (the screenplay of which was written by Robert Guédiguian and Gilles Taurand) does not claim to moralise or substitute for an African perspective. The film relies on the universality of love stories that defy (at the risk of their lives) traditions and ideologies, to weave a story nourished by simplicity, enthusiasm, and even the touching naivety of youth, against the backdrop of a utopia of class struggle confronted by "realpolitik." A dive into the past, punctuated by a multitude of hits from the early 60s whose fragrance of effervescent happiness is tinged with nostalgia and tragedy, like a challenge to time and the dictates of the mind." ~ Fabien Lemercier, Cineuropa

Cart
KUESSIPAN
KUESSIPAN
KUESSIPAN
KUESSIPAN
KUESSIPAN
KUESSIPAN
KUESSIPAN
KUESSIPAN

KUESSIPAN

Regular price $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

Cart
ANGELICA
ANGELICA
ANGELICA
ANGELICA
ANGELICA
ANGELICA
ANGELICA
ANGELICA

ANGELICA

Regular price $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

Cart
QUILOMBO

QUILOMBO

Regular price $395.00
/

QUILOMBO

DIRECTED BY Carlos Diegues
BRAZIL / 1984 / EPIC DRAMA / BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES / 114 MIN

SYNOPSIS

This historical saga is a stirring fusion of folklore, political impact and dynamic story-telling, realized in vibrant tropical colors and set to the pulsing beat of Gilberto Gil's musical score. After the slave revolt of 1641, groups of enslaved black Brazilians escaped to mountainous jungle strongholds where they formed self-governing communities. This film is the chronicle of the most famous of these communities which flourished for several decades under the reign of the legendary chieftain Ganga Zumba.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Carlos Diegues
Starring: Antônio Pompêo, Tony Tornado, Zeze Motta, Zózimo Bulbul
 

GENRES

  • Epic Drama
Cart
A SON (UN FILS)
A SON (UN FILS)
A SON (UN FILS)
A SON (UN FILS)

A SON (UN FILS)

Regular price $395.00
/

A Son - Trailer - ArtMattan Films.mp4 from ArtMattan Productions on Vimeo.

A SON / Bik Eneich: Un fils 

DIRECTED BY MEHDI BARSAOUI 
TUNISIA/ 2019/ DRAMA/ ARABIC WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES/ 96 MIN

SYNOPSIS

An intense family drama starring French-Tunisian actor Sami Bouajila, winner of the Orizzonti Award for Best Actor, Venice Film Festival 2019.  11 year old Aziz needs a liver transplant after being seriously injured during a terrorist ambush while on holiday in 2011. At the hospital, a family secret will be revealed.

A drama that expertly captures complex human emotions within their socio-cultural, historical and political context. ~ Hollywood Reporter

Not many debuting directors are able to bring subtlety and depth to a heart-rending subject, which is just one reason why Mehdi M. Barsaoui's superb "A Son" deserves significant attention. ~ Variety

It's a film reminiscent of the work of Iranian master Asghar Farhadi [A Separation, The Salesman], full of twists and turns as it puts its characters in increasingly tragic situations. ~ Cineuropa

 

AWARDS

César Awards, France (2021)
Best Actor: Sami Bouajila

Victoria Film Festival, Canada (2020) 
Best Feature: Mehdi Barsaoui

Malmö Arab Film Festival (2020)
Best Actress: Najla Ben Abdallah

Kosmorama, Trondheim Internasjonale Film Festival (2020)
New Director's Award: Mehdi Barsaoui

Venice Film Festival (2019)
Best Actor: Sami Bouajila

Cairo International Film Festival (2019)
Arab Cinema's Horizons Award: Mehdi Barsaoui
Salah Abu Seif Prize: Mehdi Barsaoui
UNFPA Award: Mehdi Barsaoui

Hainan International Film Festival (2019)
Young Talent Award Winner: Best Feature Film 

Cart
THE SLEEPING NEGRO
THE SLEEPING NEGRO
THE SLEEPING NEGRO
THE SLEEPING NEGRO
THE SLEEPING NEGRO
THE SLEEPING NEGRO

THE SLEEPING NEGRO

Regular price $395.00
/

WINNER!
* FIPRESCI Award, International Film Festival Mannheim-Heidelberg 2022, Germany
* VISIONARY AWARD , Cinequest 2022

Confronted with a series of racially charged incidents, a young black man must overcome rage, alienation, and hopelessness in order to find his own humanity.

The young black man, simply identified as “Man,” must resolve the personal meaning of his blackness when his white boss orders him to commit fraud to benefit the corporation. Struggling with an overwhelming sense of shame for going through with the illegal demand, Man seeks consolation by discussing his unease with a black former friend and his white fiancé. Those conversations lead only to further confusion and frustrations...

Following on the footstep of the LA Rebellion filmmakers, Skinner Myers tells a very personal and intimate Black story in a radically non-traditional cinematic style as a means to express freely his feelings as a Black man in America.

 

By Skinner Myers, USA, 2021, 72min, Drama, English

 

 "A superb character study of a black man, how he sees himself and how he was treated by society, it is surreal yet real and terrifying." ~ Ulkar Alakbarova, moviemovesme.com

"Remaining asleep to Myers as an African-American is a sin, but so is to be completely awake to the point where love for the self is all but embraced. In this impassioned, vigorous, lucid cinematic journey, the bleak, bruised-yet-fighting spirit of one Kendrick Lamar’s and every other prominent African artist strikes like lightning, and resonates like thunder. Like the greats, Myers, is a voice in his lane to place one’s focus on; his artistry effortlessly commanding, a feat implying many more to be accomplished in a budding career in American independent filmmaking." LOUIE BAHAROM, cinephiliaph.wordpress.com

Cart
MYOPIA
MYOPIA
MYOPIA
MYOPIA
MYOPIA
MYOPIA
MYOPIA
MYOPIA
MYOPIA
MYOPIA
MYOPIA
MYOPIA

MYOPIA

Regular price $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

Cart
Executive Order (Medida Provisora)
Executive Order (Medida Provisora)
Executive Order (Medida Provisora)
Executive Order (Medida Provisora)
Executive Order (Medida Provisora)
Executive Order (Medida Provisora)

Executive Order (Medida Provisora)

Regular price $395.00
/

EXECUTIVE ORDER
(Medida Provisória)

Set in a dystopian near future in Rio de Janeiro, a lawyer (Alfred Enoch) sues the Brazilian government for reparation of all descendants of African slaves in the country. The authoritarian government responds by signing an executive order sending all black citizens to Africa as an excuse to repay the debts of slavery. 

Directed by Lázaro Ramos, 2020, Brazil, 101min, Drama, Portuguese w/ English subtitles.

"A chilling believability creeps into this dystopian debut from actor-turned-director Lázaro Ramos that’s hard to shake off." ~ Cath Clarke, Guardian

"[Executive Order] is Bacurau on a global scale, Get Out without the humor. It's Armee Guineenne unleashed in movie form, a melancholic prophecy of a coming war and a sendoff to those brave African soldiers who dared to fight for their heartland." ~ Asher Luberto, L.A. Weekly

"The directing is excellent, the cast is giving it their all, and the themes are relevant and need to be discussed." ~ Bobby LePire, Film Threat

"Politically and culturally driven it may be, Executive Order still ultimately aims for entertainment and education in equal measure." ~ Peter Gray, The AU Review

Cart
AS FAR AS I CAN WALK
AS FAR AS I CAN WALK
AS FAR AS I CAN WALK
AS FAR AS I CAN WALK
AS FAR AS I CAN WALK
AS FAR AS I CAN WALK

AS FAR AS I CAN WALK

Regular price $445.00
/

As Far as I Can Walk Trailer - Art from ArtMattan Productions on Vimeo.

As Far as I Can Walk is a 2021 internationally co-produced drama directed by Serbian Oscar-nominated director (for his 2003 short film '(A)Torsion') Stefan Arsenijevic that follows a couple who left Ghana with a dream of a better life in Europe and now live as refugees in Belgrade.

22-year-old Siisi, nicknamed Strahinja, is doing everything to integrate in Serbia. He volunteers for the Red Cross in the camp where he lives, looks for work, plays on the local football team... His biggest challenge, however, is to win back the woman he loves. When she disappears one day, Strahinja sets out to find her.

As Far as I Can Walk is a re-imagining of a traditional medieval epic in which contemporary African migrants take the place of Serbian national heroes. Urgent and timeless at the same time, the adaptation raises questions about identity, tradition, race and love.

It premiered at the 55th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 2021 where it won five prizes including the main Grand Prix – Crystal Globe and the Best Actor honor awarded to Ibrahim Koma for his starring performance in the film.

By Strahinja Banović / Serbia / France / Luxembourg / Bulgaria / Lithuania / 2021 / 92 min / English and Serbian with English Sub.

 

It’s a surprising and exhilarating blend of contemporary refugee story, love triangle and medieval Serbian poem.” ~ Alisa Simon, Variety

In his masterfully directed picture Stefan Arsenijević delivers a crystal clear, humanistic account of the need to find one’s place in the world; this is also a tale of love, the most profound testimony of which might also be the most painful.” ~ Lenka Tyrpáková, Karlovy Vary FF

“Arsenijević's film is vividly crafted and performed. The predominantly English-language film should gather interest [ ] on the strength of its topicality and emotional accessibility.” ~ Guy Lodge, Variety

The refugees are presented as broken and poor, but dignified, and as opposed to many other similarly themed films, we get real, flesh-and-blood characters in Strahinja and Ababuo, with well-defined personalities, pasts and hopes for the future. And therein lies the film's greatest strength: both actors are positively magnetic on the screen, but especially Koma, whose drive and extraordinary charisma often collide with Mensah-Offei's pride and headstrong ambition.” ~ Vladan Petkovic, Cineuropa

One of Arsenijevic’s avowed goals with As Far as I Can Walk was to portray refugees as distinct individuals with inner lives, dreams and aspirations, not just blank statistics. In this he is admirably successful.” ~ Stephen Dalton, Verdict

 

ABOUT THE MAKING OF THE FILM

“Arsenijević’s hometown Belgrade marks an important point on the Balkan migrant route. A few years ago, he could see thousands of new refugees arriving every day. He says, “Having my own experience of war and poverty in the 90s, I could easily identify. I started talking with migrants, hearing their experiences. There was this moving story of epic proportions happening right in front of me. It was just important to find the right angle to tell it.” As the migrant crisis grew, many locals promulgated paranoid fears that migrants would take over European culture by imposing their own. “National identity and national heritage are touchy subjects in my country,” says Arsenijević. “So, it occurred to me: what if I replace Serbian national heroes with contemporary African migrants? I thought this could provide some interesting perspectives.”  ~ Alisa Simon, Variety

 

WATCH AS FAR AS I CAN WALK IN THEATRES

 

THEATRE  CITY/STATE OPENS
IFC Center New York, NY June 30, 2023

 


 




 




 


Cart
BLACK MEXICANS / LA NEGRADA

BLACK MEXICANS / LA NEGRADA

Regular price $295.00
/

Black Mexicans Trailer Eng Sub - ArtMattan Films from ArtMattan Productions on Vimeo.

THE BLACK MEXICANS / LA NEGRADA

DIRECTED BY JORGE PEREZ SOLANO
MEXICO / 2018 / SPANISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES / 104 MIN
SYNOPSIS

Critically acclaimed drama Black Mexicans / La Negrada by Jorge Pérez has recently been acquired by Artmattan Productions!

Black Mexicans / La Negrada is the first Mexican feature film about the Afro-Mexican community, filmed entirely with people from different towns around the Costa Chica in Oaxaca.

Among the black people in the Costa Chica in Oaxaca, it is socially accepted that a man lives with more than one woman. Juana and Magdalena share Neri’s love, they both know that this situation is hurting them. Juana will have to die in order to show Magdalena a new path for her life.

In Mexico, the afro communities represents only 1% of the total population. They have never been recognized as an ethnic group, nation or culture, suffering discrimination as an outcast group. LA NEGRADA is the first Mexican fiction movie filmed entirely in one of those black communities, with local people, no professional actors. An effort to give them voice and make them visible.

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Jorge Perez Solano
 

GENRES

Cart
YAFA Forgiveness

YAFA Forgiveness

Regular price $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
Cart
SHAIHU UMAR
SHAIHU UMAR
SHAIHU UMAR
SHAIHU UMAR
SHAIHU UMAR
SHAIHU UMAR
SHAIHU UMAR
SHAIHU UMAR

SHAIHU UMAR

Regular price $395.00
/

SHAIHU UMAR

Didi Cheeka works as a director and film critic and has been working for years to reappraise the Nigerian film heritage. He initiated the archive project “Reclaiming History, Unveiling Memory” with the aim of restoring, digitizing and curating rediscovered Nigerian films.

SHAIHU UMAR is one of the most important works in Nigerian film history, but was long considered lost. Located in northern Nigeria at the end of the 19th century, the film is based on a novel by Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, who later became Nigeria’s first prime minister. Only the rediscovery of the camera negative in 2016 made the reconstruction of the film possible. The digitally restored version had its premiere at the Berlinale in February 2018.

Set in northern Nigeria towards the end of the 19th century, Shaihu Umar starts with a discussion between Islamic students and their renowned teacher, the wise man Shaihu Umar. Asked about his origins, Umar begins to tell his story: he comes from a modest background and is separated from his mother after his father dies and his stepfather is banished. His subsequent trials and tribulations are marked by slavery, and he is put to any number of tests until he finally becomes the adopted son of his Arabic master Abdulkarim. He attends Koran School and is made an imam upon reaching adulthood. Following a particular dream, he resolves to search for his mother.


Adamu Halilu filmed Shaihu Umar in Hausa in 1976. Arsenal - Institute for Film and Video Art restored the film with the support of the German Embassy in Abuja.

by Adamu Halilu, Epic Drama, Nigeria, 1976, 142', Hausa with English Subtitles.

WITH

Umaru Ladan (Shaihu Umar)
Mairiga Aliyu (Fatima)
Husaini Mohammed (Umar, 3 Jahre alt)
Umaru Dembo (Makau)
Assad Yasin (Abdulkarim)
Harira Kachia (Kaka)

CREW

Director
Adamu Halilu
Screenplay
Adamu Halilu, based on the novel of the same title by Abubakar Tafawa Balewa
Director of Photography
Yusuf Mohammed, Zakari Yusufu
Editing
Edwin Apim
Sound
Baba Gana
Production Design
Assad Yasin
Producers
Umaru Ladan, Umaru Dembo

BIOGRAPHY

Adamu Halilu

Born in the state of Adamawa, Nigeria in 1936. He studied screenwriting and editing in London. Along with his work as a feature film director, Adamu Halilu also wrote screenplays and took part in the production of almost 70 documentary films. Adamu Halilu died in 2001.

Filmography (selection)

1963 Mama Learns a Lesson; 48 min. 1971 Child Bride; 70 min. 1976 Shaihu Umar 1978 Kanta of Kebbi 1981 Moment of Truth; 90 min. 1982 Zainab

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2018


PRODUCED BY

Federal Ministry of Information (Federal Film Unit Kaduna)

Cart
SEASONS OF A LIFE

SEASONS OF A LIFE

Regular price $245.00
/

SEASONS OF A LIFE 

DIRECTED BY C. SHEMU JOYAH
MALAWI / 2010 / ENGLISH / 102 MIN

SYNOPSIS

A housemaid, who is sexually abused by her boss and made pregnant, is forced to give up her son in order to go on with her education.

Six years later she comes back to claim her son. From Malawi comes this moving story about sexual abuse, women rights and the legal justice system in Malawi.

This film tackles universal themes in an African setting giving an understanding of some of the modernization and democratization processes in Africa.

Flora Suya stars as the lead character, Sungisa Malango, a maid turned lawyer who fights for custody of her child.

"This is not exactly a film I would have sought out but since it was made in Malawi by a Malawian director, I decided to watch it and am damned glad I did. This is a film that will tell you far more about the ascending middle class in Africa than any Thomas Friedman column plus it is a well-written and well-acted old fashioned tale of the sort that might have starred Bette Davis. Strongly recommended." - Film critic Louis Proyect

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: C. Shemu Joyah
Starring: Flora Suya
Starring: Tapiwa Gwaza
Starring: Neria Chikhosi
 

GENRES

  • Drama 
Cart
Ludi

Ludi

Regular price $395.00
/

Trailer LUDI Art.mp4 from ArtMattan Productions on Vimeo.

After a half truth lands her under immense financial pressure, Ludi Alcidor embarks on a frantic scour through Miami's private care-taking world in an increasingly desperate attempt to send money to her family in Haiti.

Ludi's interaction with her Cuban landlord and her senior Jewish client, offers a glance at the life of Haitian immigrants in Miami.

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 PetersonHollywood Outsider 



Cart
THE CITIZEN (AZ ALLAMPOLGAR)

THE CITIZEN (AZ ALLAMPOLGAR)

Regular price $395.00
/

THE CITIZEN

Directed by Roland Vranik | Hungary | 2016 | Drama | 109 min

SYNOPSIS

In his late fifties Wilson, whose family was killed during an outbreak of civil war in Guinea-Bissau, enters Europe as a political refugee and settles for a sedate life as a security guard in a Budapest shopping center. Wilson's main desire is to acquire Hungarian citizenship. The story follows Wilson as he attempts to find his place in Hungarian society in his daily life, at work, with Mari, a history teacher who helps him study for the citizenship and Shirin, a young Iranian woman whose only hope to avoid deportation is to marry a Hungarian citizen. The Citizen is an Award-winning drama that poignantly dwells on some of the most complex issues of contemporary modern European society.BBC

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Rolad Vranik
 
 

GENRES

  • Drama 
Cart
TAZZEKA
TAZZEKA
TAZZEKA
TAZZEKA
TAZZEKA
TAZZEKA
TAZZEKA
TAZZEKA

TAZZEKA

Regular price $395.00
/

 

TAZZEKA 

DIRECTED BY JEAN-PHILIPPE GAUD
FRANCE and MOROCCO / 2018 / FRENCH, ARABIC WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES / 95 MIN

 

SYNOPSIS

Growing up in the Moroccan village of Tazzeka, Elias learned the secrets of traditional Moroccan cuisine from his grandmother who raised him. Years later, meeting a top Paris chef and a young woman named Salma inspires him to leave home.

 

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Jean-Philippe Gaud
Starring: Madi Belem
Starring: Ouidad Elma
Starring: Olivier Sitruk
 

GENRES

  • Comedy/Drama 
  • Immigrant Experience
  • French Language
  • Staff Favorites
  • New Release 
Cart
OTOMO

OTOMO

Regular price $245.00
/

OTOMO 

DIRECTED BY FRIEDER SCHLAICH
GERMANY / 1999 / GERMAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES / 84 MIN

SYNOPSIS

A powerful film portraying institutionalized racism and police brutality, Otomo provides a convincing look at the everyday world of refugees, who are continuously surrounded by tension and insecurity. In the summer of 1989, a Stuttgart newspaper reported the true story of a West African asylum seeker who physically assaulted an intolerant subway ticket-taker; fled, and became the target of a city-wide manhunt. Otomo is a sober, fictionalized reconstruction of a tale that shocked Stuttgart, and a gripping portrait of how institutionalized racism drives a disempowered individual to violence and inhumanity.

West African immigrant Frederic Otomo (Isaach de Bankole) lacks the proper papers to be hired for the most menial of jobs; he has survived for eight years with the help of a Catholic charity. Otomo is the target of verbal abuse, is thrown out of his boarding house, and even scorned by neighborhood dogs. He feels and looks out of place. A stoic bubbling pot of wrath on the run, de Bankole's performance establishes Otomo's essence without words-language cannot express the gravity of his situation. As a ticking soundtrack counts down his fated minutes, Otomo is helped by a kind, aging hippie and her granddaughter, establishing the potential for an inclusive German society….if it is not too late... 

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Frieder Schlaich
Starring: Isaach de Bankole
Starring: Eva Mattes
Starring: Barnaby Metschurat
 GENRE
  • Drama 
  • DVD also includes Bonus film 
Waalo Fendo: Where the Earth Freezes


Cart
NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH

NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH

Regular price $295.00
/

NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH 

DIRECTED BY JOHN KANI
SOUTH AFRICA / 2008 / ENGLISH / 78 MIN

SYNOPSIS

Nothing But The Truth is a gripping investigation into the complex dynamic between those blacks who remained in South Africa and risked their lives to lead the struggle against apartheid and those who returned victoriously after living in exile. In New Brighton, South Africa, 63-year-old librarian Sipho Makhaya prepares for the return of the ashes of his brother Themba, recently deceased while in exile in London after gaining a reputation as a hero of the anti-apartheid movement. Internationally recognized, multiple award-winning actor John Kani is the lead actor in this film version of the internationally acclaimed award-winning play Nothing But The Truth which he also authored.

“A deeply felt portrait that delicately weaves the extraordinary and the ordinary in its characters' lives.” - New York Times

DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: John Kani
Starring: Motshabi Tyelele
Starring: Rosie Motene
Starring: David Newton
 

GENRES

  • Drama 
Cart
MINGA and the Broken Spoon
MINGA and the Broken Spoon
MINGA and the Broken Spoon
MINGA and the Broken Spoon
MINGA and the Broken Spoon
MINGA and the Broken Spoon
MINGA and the Broken Spoon
MINGA and the Broken Spoon

MINGA and the Broken Spoon

Regular price $395.00
/

Minga and The Broken Spoon Trailer - ArtMattan from ArtMattan Productions on Vimeo.

MINGA and the Broken Spoon

A charming animation for the entire family, this African fable tells the story of Minga, an orphaned girl living with her stepmother MamiKaba and her stepsister Abena. One day, when she washes the dishes in the river, she accidentally brakes a spoon. A furious MamiKaba chases her away from the house, asking her to find the only identical spoon hidden by her late mother. An adventurous journey then begins for Minga in the forest.

 Minga and the Broken Spoon is the first feature-length animated film entirely conceived and produced in Cameroon and is loosely based on “The Broken Spoon,” the famous African tale. The film is a vibrant tribute to Cameroon’s rich cultural diversity, while being a source of entertainment for the young and old alike.

By Claye Edou, Cameroon , 2019, 80 mins, animation in English.

Cart
HUMAN BEHAVIOR

HUMAN BEHAVIOR

Regular price $145.00
/

HUMAN BEHAVIOR

DIRECTED BY FLAVIO LEANDRO 

BRAZIL / 1995 / SILENT FILM / 12 MIN                                                                          
                                                                                                                          SYNOPSIS

In 1993, death squads opened fire on a group of sleeping street children camped on the steps of a cathedral in Rio de Janeiro’s central financial district, killing six. This event, later called the Candelaria massacre, is vividly depicted in this short film about the plight of street children in Brazil.  

DIRECTOR

Director: Flavio Leandro
 

GENRE

  • Drama

                                                                      

Cart
DESIREÉ

DESIREÉ

Regular price $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 
Cart
BLACK DJU

BLACK DJU

Regular price $195.00
/

BLACK DJU

DIRECTED BY POL CRUCHTEN
CAPE VERDE AND LUXEMBOURG / 1997 / PORTUGUESE & FRENCH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES / 80 MIN

SYNOPSIS

From the sea and sun of the Cape Verde Island, it's a very big step to rainy, gloomy, land-locked Luxembourg, but that's the journey 20-year-old Dju Dele Dibonga must take to track down his dad, whose yearly visits and monthly guest worker checks have stopped. But it's not just the weather that's not welcoming, Dju also has to face overzealous immigration cops intent on filling deportation quotas and the noisy outrage of a hard-boozing police lieutenant (veteran actor Philippe Léotard). Dad's trail looks cold, until lieutenant decides to join in the hunt and to become Dju's partner in this tale of love and friendship. With the exceptional participation of Cape Verdian singer Cesaria Evora as Dju's mother and Manu Dibango as himself.
DIRECTOR AND CAST

Director: Pol Cruchten 
Starring: Philippe Leotard
Starring: Richard Courcet
Starring: Patrice-Flora Praxo
 

GENRES

  • Drama
Cart
BACK OF THE MOON: SOPHIATOWN 1958
BACK OF THE MOON: SOPHIATOWN 1958
BACK OF THE MOON: SOPHIATOWN 1958
BACK OF THE MOON: SOPHIATOWN 1958
BACK OF THE MOON: SOPHIATOWN 1958
BACK OF THE MOON: SOPHIATOWN 1958

BACK OF THE MOON: SOPHIATOWN 1958

Regular price $395.00
/

Back Of the Moon Trailer - Art from ArtMattan Productions on Vimeo.

BACK OF THE MOON: SOPHIATOWN 1958

Oscar-nominated South African director, Angus Gibson, takes us back to the glitz and menace of Sophiatown in his stylish new film, Back Of The Moon. Starring Richard Lukunku and Moneoa Moshesh.

28 July 1958. Badman, an intellectual and the leader of the most powerful gang in Sophiatown, lives life on his own terms in this crazy, cosmopolitan, half demolished ghetto on the edge of Johannesburg. The gorgeous Eve Msomi, a torch-singer on the brink of an international career, is giving her last concert in the local hall before she travels to London. Tomorrow, legions of Apartheid police will force the residents of Gerty street out of their homes and they will be trucked to a desolate township, ten miles out of the city.

Refusing to face the bleak reality of black South African life, Badman has decided that he will fight to the death for his home. But fate, thrusts Eve Msomi, whom he has loved from a distance, into his orbit. And on this night that bears this beautiful encounter, Badman’s gang, The Vipers, sensing his vulnerability, turns on them both.


Directed by Angus Gibson, South Africa, 2019, 95min, Drama, Zulu w/English subtitles

Eve is kind of a character that was based on Miriam Makeba on the eve that she leaves for London. So you have this great talent that you know is being driven out of this country and then Badman, played by Richard Lukunku, is an intellectual, he should have been a leader in the community and in order to hold his head up high, he has become a gangster. So both of these pretty fabulous characters are lost to South Africa. That is something that I find sad.”  ~ Director August Wilson

AWARDS

South African Film and Television Awards (2020)
Best Achievement in Costume Design - Feature Film

Black Film Festival Montreal, Canada (2020) 
Best International Narrative Feature

Durban International Film Festival, South Africa (2019) 
Best South African Narrative Feature

Cart