Projects in genres: Black

Synopsis

This documentary looks at the contribution of Haiti. On January 1st of 1804, Haiti became the second nation in the new world to establish an independent government. These achievements marked not only a burst of independence, but also emancipation from slavery. It started not as a result of a revolt, but out of the depths of human squalor. In 1787 the French revolution rocked France. The framers of the French constitution drafted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, and listed the inalienable rights of the individual. The right to liberty, property, security and resistance to oppression, as well as the rights to freedom of speech, were guaranteed. Unlike the US declaration of independence, the French revolution was intended to apply universally. It not only set fourth the fundamental rights of the French citizen, but also acknowledged these rights to all men, without exception. When the Haitian slaves started demanding their rights promised by the French revolution, the French colonizers quickly reminded them that the Declaration was intended for the Europeans only. This prompted the Africans to revolt, resulting in the first black republic.

Synopsis

Mini Mayor is a short film focusing on the issues of power and popularity through the eyes of London's youth. The main character goes through a rollercoaster-like experience with authoritative powers as he finds himself in the shoes of the Mayor of London for a day. As he soon discovers, power and popularity have their pros and cons as he experiences the trials and tribulations of dealing with the public in various situations. With it's fresh take on a modern mayor, Mini Mayor hopes to educate both the viewers and filmmakers on what would could happen if today's youth were in the shoes of big decision-makers.

Synopsis

A neo-Nazi skinhead is apprehended because he has attacked two black teenage boys. As we are taken backwards through the story we realise that things may not be as 'Black and White' as they appear.
 
Watch on BBC Film Network.

Synopsis

Fazaila is a Shia-Muslim teenager from East London whose mum thinks she's becoming 'too English'. This first film by her cousin Heena explores Fazaila's need to find her own way.

Synopsis

Bro 9 a quietly disturbing film unveiling a portrait of an inner city black urban male struggling to understand the emotional consequences of the childhood loss of his father.
Bro 9 explores the complex psychology of Scally as his personality disorder takes a startling grip on his reality and perception of the world.

Synopsis

This feature documentary is an interview with several members of a Nigerian tribe called Ijaw, of which several million are living in the oil-rich region of the Niger Delta.

Nigeria is the world's sixth largest exporter of crude oil, holds the fourth largest reserve of oil and gas and is an important supplier of oil to the US. Since the British left Nigeria in the 1960s the country has been in a state of semi-civil war, wracked by religious conflicts, and its natural resources looted by western companies, as a result of which millions of people have died.

The people interviewed in this film have all suffered horrendous violence in their struggle for independence. Some have been on death row, some raped, some kidnapped and even tortured. Off camera they are quite willing to talk but on camera they were too scared because of possible repercussions. Their story still transpires throughout these portraits.
The project started in January 2000 and by September 2004, during which time the media had changed their general mood be describing the situation of 'gangs, local tribes and the oil companies in conflict' as 'armed militants and guerrillas against the government in a war zone'.

Synopsis

Cherps is a fresh and charming romantic comedy that draws equally on traditions of British story telling and New York independent filmmaking.
Reggie is a thirtysomething second-generation black British west London geezer. He likes to live on the fly; ducking and diving, and avoiding work whenever possible. He also likes to cherps women. In black British street slang, 'to cherps' is to chat up or flirt with women. Simple.

But Reggie's wild days are numbered when his longtime baby-mother, Sandra, puts the clamps on him; she wants him to settle down and stop running with his home boys. This sends Reggie into a tail spin. Settle down?! Make a commitment?! These are big concepts that need a lot of thought.

And so over the next seven days our hero goes on an existential journey into the meaning of commitment, the meaning of happiness the meaning of life, no less.

Synopsis

A year in the troubled life of the Music School of Luanda, the capital of Angola, and one of the world's poorest and most dangerous places. Following four central characters, this film reveals not only their struggle with their country's war-ravaged past, but also their musical passion and ambition.

Synopsis

Amy is sick with a disease that keeps her in hospital isolation. While on his daily cigarette break, a janitor spots her. The two end up forming a tenuous friendship, one which occurs from different sides of the glass and only ever last as long as it takes for Ben's cigarette to burn down.

Synopsis

Kimmie is a weird kind of road movie that follows the journey of Liberian childs rights activist, Kimmie Weeks as he returns home from exile for the first time in 6 years. It is a very personal journey set against the backdrop of two countries pulling themselves out of war, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Kimmie was just 10 when war broke out in Liberia. He and his mother spent 6 months in a camp without food or medicines where hundreds died and Kimmie was almost one of them. It was this experience that led him to commit his life to fighting for children and, only a child himself, he spent the next 7 years campaigning. When he was 17 he wrote a paper exposing the government's use of children as soldiers; his life was threatened and he fled the country. He was given asylum in the USA where he had been for 6 years when Charles Taylor was forced into exile and Kimmie could return home.

This was to be a trip looking at the issues surrounding war affected children but it was much more than that. A very likeable 23 year old takes on chaos, hope, old friends, presidents and his own demons to find peace- always with humour.

Synopsis

Artist and barber Faisal Abdu'Allah sets up his very own drop-in barbershop. Snipping and shaving while spinning yarns, Faisal discusses art, life and haircutting with customers.

Synopsis

A short film about the 3 stages of love - the 'beginning', the 'honeymoon period' and the 'break-up'. Exploring these stages with five different characters whose stories, against their better knowledge, are linked.

Love Is Like is a romantic thriller that intertwines narrative and explores love from start to finish.