Riverside Theatre Hosts 6th Annual African Diaspora International Summer Film Series

Eight films - including several U.S. and New York premieres - will screen during the 6th Annual African Diaspora International Summer Film Series presented by the The Riverside Theatre and African Diaspora Film Festival from August 12 to August 21, at the Theatre (91 Claremont Ave., bet. 120th & 122nd St.), Morningside Heights.

With ten days of compelling and provocative films, an opening reception, a closing dance performance, and multiple discussions with guest speakers, the 6th Annual African Diaspora International Summer Film Series is expanding in scope, range and resonance. The schedule of films is as follows:

Friday 8/12, 7:30 pm - Opening Night Film
Opening Reception: 6:30 pm, $20
Scheherazade, Tell Me a Story (2009, Egypt) - NY Theatrical Release
Dir: Yousry Nasrallah
A surprising, engrossing and thoughtful film about modern gender politics in Egypt, Scheherazade, Tell Me a Story is a sharp observation of Egyptian society, using the classic Arabian Nights framework of a story within a story. View trailer here. 134 mins. In Arabic with English subtitles

Additional screenings: 7:00 pm on Monday 8/15, Tuesday 8/16, Wednesday 8/17, Thursday 8/18

Saturday 8/13
Latino Music - Double Feature
3:30 pm
Sons of Benkos (2003, Colombia/France)
Dir: Silva Lucas
An entertaining documentary that explores the African culture of Colombia through music. The film presents the music of the "sons of Benkos," the descendants of Benkos, one of the most important Black leaders in the fight for freedom during the time of slavery in Colombia.
52 mins. In Spanish with English subtitles

Susana Baca: Memoria Viva (2003, Peru/Belgium)
Dir: Mark Dixon
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.
54 mins. In Spanish with English subtitles.
6:00 pm
Fire in Babylon (2009, UK)
Dir: Stevan Riley
The breathtaking story of how the West Indies triumphed over its colonial masters through the achievements of one of the most gifted teams in sporting history - the West Indian cricketers. This is their story, told in their own words. 87 mins.

"Magnificent" - FINANCIAL TIMES
"fascinating...a great underdog story" - THE SCOTSMAN
"Exuberant" - INDEPENDENT

8:00 pm - Scheherazade

Sunday 8/14
2:00 pm - Fire in Babylon
4:00 pm - Scheherazade

Friday 8/19
6:00 pm
The Love Life of a Zombie, Presidential Candidate (2009, Haiti) - NY Premiere
Dir: Arnold Antonin
A weirdly hilarious and provocative social commentary on Haiti's corrupted politicians and resilient population, The Love Life of a Zombie, Presidential Candidate is FESPACO 2011's winner of the Paul Roberson Award for the Best Diaspora Film. 90 mins. In Creole with English subtitles.

8:00 pm - Scheherazade

Saturday 8/20
3:30 pm
David is Dying (2011, UK) - NY Premiere
Dir: Stephen Lloyd Jackson
A young, successful hedge fund manager has just been told that he is HIV positive. He is informed of the possibility that his unborn child could also be infected and so too the child's mother, his long-term fiancée, Carla. A complex thriller by one of the new talented voices of Black British Cinema. 90 mins.

5:30 pm
Directors on Directing (2009, USA)
Dir: Jamel Wade
A look at the development of filmmaking and its contribution to the social and political times from the perspective of Black filmmakers, featuring candid interviews with Lawrence Hilton Jacobs, Robert Townsend, Bill Duke, Fred Williamson, Melvin Van Peebles and other industry leaders. Post-Screening Discussion with Woody King and Carol Bash. 100 mins.

8:00 pm - Scheherazade

Sunday 8/21
1:00 pm - Scheherazade

3:45 pm, Closing Night Film, $20
Bouncing Cats (2010, US/Uganda)
Dir: Nabil Elderkin
The inspiring story of one man's attempt to create a better life for the children of Uganda using the unlikely tool of hip-hop with a focus on b-boy culture and breakdance. This multiple award winning film features narration by Common and interviews with Mos Def, Will.I.Am and K'Naan. 75 mins.
Screening followed by Breakdance & HipHop performance choreographed by Rhapsody James, and a reception.

The African Diaspora Film Series will be held from August 12 to August 21 at The Riverside Theatre, (91 Claremont Ave., bet. 120th & 122nd St., Morningside Heights). All tickets for the opening and closing screenings are $20; and tickets for the other screenings are $10 general admission and $8 for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased online at www.theriversidetheatre.org, by phone at 212.870.6784, or in person at the Theater box office (Thursday-Saturday 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Sunday, noon - 4:00 p.m.).

The African Diaspora Film Festival presents an eclectic mix of foreign, independent, classic and urban films representing the global Black experience through an extraordinary range of subjects and artistic approaches. Created in 1993 in New York City, ADFF has long been delighting audiences with U.S. and world premieres of independent films, including features, documentaries, animation and shorts. For more information about ADFF, visit www.NYADFF.org.

Originally named the Cloister Theatre, The Riverside Theatre was founded in 1960 on the belief that the arts can be a transforming power in peoples' lives and is committed to serving as a catalyst for cultural connections and social change. The Riverside Theatre, located at the historic Riverside Church, produces work that promotes and deepens cultural and social awareness. Highlights from the past ten seasons have included: the Katherine Dunham Tribute in honor of her 96th birthday; the Clark Terry Tribute hosted by the late Ossie Davis, with special guests Bill Cosby, Arturo Sandoval, Dianne Reeves, Nicholas Payton and Jon Faddis; the screening of The Rise & Fall of Jim Crow, in collaboration with Thirteen WNET and the National Council for Community & Justice; and the critically acclaimed production of Through the Night.

For more information about the 6th Annual African Diaspora Film Series and a complete schedule, visit www.theriversidetheatre.org or call the Theatre at 212.870.6784.

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