PROVIDENCE, RI, September 3, 2022: Back for its third year, PVD World Music’s Annual African Film and Arts Festival returns to Providence for five days from September 14 to 18, 2022, shining a spotlight on contemporary films and filmmakers from Africa and the African Diaspora. As with every year, the festival will showcase rarely-seen films and highlight important indigenous music histories and traditions in locations around Providence in partnership with local champion organizations. It will also include traditional African music and dance performances and offer opportunities to learn more about the vibrant arts of the African continent. In addition, the festival will premiere our first annual cultural Celebration Markets on September 17 and 18.
OPEN AIR CINEMA AND CULTURAL MUSIC IN THE COMMUNITY
DAY 1
Join us for the opening day on Wednesday, Sep 14, 2022 at the Temple to Music in Roger Williams Park, 1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI 02907, from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. We will open with the feature film Le Tambours Sacres by Burundian trailblazer filmmaker Batimba Joseph. Steven Sogo, a Burundian traditional music singer, and songwriter will perform traditional Inanga music from Burundi and the Great Lakes of Africa.
We offer this beginning as a tribute honoring the refugee families from the Great Lakes who immigrated to Rhode Island beginning in the early 2000s. Many people in this community, especially youth born here or in refugee camps have been denied the opportunity to listen to, learn from and share their precolonial music traditions, owing to ongoing conflicts and colonial harm. It will be a first for many to enjoy live performances of important ancestral instruments such as the Inanga, Umuduri, and Ikembe. Additionally, the opening day will be a great opportunity for African refugee youth to watch a film made by a filmmaker from their shared homelands. We will also have local Jamaican food at this event, thanks to our new partnership with JaPatty.
Tickets are free, and donations are highly encouraged.
DAY 2
On Thursday, Sep 15, 2022 The African film festival will continue at the Providence Innovation District Park at 120 Peck St, Providence, RI 02903, from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. We will host a special premiere of the short film Revelation: Revealing the truth' by South African Filmmaker Kurt Orderson, bringing it to a US audience for the first time! This will be followed by another special screening of The Story of Lover’s Rock by UK-based film-maker Menelik Shabazz. As both films explore the complex and long history of reggae , we will have live performances by Boston-based group Classic Vibe Reggae Band. We will have food by Spanglish Truck and drink by the The Guild Providence Beer Garden. This year, PVD World Music hosted more than five free reggae concerts to highlight the importance of reggae as a way of life for many people around the world. Reggae is more than music! It was used as a tool to promote community unity, human dignity and to raise awareness about pan Africanism. Tickets are free, donations, highly encouraged.
DAY 3
On Friday, Sep 16, 2022 We will celebrate the 3rd Anniversary of PVD World Music’s African Film and Arts Festival at the Columbus Theater from 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM and continue at the Courtland Club for an afterparty celebration. The event will open with a Live Inanga Performance by Deo Munyakazi from Rwanda. This will be Deo Munyakazi first performance and first time in the United States. We are excited and honored to collaborate with Deo who is a great advocate for Inanga revival.
Next, we will screen Not in my Neighborhood, a film by South African Filmmaker Kurt Orderson, who will then join us for a Panel Discussion about his path breaking work in Africa and in the African diaspora.
The After Party at the Courland Club will include a cutting-edge DJ set with records from Africa and the diaspora! Tickets are sliding scale $15 - $25.
COMMUNITY, CULTURE, ART, MUSIC AND MOVIES!
DAY 4:
COMMUNITY, CULTURE, ART, MUSIC AND MOVIES!
DAY 4:
On Saturday,Sep 17, 2022, the African Film and Arts Festival will take place at the Southside Cultural Center of Rhode Island, 393 Broad Street, Providence, RI 02907. We will transform the Southside Cultural Center with a block party including film workshops and community readings for youth, as well as free movies, music, dance and art for sale!
Our first annual cultural Celebration Market will feature local BIPOC vendors from Rhode Island and run from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
Drinks will be provided by our long-time collaborator and loving neighbor, Long Live Beerworks.
We will also premiere our Summer Youth Education Workshop Series, through which youth from local African Refugee and immigrant communities will have the opportunity to learn about multimedia and filmmaking in the 21st century. The workshop will be conducted by South African filmmaker Kurt Orderson and run from 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM.
We will also have live music during the day featuring distinct musical traditions from Africa and African Diaspora.
2:00 PM: Leland Baker Jazz Trio
4:00 PM: Yacouba Diabate on Kora
6:00 PM: Kwaku Kwaakye Obeng Band.
We are screening three films:
3:00 PM: Shungu by Saki Mafundikwa from Zimbabwe
5:00 PM: Wahenga by Tanzanian filmmakers Amil Shivaj and Rebecca Corey
7:00 PM: Minga and the Broken Spoon by Cameroonian filmmaker Clay Edou.
Tickets are free. Donations, highly encouraged!
DAY 5
The closing ceremonies for the 3rd Annual Festival will take place on Sunday, September 18, 2022 at Farm Fresh Providence Market, 10 Sims Avenue, Providence, RI 02909 from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
We will host a celebratory night market featuring local BIPOC artists and vendors from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM. We will also have live indigenous music from around the world featuring live bands:
4: 00 PM - Nirmal Selvamony on Guitar (Tamil, South India)
5:00 PM - Mikahely on Valiha (Madagascar, East Africa)
6:00 PM - Zikina Music Band
We will close our exclusive line-up with an exciting film Aza Kivy Morning Star by Madagascar filmmakers Nantenaina Lova and Eva Lova-Bely.
The African film festival seeks to celebrate, educate and and promote cross-cultural dialogue and understanding between the diverse communities that call Providence home. We hope you can join us to celebrate, promote, and enrich traditional music, arts and films from Africa and around the world so that they may be enjoyed and cherished for generations to come!
The 3rd African Film and Arts Festival is made possible by the generous support from our partners, collaborators and sponsors:
FESTIVAL PARTNER AND SPONSORS
Rhode Island Council for the Arts
Providence Department of Arts, Culture and Tourism
Cricket Cinema
Roger Williams Park
Providence Innovation District Park
Columbus Theater
Southside Cultural Center of Rhode Island:
Long Live Beerworks
JaPatty
Haus of Codec
Courtland Club
Rhode Island Council for the Arts
Providence Department of Arts, Culture and Tourism:
Cricket Cinema
Roger Williams Park
Providence Innovation District Park:
Columbus Theater
Southside Cultural Center of Rhode Island:
Long Live Beerworks
JaPatty
Haus of Codec
Courtland Club
Individual donors who made this festival possible
Ashley McKean Palomino
Art By Abu
Brian Valovcin
Cliff Wood
Dylan Block-Harley
Jacob Lightman
Jen McLean
Jim Rubino
Noah LeBlanc
Patrick Coleman
Penn Sultan
Peter Frank
Peter Salant
Rebecca Davis
Ryan Kowal
Sussy Santana
Zach Donahue
SMALL MIGHTY TEAM. BIG COMMUNITY DREAM:
This event was made possible through tireless work of the PVD World Music Institute 2022 Team:
Our volunteer Staff:
Chance Kinyange Boas
Padini Nirmal
Dominique Sindayiganza
Mark Michaelson
Zelie Rukondo
Summer Interns
Ian Lyle
Jetrie Ndikumwenayo
Likeyi Nihorero
Faustino