XXIV.
Black International Cinema Berlin
Germany
& USA
2009
May
7-10
Rathaus
Schöneberg
(city hall)
John-F.-Kennedy-Platz
10825
Berlin-Schöneberg
"A
COMPLEXION CHANGE –
International & Intercultural Diplomacy"
A
tribute to:
Chancellor
Willy Brandt
"The future
will not be mastered by those who dwell on the past."
Reverend
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"Human
progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of
justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and
passionate concern of dedicated individuals."
President
John F. Kennedy
"We must
never forget that art is not a form of propaganda; it is a form of
truth."
President
Barack Hussein Obama
"Change
will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the
ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we
seek."
produced
& directed by
FOUNTAINHEAD® TANZ
THEATRE
THE
COLLEGIUM - FORUM & TELEVISION PROGRAM BERLIN
in
association with
CULTURAL
ZEPHYR e.V.
in
cooperation with
Commissioner
for Integration, District Tempelhof-Schöneberg,
Berlin
From May
7-10, 2009 Fountainhead® Tanz
Theatre under the direction of Prof. Donald Muldrow Griffith and Prof. Gayle
McKinney Griffith, present the interdisciplinary and intercultural film/video
festival Black International Cinema Berlin for the 24th year. For the first time, the festival
will guest at the Rathaus Schöneberg
(city hall) and be presented in cooperation with the Commissioner for
Integration of the district Tempelhof-Schöneberg,
Berlin, Gabriele Gün
Tank.
Under the
theme "A COMPLEXION CHANGE - International & Intercultural
Diplomacy”,
films from Africa, the African Diaspora and films with an intercultural
perspective are the focus.
Approximately
60 productions will be screened, among them cinematic works from Cape Verde,
Benin, France, USA, Iran, India, Togo, Senegal, Belgium, Germany, United
Kingdom, Colombia, Spain, Nicaragua, Switzerland and Madagascar. In addition,
film discussions, performances and seminars will be
conducted.
German
Commission for UNESCO, Bonn
Our
festival is supported as an ideal project by the German Commission for UNESCO,
Bonn. As a result we received the following letter of acknowledgement from
Christine M. Merkel, Head of the Division for Culture and Memory of the
World.
"A
COMPLEXION CHANGE 2009-2011 is an International Media Project with a very
contemporary and innovative approach. It aims at contributing to the
strengthening of international understanding, peace and friendship among
peoples. It promotes intercultural dialogue in the spirit of the ideals and aims
of UNESCO.
The German
Commission for UNESCO appreciates this initiative. We kindly ask you to assist
Prof. Donald Muldrow Griffith and the Fountainhead® Tanz
Theatre / Black International Cinema Berlin / The Collegium – Forum
& Television Program Berlin & Cultural Zephyr e.V. as well as all other
co-organizers and project participants in realizing this project. We are
convinced that this idea can offer inspiring experience to many people in the
region."
Railbookers
"Since it
was founded in 1986, the Black International Cinema festival in Berlin has
developed into one of the most highly regarded film events in Europe and movie
fans will have the chance to experience it for themselves between May 7th and
10th.
Produced
and directed by the Fountainhead® Tanz
Theatre, the extravaganza is an interdisciplinary and intercultural celebration
of the contribution made by black actors and directors in the world of
film.
The focus
of the festival is to present works of a cultural, artistic and political nature
coinciding with the general social, economic and educational interests of people
from Africa.
Open to all
filmmakers and visitors, the event provides a platform for the impact of cinema
from the African Diaspora and people with an interest in intercultural
relations.
The
Fountainhead®
organization is committed to fighting religious, ethnic and gender persecution
and seeks to battle discrimination through dialogue and
understanding.
By using
art, theatre, dance, music and seminars, the foundation believes that prejudice
against disadvantaged groups can be challenged and stronger links within society
can be forged.
Visitors
will be treated to powerful and thought-provoking examples of cinema from the
past and present."
Information:
Tel.:
030-782 16 21/75 46 09 46 oder Fax: 786 34 66.
http://www.blackinternationalcinema.de/BIC09/bic_09.htm
http://www.blackinternationalcinema.de
http://www.black-international-cinema.com
http://www.fountainhead-tanz-theatre.de
e-mail:
bicdance@aol.com
Mottos
"I may not
make it if I try, but I damn sure won´t if I
don´t..." -
Oscar Brown Jr.
"Mankind
will either find a way or make one." - C.P. Snow
"Whatever
you do..., be cool!" - Joseph Louis Turner
"Yes, I
can...!" - Sammy Davis Jr.
"Yes, We
can...!" - Barack Obama
|
FOUNTAINHEAD®
TANZ THEATRE www.fountainhead-tanz-theatre.de ******************************************************* XXIV. Black International Cinema Berlin A COMPLEXION CHANGE A tribute to Chancellor Willy Brandt Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
President John F. Kennedy President Barack Hussein Obama produced & directed by in cooperation with/in Kooperation mit Commissioner for Integration, District Tempelhof-Schöneberg,
Berlin **************** Festival Presentations: ******************************* FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS Best
film/video by a Black filmmaker Best
film/video on matters relating to the Black Experience/ Best
film/video by a German filmmaker or a filmmaker residing in Germany
Best
children's film/video Best
film/video in the Fine Arts Disciplines Best
film/video documentary production Special
Filmmaker Award ******************************* FILM FESTIVAL
IMPRESSIONS For festival impressions, Photography VISITING FILMMAKERS Sarah Diehl,
Germany THE COLLEGIUM TELEVISION PROGRAM
BERLIN ALEX - Offener Kanal Berlin (Open
Channel Berlin) * LIVE * LIVE * LIVE * LIVE * LIVE * LIVE *
CINEMA OPENING PRESENTATION, May 7, 2009 INAUGURATION DAY, JANUARY 20, 2009, BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA OPENING
SPEECH Photographic Interlude OPENING
SPEECH INTERVIEW conducted by Prof. Donald
Muldrow Griffith Acknowledgement Amerika Haus,
Berlin/Germany
Dancers Production, Direction,
Choreography: ******************************************************* ALEX - OFFENER KANAL BERLIN / OPEN CHANNEL BERLINFor further information & visual impressions,
******************************************************* BLACK INTERNATIONAL CINEMA BERLIN FestLabPass Holder Signatory to the Arts Festivals' ******************************************************* ******************************************************* Fountainhead® at MEDIAWAVE FESTIVAL, Hungary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE COLLEGIUM TELEVISION PROGRAM
BERLIN THE COLLEGIUM
TRAILER THE COLLEGIUM
Television Program is televised in Berlin, Magdeburg, Wolfsburg, Dessau
and additional cities. produced
& directed by/produziert und geleitet von BERLIN presenting / präsentiert werden Cinema /
State of Affairs / Arts Calendar for
program information, please contact: 0049 (0)30-782 16 21 THE COLLEGIUM MAGDEBURG THE COLLEGIUM WOLFSBURG THE COLLEGIUM DESSAU ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- FOUNTAINHEAD® TANZ THEATRE MISSION STATEMENT Wir sind eine internationale, interkulturelle Gemeinschaft von Menschen mit dem Engagement für ein besseres Verständnis und wachsende Kooperation zwischen Individuen und Gruppen, mit Unterstützung des demokratischen Prozesses und der Beseitigung von Gewalt, Verfolgung aufgrund religiöser, ethnischer und geschlechtlicher Zugehörigkeit, Kindes- und Jugendmissbrauch, Homosexuellen-Feindlichkeit und von Rassenhass, durch die Mittel der Kunst, der Bildung, der Kultur und des Dialogs. Nous sommes une communauté internationale et interculturelle de personnes engagées à promouvoir la compréhension et la coopération croissantes entre les individus et les groupes, à lappui des outils démocratiques et à travers lélimination de la violence, de la persécution religieuse, ethnique et sexuelle, de lexploitation de la jeunesse, de lhomophobie et de la haine raciale par le processus de lart, de léducation, de la culture et du dialogue. MOTTOS Copyright: Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre/Cultural Zephyr e.V., June 2009 |
OPENING
CEREMONY
May 7, 2009
4.30 pm, Library (Bibliothek), Rathaus
Schöneberg (city hall), Berlin/Germany
XXIV.
Black International Cinema Berlin
Germany
& USA 2009
May
7-10
Rathaus
Schöneberg
(city hall)
John-F.-Kennedy-Platz
10825
Berlin-Schöneberg
"A
COMPLEXION CHANGE –
International & Intercultural Diplomacy"
A
tribute to:
Chancellor
Willy Brandt
"The
future will not be mastered by those who dwell on the
past."
Reverend
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"Human
progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of
justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and
passionate concern of dedicated individuals."
President
John F. Kennedy
"We
must never forget that art is not a form of propaganda; it is a form of
truth."
President
Barack Hussein Obama
"Change
will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the
ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we
seek."
produced
& directed by
FOUNTAINHEAD®
TANZ THEATRE
THE
COLLEGIUM - FORUM & TELEVISION PROGRAM BERLIN
in
association with
CULTURAL
ZEPHYR e.V.
in
cooperation with
Commissioner
for Integration, District Tempelhof-Schöneberg,
Berlin
ORAL
PRESENTATION
Presenter
Terrence K.
Williamson
Information Management
Officer
Embassy of the United
States of America, Berlin
Dear
Professor Griffith
Dear
Ms. Gün Tank (Commissioner for Integration, Tempelhof-Schöneberg
district)
Dear
guests and filmmakers from Berlin and from around the
World,
It
is a great pleasure for me to be with you tonight at this historic building to
celebrate the opening of the 24th Black International Cinema Festival Berlin.
Professor Griffith, I am quite sure that no one foresaw such a success when the
first festival opened in 1986. I would like to congratulate you, your wife and
all your friends and supporters for your energy, vision, and - yes - your
stubbornness and perseverance throughout these many years.
"Black
International Cinema Berlin": Looking back this title tells in just four short
words a remarkable story of a remarkable festival. While in the early years it
was mainly presenting works by black filmmakers, it soon became both
international and multicultural.
"Ich
bin ein Berliner", those famous words spoken by President Kennedy in front of
this building, were an expression of the special relationship between Americans
and Berliners that began 60 years ago at the time of the Berlin Blockade and the
Airlift.
When
the Griffith family came to Berlin at the end of the 70s, this was a very
different city, divided and marked by the Cold War. They decided to stay and to
raise their children: to become citizens of Berlin. And this meant, in the very
best of American traditions, to get involved in the city's life, to contribute
to the development of the community. Well, that's why we are here
today...
I
would like to close my remarks by citing two short quotes from President Barack
Obama - well, actually one is the title of a book, written by Sammy Davis, Jr.:
"Yes, I can...!"
When
I grew up in the deeply segregated south and was told I couldn't befriend a
young Caucasian playmate, someone else told me, Yes I can!
When
I developed a speech impediment so severe that I couldn't complete a sentence
without singing a really bad song, someone else told me, Yes I
can!
And
when my teachers educationally tracked me towards a trade and told me I would
not go to college, someone else told me, Yes I can!
I
stand here today as living testimony of the power of the simple phrase, Yes I
can!
The
second one you will find as a motto of this festival:
"Change
will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the
ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we
seek."
Professor
Griffith embodies the essence of this motto and the results of his compassion as
an agent of change are why we are here today.
I
wish you a successful festival, engaging discussions and many fascinated
spectators.
Thank you.
