50 years ago, on May 25th 1963, 30 of 32 independent African states founded the Organization of African Unity (OAV), and this day was called Africa Day. Let’s review what has happened in Africa in the 50 years since: Apartheid, civil wars, tribal wars, genocide, dictators, child soldiers, violent coups… I can’t find unity. I don’t know how to break it to you, guys, but it seems that your organization hasn’t done such a good job. But then again, I want to see how united you’ll be if the European powers colonize you, draw arbitrary borders, enslave your people and pillage your natural resources. So instead of celebrating an imaginary African unity and some failing organization, today I choose to speak to the people, and plead for it: listen to the nice dentist and unite!. Even though there are many differences between you, you have one common goal: better the life of African people, and that will only be achieved by being united. You have the power - natural resources the rest of the world covets - and the only thing standing between you and a bright future is unity. As we continue to wait and hope for true African Unity, let’s look at some of the great films that this continent has produced:

1. An African Election (2011)

Democracy, we westerners never stop talking about it. When will it arrive in the developing world? we ask constantly. So here it is, in all its glory – depicting the political campaign and elections in Ghana. It’s a different kind of political documentary, it’s not agenda-driven, corruption-exposing or system-fighting, it’s a fly on the wall descriptive film that shows us democracy – African style. With a lot of vibrance, (over) enthusiasm, and mess and confusion. Ultimately, you’ll learn that democracy is the same everywhere – you make a lot of promises but nothing really gets done.

2. A Screaming Man (2010)

This story is set in Chad, about a father who has a good and stable job as a lifeguard at a luxurious hotel. Not only does he get fired and replaced by his son, when the civil war breaks, the rebel forces demand that he come fight with them – and he does not resist. Riddled with guilt, the father goes on a perilous journey to retrieve his son. It’s a sad and bleak film, but one that offers an unfiltered inside perspective into the African situation.

3. Aujourd’hui (2012)

This Senegalese film depicts last day in the life of Satché (Saul Williams), who returns home from America. He goes on an introspective journey through his past, and meets his old friends, his old flame, the wife and children he left behind, and prepares for his expected demise. There seems to be an outbreak of films that deal with the end of the world and how people spend their last moments, but this film does not over-analyze the situation, leaving you with a lot to think about, which is how I like my films.

4. Moolaadé (2004)

Rarely have I seen such a contrast between the subject matter and the mood of a film. This drama from Senegal, but set in Burkina Faso, deals with female circumcision and the fight of one village to end this inhumane tradition. Director Ousmane Sembene has crafted such a touching and understated film that never aims to shock. The matter-of-fact approach, the almost documentary feel is cliché-free, and never gets sappy or too emotional. The power of the film comes from its sincerity.

5.   Ezra (2007)

From one pleasant topic to another – child soldiers. This film by Nigerian born Newton I. Aduaka tells the story of one such child, from his kidnapping by rebel forces, through his brainwashing and the atrocities he committed, up to his arraignment before a tribunal. While there’s no subtlety in this film, the transformation of this child into a killer is an emotional roller coaster, from pity to hate, to sadness… I guess sometimes you don’t need subtext.

6. Tsotsi (2005)

This Oscar Winning crime drama from South Africa shows life in the urban ghetto of Johannesburg. A gang member kills a woman and hijacks her car only to find a baby in it. He starts to care for this infant and gets attached to him. Slowly but surely he begins to appreciate life. But this is not a sentimental film, it’s a pretty bleak film, but its pace and soundtrack will keep you captivated until the end.

7. Under African Skies (2012)

In 1986 Paul Simon released his most successful solo album – Graceland – a fusion of American and South African music styles. The problem was, this was the height of the Apartheid in South Africa, and Paul Simon was accused of breaking the cultural boycott. 25 Years later the legendary singer-songwriter returns to South Africa for a reunion concert, and talks about those turbulent times, along with the African musicians involved and other colleagues. It’s a great film, about friendship, breaking race barriers and music, not exclusively for Paul Simon fans.

8. White Material (2009)

Set in an unnamed African country this French-Cameroonian coproduction tells the story of a white French woman (Isabelle Huppert) caught in the middle of political unrest. Claire Denis, who is known for her special relation to the ‘Motherland’ crafts a sensitive film, that aptly depicts the complex relations between Blacks and Whites.

9. Battle of Algiers (1966)

While there’s a huge difference (and hostility) between black Africa and Arab Africa, their history is not that different. Gillo Pontecorvo’s Masterpiece reconstructs the Algerian War of Independence, their struggle to decolonize from France. It was a revolution that lasted nearly eight bloody years and took the life of some 700,000 people. The film’s strength lies in balanced and matter-of-fact approach, showing atrocities from both sides.

10. Un été à La Goulette (1996)

We’ll end on a bittersweet note – it’s the story of how, long ago, people from different religions, lived together in peace. Sounds like a fantasy, I know. The story takes place during the sixties in Tunisia, where three teenaged best friends - a Muslim, Jewish and Christian – swear to lose their virginity by a certain date. No, this is not American Pie 11, but a touching coming of age story about friendship and community. For me, the message of the film is that whether we like one another or hate one another is all a question of circumstance, so let’s make our circumstance better.

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Technorati Tags: Africa, Africa Day, African Unity, An African Election, A Screaming Man,  Aujourd’hui,  Moolaadé, Ezra, Tsotsti, Under African Skies, Paul Simon, White Material, Battle of Algiers,  Un été à La Goulette, masterpeice, South Africa

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We are all creatures of habit, and the people heading Cannes Film Festival (and probably the most prestigious of them all) are not all that different, as evident from this year’s line-up, which includes many past winners. It’s also safe to say that the competition is more open this year, since the Festival’s favorite auteur of recent years, Michael Haneke (3 grand prizes in 11 years) is absent this time. Here are some choice repeat offenders, and a couple of hopefuls, we’ll be seeing this year:

Baz Luhrmann

The Australian director won a minor prize at Cannes in 1992 for the stylized romance Strictly Ballroom. More than 20 years later he returns with another film in the same vein, an adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.

Sofia Coppola

Sofia Coppola won a prize in 2006 for Marie Antoinette, a film based on a true story, which centered around a strong female presence and featured an abundance of style and fashion. Fast forward 7 years and Ms. Coppola returns with The Bling Ring, a film based on a true story, centered on a strong female presence which features an abundance of style and fashion.

Nicolas Winding Refn

A brooding Ryan Gosling as a criminal hero already brought Winding Refn the grand prize in 2011 with the rough, L.A set, neo noir Drive, so why not repeat parts of the formula, only this time set the action in Thailand? Hopefully, Only God Forgives will not follow in the footsteps of The Hangover Part II and will manage to replicate its predecessor.

The Coen Brothers

With no less than three previous wins (Barton Fink, Fargo and The Man Who Wasn’t There) Ethan and Joel Coen are undoubtedly well liked on the French Riviera, so Inside Llewyn Davis, their gloomy musician’s life affair, will probably be warmly received.

Jim Jarmusch

Another multiple Cannes Winner (Stranger Than Paradise, Mystery Train, Broken Flowers and the short Coffee and Cigarettes III), Jarmusch returns to the festival with Only Lovers Left Alive, a film that looks like a diversion from his usual oeuvre, since it deals with vampires, but, come to think of it, he will most likely portray them like all his heroes, as quirky misfits.

Steven Soderbergh

It is fitting that Soderbergh, who won in 1989 with his debut Sex, Lies, and Videotape and helped usher in a new era of independent cinema, will screen Behind the Candelabra, his self-professed last film, in the same venue. Similarly to his first film, Soderbergh’s last one also deals with sexuality, although this time in a much flashier way.

Roman Polanski

Polanski has only one Cannes win, which came pretty late in his career, for the epic The Pianist. However, Venus in Fur, his entry for the competition this year, is a little more reminiscent of his latest film, Carnage, since it’s also based on a play and seems to have the same chamber drama qualities.

Paolo Sorrentino

With Il Divo, his Cannes winner from 2008, becoming unexpectedly topical since its subject, former Italian head of state Giulio Andreotti, passed away last week, Sorrentino’s La grande bellezza may not enjoy the same success, as it brings a different, more personal, view of life in Rome.

James Gray

Being in the competition three times (The Yards, We Own The Night and Two Lovers) and never winning, James Grey can only hope that fourth time is a charm. The fact that The Immigrant is a gloomy period piece certainly won’t hurt its chances.

François Ozon

Nominated only once, a decade ago, for Swimming Pool, French director Ozon should hope to benefit from a home court advantage (as some of his compatriots have in previous years), with Jeune et jolie, an episodic and contemplative tale of a young prostitute.

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Technorati Tags: Cannes Film Festival, Michael Haneke, Baz Luhrmann, Strictly Ballroom, F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Sofia Coppola, Marie Antoinette, The Bling Ring, Nicolas Winding Refn, Ryan Gosling, Drive, Only God Forgives, The Hangover Part II, The Coen Brothers, Barton Fink, Fargo, The Man Who Wasn’t There, Inside Llewyn Davis, Jim Jarmusch, Stranger Than Paradise, Mystery Train, Broken Flowers, Coffee and Cigarettes III, Only Lovers Left Alive, Steven Soderbergh, Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Behind the Candelabra, Roman Polanski, The Pianist, Carnage, Paolo Sorrentino, Il Divo, Giulio Andreotti, La grande bellezza, Rome, James Gray, The Yards, We Own The Night, Two Lovers, The Immigrant, François Ozon, Swimming Pool, Jeune et jolie

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May is the Month of Music in New Zealand. We have also noticed a recent increase in films dealing with music – most notably, Quartet and A Late Quartet (don’t get mixed up between them – one is a feel good comedy and the other an introspective drama.) So we decided to dedicate this post to musical titles. But wait! Europe Day is just around the corner (May 9th), as well as our favorite campy song contest - the Eurovision Song Contest (May 18th.)

So with all due respect to New Zealand, we’re tweaking this post a little bit, and giving our ‘Douze Points’ to the following 10 European musical titles.

Little Voice (1998)
In this bittersweet comedy drama a shy small-town girl with an amazing voice is reluctantly pushed into showbiz by her domineering mother and the mother’s ambitious boyfriend. Michael Caine delivers a brilliant performance as the loathsome scout who pushes Little Voice to her limits.

Io, Don Giovanni (2009)
Everyone knows the great composer Mozart. but what about the people who worked with (and behind) this genius? This film focuses on the Italian lyricist Lorenzo Da Ponte, who collaborated with Mozart and wrote the libretto to the famous opera Don Giovanni. Director Carlos Saura uses a lush, stylized setting to picture the backstage intrigues of the period.

Le Concert (2009)
It’s not often we see a scene of almost 20 minutes of a classical music concert. Just music, nothing else. It happens in this film and unlike what one might think, it is absolutely fascinating and captivating. It may be true that the plot, revolving around a Russian orchestra coming to play in Paris, is a bit soap-opera-ish at times, but this remarkable scene and the likeable characters make this film a very worthy watch.

Vitus (2006)
In this engaging drama from Switzerland, a child prodigy finds a unique way of dealing with being different. Vitus is no normal child; with an IQ of 180, a huge appetite for knowledge, and a preternatural gift for playing the piano, he finds it hard to fit in with his peers. Like many parents of exceptional children, his parents are overbearing and eager to see their child succeed. Vitus feels he needs to find a way to be a child again.

La Vie en Rose (2007)
Marion Cottillard won an Oscar and became known to the American audiences for portraying Edith Piaf in this film. Piaf is a classic story of rising to stardom: born to poverty and having to practice prostitution, she managed to break through and become one of the most acclaimed and successful French chansonniers of all times.

Flamenco (1995)
This beautifully shot documentary deals with a style of music and dance unique to Spain – Flamenco. Using an old railroad station in Seville, fitted with mirrors for the unique setting, Carlos Saura (2nd time in this post) presents us with 300 singers, dancers and musicians. There are guitarists playing moving and mournful solos, women singing gypsy ballads and, of course, floor pounding and straight shouldered dancers who look right into the camera with those dark, smouldering, Spanish eyes. A must-see for flamenco fans.

The Chorus (2004)
The Chorus is an uplifting tale of a masterful teacher who put his heart into his work and changed the lives of his students forever. It takes place in a boarding school for troubled kids which is supervised by a very strict and difficult manager. All this changes when a new teacher arrives and manages to reach out to the children through music.

The Red Shoes (1948)
Honestly, I would not recommend this film to everyone. It is beautifully shot and has great dance sequences, but it was, after all, filmed over 60 years ago and contemporary viewers might find it too slow and overly sentimental. But this restriction vanishes completely if you have any affection or connection to ballet whatsoever, because for us ballet lovers it is simply a masterpiece.

Black Cat White Cat (1998)
Kusturica’s complex, darkly comic film centers around the lives of a handful of gypsies and hustlers living on the Danube river. The story focuses on a small time hustler dealing with a bunch of gangsters, while the unique gypsy music plays a vital part in portraying their lives.

Schultze gets the blues (2003)
A retired miner falls into a boring routine, playing his accordion in a folk band. All of this changes when one day he hears Zydeco on the radio – a Louisianan folk/blues music – and gets instantly smitten. He then decides to travel from Germany to Louisiana to hear his new favorite music in its original habitat.

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April 18th/28th/29th – Conan O’Brien’s, Jay Leno’s and Jerry Seinfeld’s birthdays – since this is TV icons birthday month, those responsible for some of the best past and current shows, we thought it’s a good enough reason to write about the best new TV shows (instead of recommending a Seinfeld rerun for the 100th time…) So here are 10 great new TV shows you should at least check out:

10. Rectify

Sundance channel’s original series looks and feels like quality indie cinema. It’s an absorbing, tense, psychological drama about a man who’s released from prison after 19 years (thanks to DNA evidence) and now has to get used to life in the real world outside. Its pace is slow and it takes a bit of time to get into it, but if you’re patient it will be worth your while.

9. Bates Motel

This prequel to the 1960 classic Psycho is quite far from the original, but I think that if Hitchcock was still alive today he would have been proud of this psychological thriller inspired by one of his works. Bates Motel has a creepy atmosphere, it’s tense and engaging and its leading lady Vera Farmiga is always great to watch (because she’s a great actress; and because she’s not what you’d call ugly.)

8. The Politician’s Husband

A tense political drama about blind ambition and power struggles. The two leading roles in this series, David Tenant and Emily Watson, are both superb in their roles. If you like shows like Borgen, Boss and House of Cards, The Politician’s Husband should also be right up your alley.

7. Vikings

Comparisons to Game of Thrones are inevitable, and it’s true that both shows are stylized and rough and deal with themes of intrigue and power struggles, but they aren’t that much alike. Vikings has its own thing going on, and though it’s not nearly as good as Game of Thrones, it’s still very good.

6. Hannibal

Hannibal’s cast includes Mads Mikkelsen, Laurence Fishburne, Hugh Dancy and Caroline Dhavernas (who was the lead in an earlier excellent Bryan Fuller series, Wonderfalls.) I think that the cast alone is a good enough reason to watch the series. Hannibal isn’t as good as the modern classic Silence of the Lambs, but it’s 10 times better than The Following (the other serial killer show that also started airing quite recently.)

5. Top of the Lake

This mystery/drama series offers great acting, a haunting atmosphere and excellent cinematography. This tense existential mini-series was made in the spirit of the best Scandinavian detective series of recent years – The Killing, Wallander and The Bridge.

4. House of Cards

This clever and deeply cynical Netflix original series offers one of Kevin Spacey’s best performances of his esteemed career. This dark political satire shows politicians and journalists in a very negative light. Kevin Spacey’s character (Frank Underwood) is a manipulative, cunning, ultra sophisticated backstabber; and that’s why we like him. (Just kidding, if you really like him your moral compass might be broken. Or maybe you just weren’t paying attention.)

3. The Americans

FX’s new show (which takes place in the 1980’s during the cold war, with two protagonists who are undercover KGB agents) is a complex, clever, tense and suspenseful thriller. If you miss Homeland, The Americans might make your longings feel more bearable. Although it’s more similar to an Israeli series called Ta Gordin (Gordin Cell) that was already sold to NBC. The great choice of music in this fascinating cat and mouse espionage game helps build the tension and create a paranoid atmosphere.

2. Banshee

Cinemax’s (Strike Back, Hunted, Transporter) new series is executive produced by Alan Ball (Six Feet Under, American Beauty, True Blood), and that alone makes it a show worth checking out. It’s obvious right from the start that this is indeed a Cinemax series because all the trademarks are there (violence, sex, nudity and a bit more violence). As for Alan Ball’s touch, I can’t really see it (not gloomy enough), but it’s definitely an action/crime series of the highest quality.

1. Nathan For You

Not many people watch this show, but I honestly think it’s the funniest show on TV right now. It’s hilarious, brilliant and offbeat, and offers a combination of silly, dry and irreverent humor. It’s sort of a parody on business marketing TV shows, and it’s so different and original that it’ll probably get canceled soon… So hurry up and watch it while you still can!

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Technorati Tags: Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, Rectify, Sundance channel, Bates Motel, Psycho, Hitchcock, Vera Farmiga, The Politician’s Husband, David Tenant, Emily Watson, Vikings, Game of Thrones, Hannibal, Mads Mikkelsen, Laurence Fishburne, Hugh Dancy, Caroline Dhavernas, Bryan Fuller, Wonderfalls, Silence of the Lambs, The Following, Top of the Lake, The Killing, Wallander, The Bridge, House of Cards, Netflix, Kevin Spacey, The Americans, FX, Homeland, Ta Gordin, Gordin Cell, NBC, Banshee, Cinemax, Strike Back, Hunted, Transporter, Alan Ball, Six Feet Under, American Beauty, True Blood, Nathan For You

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April is Autism Awareness Month (among other things.) Autism is a good example of why awareness is very important. In the fifties, it was believed that lack of motherly love caused autism; they even gave it a name ‘Refrigerator Mother Theory’ - and you know the word ‘Theory’ makes it official. So parents of autistic kids not only had to deal with the difficulties of raising an uncommunicative child whose needs they did not fully understand, they also had to deal with the stigma of being conceived as emotionless bad parents. Knowledge about this disorder evolved over time, but not before people thought it was caused by vaccinations, prenatal stress, watching too much TV, or other factors which have since been disproven. Asperger syndrome, which now seems like the most common of conditions, was coined only in the 80s, and recognized formally in the 90s. So much has changed in our perception and treatment of autism; and let me make a (not so) bold prediction -  much will change in the future. A great medium to raise awareness for this difficult condition is the small or silver screen, but it does have its problems. Rain Man (which I forewent for originality’s sake) was the first significant film to feature an autistic man, and while everyone was moved by Dustin Hoffman’s character, for which he won a deserving Oscar, many later thought that all autistic people are wizards in math. Since then (especially in this century, when autism has become prominent in films and TV shows) and nowadays, everyone thinks that they can diagnose a person with Asperger.

Let’s take a look at those small and big screen titles that helped raise awareness for autism:

1. Adam (2009)

We’ll start off lightly with a romantic drama about an engineer with Asperger (Hugh Dancy) who falls in love with a ‘normal’ woman (Rose Byrne). Asperger seems to be comedy gold – because people who have it are usually high functioning, but socially awkward and tactless. This is because they struggle to decipher human emotions, sarcasm and other basic social skills. Luckily, this touching film does not overdo it.

2. The Black Balloon (2008)

This Australian drama deals with the heavier side of the autism spectrum. Thomas (Rhys Wakefield) is your ‘regular’ teenager trying to adjust to a new neighborhood, new school and new friends. He also deals with an autistic brother, and not the highly functioning funny one. It’s a great coming of age drama that averts clichés, deals with this subject matter with the sincerity it deserves, and presents some amazingly good acting.

3. Snow Cake (2006)

This Canadian drama rests on the shoulders of its actors: Alan Rickman, Sigourney Weaver and Carrie-Anne Moss. A high functioning autistic woman (Weaver) who lost her daughter in a car accident develops a strange relationship with the man who caused the accident (Rickman). In the hands of a great actress like Weaver, you can be sure that the subject of autism is dealt with much sincerity and humanity.

4. Elling (2001)

An autistic 40 year old man is thrown out of his home after his mother dies and is placed in a government home with the simple-minded and sex-obsessed Kjell. The uptight Elling and the uninhibited Kjell form a great odd couple, who somehow help each other function in a world which doesn’t really accept him. It’s an offbeat and touching Norwegian comedy, with great acting.

5. Ben X (2007)

Apparently, outside of porn and and pictures of cats, the Internet does prove itself useful at times. Autistic people are a case in point. Since autism is mostly manifested as a severe lack of communication skills and human interaction abilities, the mediation of the computer or the web helps autistic people develop those lacking skills. This Belgian film, based on true events,  deals with this issue, with great suspense and style.

6. Mary and Max (2009)

This Australian bittersweet animated dramedy shows how those who lack social skills find good ways to express themselves in a less hi-tech way than the web - through writing. A special friendship is formed between a young shy and lonely Australian girl and an elderly autistic and obese American man. The clay animation is excellently done, and the two misfit characters are very endearing.

7. My Name is Khan (2010)

How do you successfully combine Asperger syndrome, terrorism, 9/11 and song? Easy, make a Bollywood film. This is the journey of an autistic Muslim man (Shahrukh Khan) to the US, right after the attack on the Twin Towers and the wave of anti-Muslim sentiments that cost him his son’s life. This drama is not only for Bollywood fans, as it deals with themes like racism, fear and Islam in a very mature way.

8. Touch (2012)

A 9/11 widower (Kiefer Sutherland) realizes that his autistic son has the ability of foreknowledge through numbers and patterns that connect us all. Together they try to prevent bad things from happening. It’s a show about redemption that blends humanity with suspense and sci-fi elements with fantasy, but it’s done in a pretty believable way.

9. Mabul (2011)

This drama from Israel shows the struggles of a family whose autistic son comes back from the institution they placed him in, after it closes down. This unwanted presence forces the family members to come face to face with their guilt of not loving their son enough and causing his condition, and with this new ‘burden’ that had landed on their shoulders. It’s an in-your-face and complex character study that will leave you speechless.

10. Parenthood (2010)

Based on the 1989 film of the same name, Parenthood is the story of the extended Braverman family. Watching both versions will show you how far we have come in terms of awareness. While in the original film, Steve Martin and Mary Steenburgen’s son has an undiagnosed disorder that causes him to be uncommunicative and behave erratically, in the new version we know the kid suffers from Asperger syndrome. The show does justice to its origin, and has great writing and a great ensemble cast.

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Technorati Tags: Autism Awareness Month, Asperger syndrome, Adam, Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne, The Black Balloon, Rhys Wakefield, Snow Cake, Alan Rickman, Sigourney Weaver, Carrie-Anne Moss, Elling, Ben X, Mary and Max, My Name is Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Touch, Kiefer Sutherland, Mabul, Parenthood, Steve Martin, Mary Steenburgen

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