Upcoming Screenings Online/Week of September 13th

Top Picks for Art Online Week of September 13th

Black Women Film Conference

New Negress Film Society/Online Screenings & Conversations

September 7-October 4, 2020/Conversations Thursday & Friday 6:30-7:30 EST on Facebook & Youtube Live/Free (Though I personally suggest donations!)

When I programmed for a women's film festival I came across the work being done by The New Negress Film Society and fell deeply in love. As stated on their website, "The New Negress Film Society is a core collective of black women filmmakers whose priority is to create community and spaces for support, exhibition and consciousness-raising. The group is formed by Chanelle Aponte Pearson, Nuotama Bodomo, Dyani Douze, Ja'Tovia Gary, Stefani Saintonge and Yvonne Michelle Shirley." The work these women are making and mothering is beyond compare: progressive in form and content, speaking to a future of black female creativity through politics, history, and art. If I'm not mistaken, this conference was to take place at PS1 prior to the pandemic but I am so thrilled it has moved online so even more people can access the work being done by this profound collective. The conference features a series of screenings focusing on the work of individual directors and conversations with these directors on topics such as The Specificity of Place: a conversation with Diana Peralta and Faren Humes and also Filming the Self: a conversation with Gessica Geneus, Angelique Webster, and Iyabo Kwayana. 

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Planet Africa 25: Black Film Now w/Dieudo Hamadi, Charles Officer, Tommy Oliver & Dawn Porter moderated by Cameron Bailey

TIFF/Online Conversation

Sepetember 16, 2020/Free

Planet Africa, a series founded by programmer, film critic, Artistic Director and Co-Head of TIFF Cameron Bailey dedicated to film from Africa and the African diaspora, celebrates its 25 Year Anniversary with a special lineup of events and films. Though I messed up and was too late to post the Free events that took place on the 13th, there is still a Free event on the 16th that you can catch! This panel, Planet Africa 25: Black Film Now, will include filmmakers featured in this year's TIFF lineup under the Planet Africa banner. Dieudo Hamadi, Charles Officer, Tommy Oliver and Dawn Porter will come together with Bailey to speak on the current state of contemporary Black filmmaking-- it's challenges and strengths. Each of these filmmakers holds such a distinct vision and voice, it will be fascinating to hear them discuss their perspectives on contemporary filmmaking at such a pivotal, changing time while reflecting on the legacy of this esteemed series.

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Music Critics' Round Table w/ Heidi Waleson, Zachary Woolfe & Zoë Madonna moderated by Naomi Lewin

92Y, Gilda & Henry Block School of Music/Online Class

September 15, 7pm ET/$15

Every child dreams of being a music critic? Wait, no? Ok. Well, I dreamed of being a music critic at some very, very young age. At some point in college I even wrote for an indie arts magazine on campus under a  pseudonym out of fear of recognition and judgment (how ironic!). There is something in trying to describe a strictly sonic experience to others that has always been appealing to me: how does one convey the tone, the notes, the emotion, the rhythm, the lyrics through a written description? How does a music critic listen and translate what they hear to words? The New York Times’ Zachary Woolfe, the Wall Street Journal’s Heidi Waleson and The Boston Globe’s Zoë Madonna will discuss the secret world of music critics with former WQXR host Naomi Lewin. Though the ticket is a bit steep for the times, the 92Y is a great (physical) space that could no doubt use the support. 

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Please send recs for upcoming weeks to: donnak3[at]gmail[dot]com