What to expect at the Black Film Fest

Danny Glover in Chasing Shakespeare

The Montreal Black Film Fest, presented by Global Montreal in collaboration with Zupim.com, runs from Sept. 18–29. Offering a selection of over 100 films from around the world, the fest highlights new black films while creating a space to debate major cultural, social and socio-economic issues.

Here’s a list of some of the top picks chosen by MIBFF from the festival line-up:
Chasing Shakespeare
Alice Walker – Beauty in Truth
The Forgotten Kingdom
Denis
Fanie Fouri’s Lobola
Rayons d’Espoir (They Shine)
Nairobi Half Life
Taste of Rain
The Retrieval
Les baobabs ne poussent pas en hiver
The Suspect
Haiti Untold
La Source
Mimi Barthélémy – la voix de la conteuse
Tula – the Revolt
Journalistes – vos papiers
Bay of all Saints
Finding Hillywood
Noirs et blancs en couleurs
Home
Something Necessary
La Playa DC

Danny Glover, Hollywood legend, producer and activist, will receive the MIBFF’s 2013 Humanitarian Award on the festival’s opening night, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 7:30 p.m. at the Imperial Theatre.

Josué Lajeunesse, active humanitarian, will receive the very first MIBFF Social Impact Award on Friday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. at Cinéma du Parc. The MIBFF is presenting him with this award for his efforts to improve the living conditions of the inhabitants of La Source, his hometown, after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

Kim Nguyen, award-winning and Oscar-nominated director will receive the first MIBFF Vanguard Award on the festival’s closing night, Sunday, Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. at the Imperial Theatre. This new award was recently created to recognize Canadian directors for their exceptional efforts in raising awareness about black realities.

And the famous Senegalese filmmaker Moussa Touré will be the spokesperson for the 9th edition of the MIBFF. The Festival’s honorary ambassador remains cultural reporter Francine Grimaldi.

MAIN EVENTS
Opening Film – Chasing Shakespeare and Tribute to Danny Glover
(Presented by Global Montreal) – Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the Imperial Theatre, $25
Norry Niven’s first feature-length film, Chasing Shakespeare, will make its Canadian debut at the festival’s opening ceremonies. Starring Danny Glover, Graham Greene, Tantoo Cardinal, Chelsea Ricketts, Mike Wade and Clarence Gilyard, this American film is a beautiful and enchanting love story about a young Native American woman’s search for her destiny and her widower husband’s attempts to reunite with her after her death. Based on a screenplay by James Bird, Chasing Shakespeare recounts the beginning, end and rebirth of a love affair between William and Venus in rural Arkansas. During the opening ceremonies, the legendary Hollywood actor Danny Glover, will receive the 2013 Humanitarian Award.

Closing Film – Denis and Tribute to Kim Nguyen
(Presented by Zupim.com) – On Sunday, Sept. 29, at 7 p.m. at the Imperial Theatre, $25
Lionel Bailliu’s Denis will make its Canadian debut as the festival’s closing film. Vincent thought he met the love of his life… twice. But both times, his girlfriends dumped him for the same guy, Denis. Now that Vincent is happily in love with Anna, his only fear is that Denis will steal her away. Vincent goes on a quest to understand how women keep falling for a tacky-shirt-wearing loudmouth who teaches wrestling as though it were philosophy. Starring Fabrice Eboué, JeanPaul Rouve, Audrey Dana, and Sara Gireaudeau.

Tribute to Mimi Barthélémy (1939 – 2013) + Film Mimi Barthélémy, la voix de la conteuse
(Presented by the Consulate General of Haiti in Montreal) – On Friday, Sept. 20, 9 p.m., at Cinéma du Parc, $10
A tribute to the Haitian storyteller, actress and writer who recently passed away on April 27, 2013, by Joujou Turenne, writer and storyteller and Rodney St-Eloi, author and editor. Roland Moreau’s film Mimi Barthélémy, la voix de la conteuse will be screened prior to the tribute. In this documentary, Barthelemy takes the audience on a trip into the fantastic world of the Haitian imaginary.

Movie-talk: An evening with Moussa Touré
(With the support of the Consulate General of France in Quebec) – Saturday, Sept. 21, from 3–7 p.m., at Cinéma du Parc, $10
At 3 p.m., there will be a screening of short films by Moussa Touré’s students, followed by a discussion with Touré entitled “Film and Audiovisual Training in Southern Countries.” At 5:15 p.m., there will be a screening of Touré’s film Nosaltres. This film tells the story of two communities, one Malian and one Catalonian, living together for eight years, but never having spoken to each other.

Haitian Movie & Concert Night
(Presented by Le Centre des Viandes F. Iasenza – in collaboration with the Haïti en Folie Festival) – Saturday, Sept. 21, 7:30 p.m., at the Haitian Cultural Centre, La Perle Retrouvée, 7655, 20e Av., Saint-Michel, $10
Montreal, in collaboration with Haïti en Folie. For the third year in a row, the Haitian Movie and Concert Night will provide a festive atmosphere, and will introduce audiences to the following films: Radu Juster’s Raconte-Moi Haïti Montréal, André Vanasse’s An Kore Moun, and Filibien André’s Pafen San Pri. Several live bands will perform at this colourful Haitian night. It will be a great opportunity for socializing, sharing, discovering and entertainment. The line-up will include: discussions, choir, dance, music and much more!!!

Commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech
(Presented by the Consulate General of the United States in Montreal) – Tuesday, Sept. 24, 6 p.m. at the Cinémathèque, $25
First, we will take a look at the events leading up to the March on Washington with Jean Gabriel Perriot’s film, The Devil. We will then witness the preparations for the events of August 28, 1963 and relive the “I Have a Dream” speech through James Blue’s film The March. We will also screen the April 24, 1960 episode of Premier Plan, hosted by René Lévesque and produced by Radio-Canada, who provides an overview of the black uprising in the American South. This evening will be hosted by Reverend Darryl Gray. A number of international personalities who lived through these memorable moments will speak about their experiences and will share their perspective on the “dream” today. ■

The Montreal International Black Film Festival takes place Sept. 18–29, for more information check out their website.