African Diaspora Film Club
President with Director Camilla Nielsson
Virtual
Sun
Aug 14, 2022
3:00 am
 - 
4:00 am
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About

MUSEUM OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA and BLACK PUBLIC MEDIA present —

African Diaspora Film Club at MoAD | PRESIDENT with Director Camilla Nielsson

Join us for our monthly series, The African Diaspora Film Club. Modeled after our African Book Club, we will meet once a month to discuss a film that we have all viewed in advance of the discussion. This month we will have a guest moderator, Dr. David H. Anthony, III, Professor of African History at UC Santa Cruz. We will be choosing a selection of films, some previously screened at MoAD. You may have already seen it, or this may be your first introduction. In either case, join us for a lively discussion of the film.

This month we will be discussing PRESIDENT (2021, 115 minutes). You will receive instructions to join via zoom after you sign up here. Look for an email from MoAD after you sign up, if you don’t receive it in your inbox, look in your spam or junk mail.

We will not be screening the film. PRESIDENT will be available for streaming on POV/PBS on August 8, 2022, or you can stream it prior on Kanopy, Hulu, or Amazon Prime. View the film in advance and then join us for the discussion on Sunday, August 14, 2022 at 5pm (PDT).

Director Camilla Nielsson will join us for the discussion.

ABOUT THE FILM

When dictator Robert Mugabe was removed from power in a military coup, the generals promised they would not seize control for themselves but would ensure democracy in a national election. Against a backdrop of economic crisis, food shortages, and political violence, the stakes could not be higher.

Working to defeat the ruling party, which has controlled Zimbabwe since independence, is the young and charismatic Nelson Chamisa, who draws comparisons to a young Nelson Mandela in expressing the country’s utmost desire to be “governed” and not “ruled”. After decades of a corrupt elite clinging to power using any tool available—legal or not—can a free, fair, and credible election be truly possible?

As the follow-up to her widely acclaimed 2014 documentary DEMOCRATS, Camilla Nielsson brings viewers into the heart of the struggle for power with stunningly close access and unhesitating courage, in a nation closely monitored by the entire world. President is a riveting and epic reminder that, while individuals and their specific ideals may differ, the fight for democracy is never-ending and of profound significance everywhere.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER

Camilla Nielsson was a Fulbright Scholar at Tisch School of the Arts, New York University (NYU), and in the Dept. of Anthropology (NYU), where she studied documentary filmmaking and visual anthropology from 1997-2000. She has directed the documentary short trilogy  Good Morning Afghanistan (2003), Durga (2004), and The Children of Darfur (2005), about children’s rights, and Mumbai Disconnected (2009), in the Cities on Speed series.

Camilla Nielsson’s first feature documentary Democrats (2014), has screened at more than 80 film festivals, and won 20 awards and nominations, including Best Documentary at Tribeca Film Festival 2015, and Best Documentary at Nordic Panorama 2015.


ABOUT THE MODERATOR

David H. Anthony, III is Professor of African History at UC Santa Cruz. He was born in New York City. He graduated from New York University, and earned his MA and PhD at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has taught at Coppin State College (now University), The University of Oregon, and since 1988, the University of California, Santa Cruz.

He has done field work in Tanzania, Lesotho, and South Africa, and been published in African Studies Review, Social Sciences and Mission, Journal of Religion In Africa, Journal of Anglican Studies, among others.

Anthony’s focus on research includes: African and African-American history, art, music, literature and cinema; Eastern and Southern Africa; African languages; Indian Ocean world; African and African American linkages; Islamic civilization; African diaspora studies; World history.

The African Diaspora Film Club is presented in partnership with Black Public Media

Black Public Media (BPM), formerly known as National Black Programming Consortium develops, produces, funds, and distributes media content about the African American and global Black experience. Our mission is to commit to a fully realized expression of democracy and we accomplish this by supporting diverse voices through training, education, and investment in visionary content makers.

For 40 years, BPM has addressed the needs of unserved and underserved audiences. BPM continues to address historical, contemporary, and systemic challenges that traditionally impede the development and distribution of black stories.

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