NUBIAN KNIGHTS NETWORK: Sunday, September 20, 2009

QUOTATIONS OF "BLACK"

"Whenever I use BLACK it relates to some history of Africans in that particular place. It’s the idea of the color BLACK as a metaphor, or as a representation of African-Americans. It’s the notion of BLACK- BLACKNESS - and all its other meanings in relation to the history of race..."

- Fred Wilson

"Most of my fortitude to continue doing the work comes from the moral outrage I feel about the injustices that Black people endure disproportionately daily."

- N. Abdul-Wakil

"In the end, what matters is not skin shade but pan-African consciousness. Loving your complexion, your nose, lips, hair length and texture, no matter what the politics or trends decide, and simply be. That's the problem with us (African folks). We're still learning how to love ourselves. So used to glorifying others and putting others first..."

- Dredlocks Tree

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Woodrow Wilson Rockefeller Brothers Fund Fellowships

Dear BMI Colleagues:

Below you will find information about the Woodrow Wilson Rockefeller Brothers Fund Fellowships. Please pass this information on to your students.

Announcement:

The Woodrow Wilson–Rockefeller Brothers Fund Fellowships for Aspiring Teachers of Color were created to help recruit and support individuals of color as K–12 public school teachers in the United States. Through this fellowship, we hope to prepare greater numbers of highly qualified teachers of color in public school classrooms around the country.

This Fellowship includes:
• a $30,000 stipend to apply toward the cost of a master’s degree
• preparation for teaching in a high–need public school
• support and mentoring throughout the three–year teaching commitment
• guidance toward teaching certification
• lifelong membership in a national network of Woodrow Wilson Fellows who are intellectual leaders

Only current seniors are eligible to apply for the WW–RBF.
Applications are accepted through October 26, 2009.

Details:
http://www.woodrow.org/fellowships/teaching/wwrbf/index.php

Interested U-M applicants should contact:
Dr. Henry O. Meares
Assistant Dean, School of Education
hmeares@umich.edu, 734 323-4237

Sincerely,

Jermaine Wright
Associate Director, CUNY Black Male Initiative
The City College of The City University of New York
160 Convent Avenue at 138th Street
North Academic Center (NAC) Building, Room 4/154
New York, New York 10031
(212) 650-5394 (telephone)
E-mail: jwright1@ccny.cuny.edu
Website: http://www.cuny.edu/bmi
or http://web.cuny.edu/academics/oaa/initiatives/bmi.html

"Besouro" (Beetle) (2009)
An Afro-Brazilian Film Set in 1920s Bahia
About Legendary Brazilian Capoeira Fighter Besouro Mangangá

Official Website: besouroofilme.com.br/

One Version of the Besouro Poster

Hey AFRICAN FAM,

A friend of mine dropped this film to me via email which looks like a little jewel with a big heart about the African Diaspora and I wanted to share this with y'all! I'm hoping Besouro (Beetle) comes to the States. Because I live in New York City the chances of us New Yorkers seeing it is much greater. I really want to see this film. One of the videos below is the theatrical trailer and the other video is a sneak peek of more footage from the film and a behind-the-scenes look of the choreography. As a budding filmmaker the fight choreography sequences with the camera movements were particularly gratifying to watch!! Whhuuuuhhhhhooo! LOL!

ROD (aka BIG ROD)

Synopsis/Background Info:

One of the biggest productions in the history of Brazilian cinema, Besouro (Beetle) is a film about the life of legendary Brazilian Capoeira fighter Besouro Mangangá from Bahia in search of his mission.

Besouro is confirmed for a theatrical release in Brazil in October 2009 with international launches to follow. Directed by João Daniel Tikhomiroff, Besouro is an action movie set in 1920s Bahia, the story of a legendary Capoeira fighter who uses the power of Candomble (an Afro-Brazilian religion) to fight the harsh conditions which, even post-abolition, the African population endured in Brazil. With action director Huan-Chiu Ku (Kill Bill; The Matrix; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) the film promises spectacular stunt sequences and a soundtrack featuring Gilberto Gil, Naná Vasconcelos, Rica Amabis, Tejo and Naçao Zumbi’s Pupillo.

Besouro (Beetle) - Theatrical Trailer (2:26)

Besouro (Beetle)
Film Footage And A Behind-The-Scenes Look (4:02)

UPDATE (Saturday, July 2nd, 2011):

I just found out this week that Besouro is now released on DVD through an independent company called Ikano Filem Sdn. I got my copy from Amazon.com

Now I should point out that the Besouro DVD has been in and out of stock and that there are different versions of the film. I have the Besouro [2010, Brazil] [Official Slipcase Edition] which Amazon had 5 in stock at the time that I ordered. I went back a day later, and saw that only 1 was in stock. Since then it's hit or miss if Amazon has it. If you SEE IT, BUY IT!

There' also the Besouro [Import] (2010) version. I don't know and can't verify if the later version has the special features or not, or if the quality of the disc transfer is the same as the slipcase version that I have. Keep checking Amazon, or check your own DVD merchant resources.

The running time of the film is 94 minutes. The special features of the disc consists of Making of, Art Direction, Direction of Photography, Behind-the-Scenes, Action Choreography and Sound Editing.

Because I've been busy with editing some dance theater pictures and attending the International African Arts Festival, I haven't had a chance to watch the film except for the first minute, and the quality of the transfer looks good. I'm chomping at the bit to watch the whole film, and will report back on the film's quality and the special feature extras.

UPDATE (Sunday, July 10th, 2011):

Finally got a chance to sit down and watch the whole film and it's DOPE! The film print transfer is really nice and zero problems with the disc. NOW GO OUT AND GET IT!...

UPDATE (Wednesday, July 13th, 2011):

Short story...

After waiting over 2 YEARS for someone to exhibition the film in New York City, I finally got to see a film screening exhibition of a 35mm print of the film at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens, NYC 3 months ago on Sunday, April 17th, 2011. The theater was medium sized and was packed. It was so packed that they had to call the museum crew in to physically bring in addition seats and place them at the back of the theater to accommodate people Including me! LOL!).

The crowd cheered and roared and moaned at different points in the film. I really felt like a little kid seeing this film. Even though this film ould be considered a low budget movie by Hollywood standards, it's HEART, I THINK, is bigger than some of these $150-200 million dollar block/boom-bust-busters. A came away with a feeling I will rarely get to experience in my entire lifetime as a movie-goer of African descent. Why do I say that? Well, because I saw a group of people with skin complexions on screen that looked liked me, the protagonist/hero who reflected my aspirations/fears/mistakes/truths like me, and a film devoid of eurocentrity and so full of African affirmations that I just won't see from a major Hollywood film. I was so charged and pumped up after leaving the theater. It's hard to ever remember feeling like that from a personal Africnetric perspective.

Besouro is such an Africentric affirming film on soooooooooo many level. Depending on your perspective one may like the action/martial arts aspect of it incorporating the art of Capoeira, or perhaps root for the independence of a struggling Afro-Brazilian people from slavery in 1920s Bahia with the hope and leadership of the Besouro character (which is based on a real person and Capeiora fighter called Besouro Mangangá), or you may relate to the infusion of the African Orishas such as Exu, Ogum, Ossain and, Oxun, or you may vibe with the religious undertones of Candomblé and the overall mysticism of the film. Take your pick as I love the layering of all these elements in this film... And the extras of the DVD was awesome. Only got through one of them so far, and it was amazing!!

For me one of the best films in a long while... just different and un-American and non-formulaic in it's story-telling approach. NOW GO OUT AND GET IT ON DVD! AND, IF YOU CAN SEE A FILM SCREENING SOMEONE, (WHETHER YOU HAVE THE DVD OR NOT), IT'S WORTH SEEING ON THE BIG SCREEN FOR MAXIMUM IMPACT!!!