AFROPOP: THE ULTIMATE CULTURAL EXCHANGE Season 15


#1501 - Can You Bring It: Bill T. Jones D-Man in the Waters

Short description:

Trace the history and legacy of one of the most important works of art from the AIDS era.

Long description:

Filmmakers Rosalynde LeBlanc and Tom Hurwitz trace the history and legacy of choreographer-dancer-director Bill T. Jones’ ballet, “D-Man in the Waters.” Emerging in the age of AIDS, the 1989 ballet gave physical manifestation to the fear, anger, grief, and hope for salvation that Jones and colleagues experienced as AIDS took the life of their beloved co-founder Arnie Zane and other troupe members.

#1502 - Queen Kidjo

Short Description:

Explore the life, career and global impact of international music icon Angélique Kidjo.

Long Description:

Experience a guided tour of the life and indomitable spirit of international music icon and activist Angélique Kidjo. This film features archival footage of the globally recognized artist appearing with superstars Miriam Makeba, Celia Cruz, Youssou N’dour, Ziggy Marley, Philip Glass, and Peter Gabriel; as well as cameo appearances by contemporary music stars including Alicia Keys and Yemi Alade.

#1503 - Bill Traylor: Chasing Ghosts

Short Description

Bill Traylor was an American artist with a remarkable and unlikely biography.

Long Description:

Born into slavery in 1853, Bill Traylor spent most of his life working the land in rural Alabama. He began drawing and painting in his later years, often with found materials. This film, by Jeffrey Wolf and Daphne McWilliams, is a compelling narrative about a man who, despite the hardships of legalized racism, produced a body of work exhibited in today’s leading museums and collections worldwide.

#1504 - The Sound of Masks

Short Description:

This film features a Mozambican man’s commitment to preserving the art of Mapiko dancing.

Long Description:

Mapiko is a traditional masked dance performed by the Makonde men of Northern Mozambique. Filmmaker Sara de Gouveia’s film follows Atanásio Nyusi, a compelling storyteller and legendary Mapiko dancer, taking us on a visually dramatic journey through Mozambique's past (including Mapiko’s role as a tool to challenge colonization during the Mozambican War of Independence) and its vibrant present.

#1505 - Rewind & Play

Short Description:

This film reveals the disrespect jazz luminary Thelonious Monk endured during a Paris interview in 1969.

Long Description:

Improvisational pianist and composer Thelonious Monk is among the 20th century’s most revered jazz luminaries. This film by Alain Gomis, features raw footage from an interview the artist gave to French state television in 1969. It shows Monk in the grip of a violent factory of stereotypes, offering an unfiltered glimpse at the racial indignities some artistic geniuses are asked to endure.