Movie reviews

AFRYKAMERA 2022

JESTEM (I AM)

Recommended. A black and white short film about Afropoles - smart, with wonderful opening dancing. 

VUTA N'KUVUTE (TUG OF WAR)

Watchable. Just out of curiosity why it was selected to candidate for an Oscar as the 2023 Tanzanian representative. Shot in Swahili, it shows multilingual, multicultural Zanzibar in Soviet Union times. No idea what the message behind it is. What's worse, it all feels staged, talked directly to one camera - like in theatre, with a make-believe rescue in the plot and wooden acting. While the music varies in style and quality, most of it is just unbearable.

AFROSZORTY VOL. 1: AFROFUTURISTIC

Each of the 6 short films was preceded by maps clearly marking the country and its languages so you knew where the set was taking you next. 

QU'IMPORTE SI LES BETES MEURENT (SO WHAT IF THE GOATS DIE)

Watchable. A Moroccan short film dealing with the question of what if aliens existed. The clearest plot of the 6 films, simple, no special effects. A religious dilemma and a real one of what to do. Quite vague content though.

WE NEED PRAYERS: THIS ONE WENT TO MARKET

Watchable. The Kenyan short film is an artistic mockery of art lovers' sophistication and the simplicity of ideas with which artists attempt to make money. Beautiful costumes, make-up and hair-styling. Quite vague content though.

ETHEREALITY

Watchable. The Swiss/Rwandan short offering consists of musings on migration and what constitutes home where space travel is no different than refugeeism. Other than a "Major Tunde" wearing a spacesuit, it's a documentary on living abroad for decades. Quite vague content though.

HELLO RAIN

Watchable. The Nigerian short film is a riot of colour, a confection of costumes, make-up and hair styles in a sci-fi flick filled with special effects. Plot-wise, juju mixes with technology. Quite vague content though. Simple plot, stylish performance. Beautiful. With a post-credit. 

MULIKA

Watchable. In this short, an alien astronaut crashing in Goma is a ruse to present the Congolese stand on mineral excavation - people die for technology. Africans are the people of the Sun. Quite vague content again.

TWICE AS GOOD

Watchable. The British short flick deals with the perception of blacks in the UK: "When they see you half-capable, you need to be twice as good." Quite vague content. No idea what the science fiction part is to mean. 

KOLO FILOZOFII POSTKOLONIALNEJ ON AFROFUTURISM

The university club of postcolonial philosophy gave a talk on what afrofuturism actually is: Science fiction has never been exclusive, at first it used to be written under nicknames, also alienation was a common trope - that's a situation similar to African. Slaves were as if abducted by aliens. In history, Poles thought against slavery when they had contact with blacks so were then treated like blacks too. Water is a common trope. An ocean is connected to rituals, environmental matters, slave trade. Columbus had lived off slave trade before discovering America, once most of the people on his ship died drowning in the ocean. There are myths of drowned blacks who became mermen. But also some saved themselves from slavery finding a way through the ocean. Early afrofuturism was dominated by Afroamericans. Beyonce's album covers, Uhura in "Star Trek", "Black Panther", "Dirty Computer" album by Janelle Monáe music videos and film are examples of afrofuturistic expression and ideas. Afropunk Festival is known for its fashion. Fashion and art are ways to convey otherness. Transgender also features in the genre.