Academy Award nominee Hubert Davis’ latest film Invisible City debuted at the 2009 Hot Docs Film Festival in Toronto. Invisible City follows the story of two boys from the Regent Park neighborhood in Toronto chronicling their triumphs and struggles crossing into adulthood. Produced over the period of three years, Invisible City is a critical addition to the discourse surrounding issues of race and urban poverty within Canada.

Learn more about Invisible City and watch the trailer @ nfb.ca

Learn more about Hubert Davis’ cinematic work @ blogTO

View additional videos @ the SFU Communication Visual Studies Lab

In celebration of the 2009 Black History Month, Sylvia Hamilton the acclaimed Nova Scotian documentary filmmaker, writer and educator appeared for a series of lectures and film screenings. Dr. Hamilton’s pioneering films have chronicled the rich history and experience of African Canadians in their struggles to achieve dignity and equality.

Sylvia Hamilton’s visit was made possible through support from Simon Fraser University’s Human Rights Office, Dean of Applied Science and School of Communication.

Sylvia Hamilton Black History Month 2009 Event Poster

In celebration of Black History Month, Sylvia Hamilton the acclaimed Nova Scotian documentary filmmaker, writer and educator will be appearing for a series of lectures and film screenings. Dr. Hamilton’s pioneering films have chronicled the rich history and experience of African Canadians in their struggles to achieve dignity and equality. She has been the recipient of major awards, including a Gemini, Nova Scotia’s Portia White Prize for Excellence in the Arts, the Japan Broadcasting Corporation’s Maeda Prize, the Progress Women of Excellence Award for Arts and Culture and the CBC Television Pioneer Award. She is also a Mentor with The Trudeau Foundation.

The scheduled events will feature screenings of The Little Black School House, her most recent documentary, a chronicle of Canada’s racially segregated schools (Simon Fraser University and Pacific Cinémathèque events), as well as the Gemini-winning Speak It! From the Heart of Black Nova Scotia, an earlier work on a related theme (Pacific Cinémathèque event only).

Sylvia Hamilton’s visit was made possible through support from Simon Fraser University’s Human Rights Office, Dean of Applied Science and School of Communication.

Locations:

Pacific Cinémathèque Feb 11th 7:30 pm, 200–1131 Howe Street

For admission information, call 604.688.8202 or Click here for more information on the film screenings @ Pacific Cinémathèque

SFU Harbour Centre Feb 12th 12:00 noon, HC 1415–515 West Hastings Street

SFU Burnaby Feb 13th 12:00 noon, Irmacs Theatre, ASB10900

Simon Fraser University events are open to the public and free but seating is limited. For reservations, call 778.782.7685 or email blachist@sfu.ca For further information contact Jan Marontate (778.782.5449) or Greg Tourino (778.782.3510)

Nurse.Fighter.Boy is the first dramatic feature film directed by Charles Officer. Produced in collaboration with the Canadian Film Centre, Nurse.Fighter.Boy features a screenplay that is centered around the lives of the three characters described in the title – a cancer-stricken mother, an over-the-hill boxer and a troubled child with a fanciful imagination. Nurse.Fighter.Boy received positive reviews at its 2008 Toronto Film Festival debut and is currently being screened across Canada and Internationally.

Learn more about upcoming screenings and watch the trailer @ nursefighterboy.ca

The emergence of Vancouver’s Pan-African Film and Arts Festival has provided a valuable new platform for dialogue and collaboration. Founded by Ebony Johnson in 2007 the Vancouver Pan-African Film and Arts Festival held its second annual event in October 2008. Film screenings included Clement Virgo’s Poor Boys Game and Jason E. Sims The Obama Experience, in addition to film screenings the festival featured exhibitions of African music, an art exhibit, panel discussions, workshops and dance performances.

Learn more about the Vancouver Pan-African Film and Arts Festival

Revolution Underground features a series of stories from the perspective of young social activists, artists and organizers throughout the African Canadian and African diasporas who contrary to mainstream media discourse are attempting to strengthen their communities through social action and grass-roots initiatives, this exploratory documentary project produced by Shani Carter is an effort to share these initiatives with the community at large.

Learn more about Revolution Underground and watch the film
Watch an interview with filmmaker Shani Carter

Nappy Heads is a celebration of the glorious Afro. This upbeat short experimental documentary is about Afro hair in its natural state. Shot on Super 8, in the streets of Toronto, it draws a dozen of joyful portraits of women, men, children who accepted to show the beauty of their hair in front of the camera. Just try not to smile when you watch it. (Reel World Film Festival)

Learn more about the film @ reelworld.ca

SFU Library Black History Month 2008 Poster 

Black History Month is a time at which we can gather to celebrate achievements and contributions of people throughout the African diaspora. Among these achievements is the long history of film production by African Canadians beginning with the pioneering work of National Film Board documentary filmmakers such as Jennifer Hodge de Silva and Sylvia Hamilton. In 1995 Vancouver based director Hubert Davis was the first African Canadian nominated for an Academy Award for his documentary Hardwood. African Canadian directors have also made their mark in feature film through the works of Clement Virgo and Frances-Anne Solomon. The purpose of this SFU Library display is to highlight a small but significant portion of the African diaspora cinematic work contained within the SFU Library media collection.

Filmed on location in Toronto and Hamilton with a screenplay by award winning York graduate Annemarie Morais and electrifying dance sequences How She Move is bound to make waves internationally. The film opened to critical acclaim at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival and is currently in full release across North America on 1531 screens with an opening weekend box office of $3,957,471. How She Move is set in the Toronto Jane & Finch neighborhood and tells the story of a gifted student, Raya Green who is forced to leave her private school and return home when her parents can no longer afford her tuition, following the death of her sister. Determined to return to her private school, Seaton, Raya soon finds herself drawn back into the world of Step dancing.

Learn more about How She Move and watch the trailer

Award-winning filmmaker Frances-Anne Solomon will kick off Black History Month with a special screening and reception to launch the Toronto theatrical release of her feature film A Winter Tale. The event will take place on Thursday, Jan. 31 at the Revue Cinema with festivities beginning at 6 p.m. The film has already gained critical acclaim, opening the 2007 Reel World Film Festival, where it took home the award for Outstanding Canadian Feature. Since then it has screened to rave reviews at festivals internationally, including Montreal and Halifax, and most recently opened the highly respected New York African Diaspora Film Festival in Manhattan. A Winter Tale takes place in Toronto’s Parkdale neighborhood and examines the aftermath of a violent and tragic shooting during which a nine-year-old boy is killed by a bullet meant for a notorious drug dealer. Through Solomon’s lens, the audience is given a glimpse at ‘black-on-black’ violence in Toronto’s urban core, as well as the emotional journey of a group of men who must deal with their “Canadian reality”. Jon Sarapong, 2008

Learn more about A Winter Tale and watch the trailer @ Leda Serene Films