An extremely intriguing series of hypotheses. Some notes in response:

-I think you are correct in noting that Black cinema MUST already exist--and not only because African-American filmmakers already exist. While there are certainly black filmmakers who work in the predominant language, syntax, etc, of film, there's no way to ignore the conscious reformation of filmic language in Spike Lee's films. "Do the Right Thing" is a film that is more black than its language, its setting, and its narrative content. The narrative structure, from the opening dance sequence through the musical arc, through that (in)famous still portrait/moving background shot Lee has claimed, through to the crux of the story itself--all of these things are black in nature and black in execution, not just in content.

That's the clearest example. And while Lee may also choose to speak the dominant languages of film within his films, he has created or educed a crucial, possibly even racial, language of film. Witness "Bamboozled" for a film that speaks with a logic and a dynamic that a white filmmaker simply could not accomplish--not only because of the difference between a white author of blackface vs. a black author of same, but because when you actually watch the movie it simply isn't possible that this film was made by a white filmmaker. The film tells you this in its very fabric.

These are of course just two examples.

-Outkast's "Idlewild" is a film that both speaks and transmits the very language Jafa endorses. It is the perfect embodiment of such.

-"Trapped in the Closet." And just as importantly, the director's notes to "Trapped in the Closet." These films do far more than speak the words and pictures of hip hop--they are a narrative shape that reconfigures sampling, and repetition, and the gradual accretion of preceding information, in a way that is entirely separate from the dominant form. Plus: there is nothing oppositional about it. "Trapped in the Closet" is as joyful as any strange new thing can be--and as remarkable.

Cheers, Charles!

FOUNTAINHEAD® TANZ THEATRE
e LETTER, Berlin/Germany
June 2009

www.fountainhead-tanz-theatre.de
www.blackinternationalcinema.de
www.black-international-cinema.com

Please send replies to / Bitte senden Sie Antworten an
bicdance@aol.com

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XXIV. Black International Cinema Berlin
MAY 7 - 10, 2009
Intercultural/Interdisciplinary film/video, dance, theatre,
music & seminar presentations Berlin/Germany & USA

A COMPLEXION CHANGE
International & Intercultural Diplomacy

A tribute to

Chancellor Willy Brandt
"The future will not be mastered by those who dwell on the past."

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals."

President John F. Kennedy
"We must never forget that art is not a form of propaganda; it is a form of truth."

President Barack Hussein Obama
"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."

produced & directed by
Fountainhead Tanz Theatre
THE COLLEGIUM - Forum & Television Program Berlin
in association with
Cultural Zephyr e.V.

in cooperation with/in Kooperation mit

Commissioner for Integration, District Tempelhof-Schöneberg, Berlin
der Integrationsbeauftragten des Bezirks Tempelhof-Schöneberg, Berlin

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Venue/Veranstaltungsort
RATHAUS SCHÖNEBERG (city hall)
John-F.-Kennedy-Platz
10825 Berlin/Germany

Festival Presentations:
Kinosaal (Cinema) & Bibliothek (Library)
Admission Free / Eintritt frei

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FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS
XXIV. Black International Cinema Berlin 2009

Best film/video by a Black filmmaker
URBANWORLD
Director: Malik Isasis, USA 2006
THE QUINTESSENTIAL BLACK WOMEN
Director: Charles O'Bannon, Jr., USA 2008
WHAT SHALL I TELL MY CHILDREN WHO ARE BLACK
The Legacy of Margaret T.G. Burroughs
Director: Nate B. Grant, USA 2008

Best film/video on matters relating to the Black Experience/
Marginalized People
TOGO
Directors: Nicholas Peart & Pierre Morath, Switzerland 2008
PRINCE OF BROADWAY
Director: Sean Baker, USA 2008
TAPOLOGO
Directors: Gabriela & Sally Gutirez Dewar, Spain/South Africa 2008
IN PRISON MY WHOLE LIFE - Mumia Abu-Jamal
Director: Marc Evans, U.S.A. 2008

Best film/video by a German filmmaker or a filmmaker residing in Germany
ABORTION DEMOCRACY - POLAND/SOUTH AFRICA
Director: Sarah Diehl, Germany 2008

Best children's film/video
CIRCLE UNBROKEN
Director: Sandra Nikolajevs, USA 2008
AFIA
Director: Lacey Duke, USA 2007

Best film/video in the Fine Arts Disciplines
BLAS: EL HOMBRE Y SU LEYENDA / BLAS: THE MAN AND HIS LEGEND
Directors: Galina Likosova & Hernn Humberto Restrepo, Colombia 2008
NOT ENOUGH NIGHT
Directors: Dan Boord & Luis Valdovino, USA 2007

Best film/video documentary production
GRISSI SIKNIS - LA ENFERMEDAD MAGICA DE LA SELVA /
GRISSI SIKNIS - THE MAGIC SICKNESS OF THE JUNGLE
Director: Enrique Ruiz-Skipey, Spain/Nicaragua 2008
MINDELO - TRAZ D'HORIZONTE / MINDELO - BEHIND THE HORIZON
Director: Alexis Tsafas, Cape Verde 2008
INSIDE BUFFALO
Director: Fred Kudjo Kuwornu, Italy 2009
NOLLYWOOD AAN DE SCHELDE / NOLLYWOOD ABROAD
Director: Saartje Geerts, Belgium 2008

Special Filmmaker Award
YEK ROZE POR DARD / ONE DAY FULL OF PAIN
Director: Sattar Chamani Gol, Iran 2008
MADARAM SAYEH BOLANDI DARAD / MY MOM HAS A LONG SHADOW
Director: Kaveh Ghahremany, Iran 2008
BAHA / THE WILD FLOWER
Director: Shriprakash, India 2008
PESAYE ZIBAYEMAN PASHA MISHAVAD / MY BEAUTIFUL SON WILL BE KING
Director: Salem Salavati, Iran 2008
SHOBHAYATRA
Director: Vijay Ghatge, India 2005
DERAKHTE MAN / MY TREE
Director: Sara Siadat Nejad, Iran 2008
BAD HAR KOJA BEKHAHAD MIVAZAD / WIND BLOWS WHEREVER IT WANTS
Director: Naryam Esmikhani, Iran 2008
68 & CLEAR
Director: Dawn Westlake, USA 2007

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FILM FESTIVAL IMPRESSIONS

For festival impressions,
please consult the festival website:
http://www.black-international-cinema.co…

Photography
Andrea Brehme
Thomas M. Wendt
Marion Kramer

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VISITING FILMMAKERS

Sarah Diehl, Germany
Kaveh Ghahremany, The Islamic Republic of Iran
Vijay Ghatge, India
Galina Likosova, Colombia
Tomasz Magierski, Poland
Simone Pfeifer, Germany
Hernán Humberto Restrepo, Colombia
James Richards, USA
Enrique Ruiz-Skipey, Spain/Nicaragua
Otu Tetteh, Germany
Alexis Tsafas, Cape Verde
Patrick Vernon, UK

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THE COLLEGIUM TELEVISION PROGRAM BERLIN
produced & directed by/produziert und geleitet von
Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre/Black International Cinema Berlin/Cultural Zephyr e.V.

ALEX - Offener Kanal Berlin (Open Channel Berlin)
Voltastr. 5, 13355 Berlin-Wedding

* LIVE * LIVE * LIVE * LIVE * LIVE * LIVE *

JUNE 21
7-8 pm / 19-20 Uhr
ALEX - Offener Kanal Berlin (Open Channel Berlin)

CINEMA

Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre Production
A Complexion Change
International & Intercultural Diplomacy
XXIV. Black International Cinema Berlin 2009
May 7-10

OPENING PRESENTATION, May 7, 2009

INAUGURATION DAY, JANUARY 20, 2009, BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA

OPENING SPEECH
Presenter:
Terrence K. Williamson
Embassy of the United States of America, Berlin/Germany

Photographic Interlude

OPENING SPEECH
Presenters:
Gabriele Gün Tank
Commissioner for Integration, District Tempelhof-Schöneberg, Berlin/Germany
Yamil Borges
singer/actress/poet

INTERVIEW
Terrence K. Williamson
Embassy of the United States of America, Berlin/Germany

conducted by Prof. Donald Muldrow Griffith
for THE COLLEGIUM - Forum & Television Program Berlin

Acknowledgement

Embassy of the United States of America, Berlin/Germany
Wolfgang Brandt
Peter Claussen
Kerstin Reichert
Terrence K. Williamson

Amerika Haus, Berlin/Germany
Wolfgang Brandt
Renate Semler
Thank you

ARTS CALENDAR
John F. Kennedy Schule
Jazz & Modern Movement
John F. Kennedy Friendship Center

Dancers
Jasmin Kränzel
Celina McCarthy
Esther Richards
Nadine Struck
Calvin Struck
Netra Nambiar Veetil

Production, Direction, Choreography:
Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre
Prof. Donald Muldrow Griffith
Marion Kramer

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ALEX - OFFENER KANAL BERLIN / OPEN CHANNEL BERLIN
For further information & visual impressions,
please visit THE COLLEGIUM website.
http://www.fountainhead-tanz-theatre.de/…

*******************************************************

BLACK INTERNATIONAL CINEMA BERLIN
Production & Direction: Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre

FestLabPass Holder
presented by European Festivals Association

FESTLAB - An Initiative of the European Festivals Association
2009 - EUROPEAN YEAR OF CREATIVITY & INNOVATION

Signatory to the Arts Festivals'
Declaration on Intercultural Dialogue

http://www.interculturaldialogue2008.eu/…]
=487&tx_ttnews[backPid]=333&cHash=a84ea34108

*******************************************************
AACHRONYM
A Blog regarding Global African Arts with a focus on art-equity and cultural patrimony issues.
Notable Person: Prof. Donald Muldrow Griffith / Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre
http://aachronym.blogspot.com/2007/11/no…

*******************************************************
Fountainhead® at fest21.com
http://www.fest21.com/blog/fountainhead

Fountainhead® at MEDIAWAVE FESTIVAL, Hungary
http://www.mediawavefestival.hu/index.ph…

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THE COLLEGIUM TELEVISION PROGRAM BERLIN
produced & directed by/produziert und geleitet von
Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre/Black International Cinema Berlin/Cultural Zephyr e.V.

Sunday 7-8 pm / 19-20 Uhr
Wednesday 11-12 pm / 23-24 Uhr
ALEX - Offener Kanal Berlin (Open Channel Berlin)

THE COLLEGIUM TRAILER
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQOIc5Eqq…

THE COLLEGIUM Television Program is televised in Berlin, Magdeburg, Wolfsburg, Dessau and additional cities.
THE COLLEGIUM Fernsehmagazin wird in Berlin, Magdeburg, Wolfsburg, Dessau und weiteren Städten ausgestrahlt.

produced & directed by/produziert und geleitet von
Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre/Black International Cinema Berlin/ Cultural Zephyr e.V.

BERLIN
Every Sunday/jeden Sonntag
7.00-8.00 pm
19.00-20.00 Uhr
Every Wednesday/jeden Mittwoch
11.00-12.00 pm
23.00-24.00 Uhr
ALEX - Offener Kanal Berlin
Voltastr. 5
13355 Berlin-Wedding

presenting / präsentiert werden

Cinema / State of Affairs / Arts Calendar
Filme / Diskussionen / künstlerische Darbietungen

for program information, please contact:
Programminformationen bitte unter:

0049 (0)30-782 16 21
0049 (0)30-75 46 09 46

THE COLLEGIUM MAGDEBURG
Offener Kanal Magdeburg (www.ok-magdeburg.de)
First Thursday in every month
Jeden ersten Donnerstag im Monat
6.00 - 7.00 pm
18.00 - 19.00 Uhr

THE COLLEGIUM WOLFSBURG
TV 38 (www.tv38.de)
25.06.09 - 18.00h/6.00pm
26.06.09 - 9.00h/9.00am & 15.00h/3.00pm
30.07.09 - 18.00h/6.00pm
31.07.09 - 9.00h/9.00am & 15.00h/3.00pm

THE COLLEGIUM DESSAU
Offener Kanal Dessau (www.ok-dessau.de)

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FOUNTAINHEAD® TANZ THEATRE
BLACK INTERNATIONAL CINEMA BERLIN
THE COLLEGIUM - FORUM & TELEVISION PROGRAM BERLIN
CULTURAL ZEPHYR e.V.

MISSION STATEMENT
We are an international, intercultural community of persons engaged in achieving increasing understanding and cooperation between individuals and groups in support of democratic procedures and the elimination of violence, religious, ethnic and gender persecution, youth exploitation, homophobia and racial hatred through the process of art, education, culture and dialogue.

Wir sind eine internationale, interkulturelle Gemeinschaft von Menschen mit dem Engagement für ein besseres Verständnis und wachsende Kooperation zwischen Individuen und Gruppen, mit Unterstützung des demokratischen Prozesses und der Beseitigung von Gewalt, Verfolgung aufgrund religiöser, ethnischer und geschlechtlicher Zugehörigkeit, Kindes- und Jugendmissbrauch, Homosexuellen-Feindlichkeit und von Rassenhass, durch die Mittel der Kunst, der Bildung, der Kultur und des Dialogs.

Nous sommes une communauté internationale et interculturelle de personnes engagées à promouvoir la compréhension et la coopération croissantes entre les individus et les groupes, à lappui des outils démocratiques et à travers lélimination de la violence, de la persécution religieuse, ethnique et sexuelle, de lexploitation de la jeunesse, de lhomophobie et de la haine raciale par le processus de lart, de léducation, de la culture et du dialogue.

MOTTOS
"I may not make it if I try, but I damn sure wont if I dont..." - Oscar Brown Jr.
"Mankind will either find a way or make one." - C.P. Snow
"Whatever you do..., be cool!" - Joseph Louis Turner
"Yes, I can...!" - Sammy Davis Jr.
"Yes, We can...!" - Barack Obama

Copyright: Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre/Cultural Zephyr e.V., June 2009

http://www.wavemagazine.net/culture/blac…

An annual International, Intercultural Diplomacy Film-Seminar Festival, founded Berlin Germany, 1986.

How tiring