mali (2)

This is a VIRTUAL EVENT

November 24 - December 10

The 1960s were a time of change everywhere, and that includes Bamako, the capital city of Mali, a nation only recently independent from French colonial rule.

DANCING THE TWIST IN BAMAKO is a romance fraught with the drama of political change, infused with the musical energy of that decade. Samba, a young, idealistic socialist, works toward creating a more just nation by day and dances with girlfriend Lara to the Beach Boys, Otis Redding, and the Supremes by night.

The film’s sensibility is inspired by the vibrant images, patterns, and compositions of famed Malian photographer, Malick Sidibé. Lara’s orange silk dress and Samba’s dazzling white suit, shot against the striped backdrop of their dance club and the black and white checked dance floor they cut up — all suggest that change is coming rapidly, that life is for living.

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ART, RESISTANCE & ACTIVISM PROGRAM

THE MALI-CUBA CONNECTION / AFRICA MIA (US PREMIERE)

1964. In the midst of the Cold War, ten promising young musicians from Mali are sent to Cuba to study music and strengthen cultural links between the two socialist countries. Combining Malian and Afro-Cuban influences, they develop a revolutionary new sound and become the iconic ensemble ‘Las Maravillas de Mali’. New Year’s Eve 2000. Richard Minier, a French music producer meets a former member of the band in Bamako and decides to bring the band back together. 

Directed by Richard Minier and Edouard Salier, 2020, France/ Cuba/Mali, 81 minutes, documentary, French and Spanish with English subtitles. 

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Festival Website: nyadiff.org/2020

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