FREE SCREENING | JAN 17TH 2020| 6:30PM - 9PM | BILLIE HOLIDAY THEATRE

Nova Frontier Film Festival is excited to start the New Year with a special program of films and panel at our festival home: The Billie Holiday Theatre in Brooklyn, New York and our partnership with RestorationArt. 

Our Free Film Screening on Friday, January 17th at The Billie Holiday Theatre continues our joint mission to bring elevated global films to our community in Brooklyn and beyond. We believe in the importance of empowering audience and deepening their passion for cinema, and arts from and about the African Diaspora, The Middle East and Latin America, what’s more, celebrates the multiplicity of cultures that surrounds us; enrich and inspire the communities we serve. 

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The Films selected in the program are past winners of the festival over the years, short gems that explore pressing themes around Immigration and Identity; Climate and Social Justice. Most of the films in the selection give voice to systematic racism, the prevalence of police violence, anti-immigrant issues affecting people of African diasporic and Arab communities living in France today. Some of the films shed light on the complexity of identity issues faced by youth struggling to fit in the mainstream culture of France; the disavowal of first- generation migrant family traditions and value to become full-fledge citizens of the Republic. This is sensitively captured in Director Josza Anjembe film, Le Bleu Blanc Rouge de mes Cheveux, César Award for Best Short Film. In talking about the film’s title, the filmmaker said: “I was thinking that I had to put a symbol of France in the title that would be linked to the metaphor of the hair... Le Bleu Blanc Rouge de mes Cheveux, which means the blue white red of my hair: blue, white, and red being the colors of the national flag.” Teenage Seyna on a mission to become a French citizen, is torn between two identities, and obstacles she must overcome, including the disapproval of her Cameroonian father, but at what length will she go and what price? Also in our inclusion is Ladj Ly’s short film Les Misérables that was extended into his award-winning feature film now in Theaters. It was inspired by the 2005 riots in Paris, set in the tough Montfermeil district in the east of Paris, known for its violent banlieue Les Bosquets. The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Jury Prize. It’s the French entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards (2020). 

The aforementioned films attempt to paint a portrait of a diverse France but also a divided one, ruled by geographical boundaries and racial barriers— A nation grappling with its own identity; new and old immigrant population. 

The conversation continues with a post-screening panel that seeks to engage dialogue that explore the correlations and causations of police violence, racism, and anti-immigrant issues affecting Blacks, and Arabs living in the United States and France today. There are also parallels in the framing of narratives and mobilization around police brutality between the two continents, with groups like Black Lives Matter, and Collectif, Vies volées (loosely translated as Stolen Lives). 

5 short Films

sTOP (rATED G) dIrector Reinaldo Marcus Green — A young man's livelihood is put to the test when he gets profiled and stopped by the police on his way home from practice.

Les Misérables (Rated PG13) Director Ladj Ly With a gun at his belt and a truncheon in his hand, Pento has just joined the Seine-Saint-Denis anti- crime brigade. With his teammates, he develops specific methods. 

Le Bleu, blanc, rouge, de mes cheveux (Rated G) Director Josza Anjembe - Seyna, a teenager originating from Cameroon is passionate by the history of France, where she grew up. She aims to integrate a very renowned graduation cursus dedicated to Politics. Approaching 18 years old, her wish is to acquire French citizenship but her father is opposed to it. 

Yasmina Director Claire Cahen & Ali Esmili (Rated G) Fifteen-year-old Yasmina is the young promise of a football team. An excellent player and very plucky, she is determined to make a name for herself in the world of sport. When her father is arrested for illegal immigration, Yasmina has to decide whether to hide or to play the most important game for her future. 

A sister’s hope (Rated PG) Director Michael Marantz Jamira Burley should be another product of the system. Instead, she has used the tragedies of her life (the unfortunate death of her brother shot to death) to reshape her community, and disrupt the status quo. 

The annual Nova Frontier Film Festival takes place June 5th to 7th 2020, focusing on themes of Climate and Social Justice. Please visit our website to learn more and about our programming and submit your films. Submissions are open UNTIL April 30th 2020.

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