NABG Summer Film Programme 2016. (Photo: NAGB)
The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas is proud to announce a new ongoing curated film series created specifically for The Bahamas, beginning in June and continuing throughout the entire year.
NAGB Director Amanda Coulson, Chief Curator Holly Bynoe and Canadian film programmer Francis Litzinger have selected a series of 12 films, five of which will be screened from June to August. The series is intended to reflect on the themes that resonate from the NAGB's exhibition programming.
The series kicked off on Thursday, June 2 with a screening of Spike Lee's classic "Do The Right Thing". Unrelenting heat, miscommunication and the dynamics of racism are explored in this powerful film that's just as relevant now as it was when it first premiered 25 years ago. After the screening, Litzinger engaged in a discussion with the audience highlighting important parallel issues that speak to the racial and class concerns prevalent across the country.
A few weeks later, on June 23, the NAGB presents old-school adventure filmmaking at it's finest with the presentation of the Norwegian film "Kon-Tiki". The film dramatizes the 1947 epic voyage undertaken by Thor Heyerdahl and his five-man crew as they attempt to voyage from the coast of Peru to the Polynesian Islands aboard a small balsa wood raft, using techniques that were utilized 1,500 years ago by the indigenous peoples of the region.
It is a film that will resonate for many Bahamians who know only too well both the perils and thrills that can come with sailing the open seas. "Kon-Tiki" also encourages reflection on the explorations of The Bahamas' first inhabitants - the Lucayans - who are represented in the permanent exhibition. "Kon-Tiki" is rated B; minors should be accompanied by an adult.
On July 7 guests will be treated to a double screening of two documentaries examining the ways two different cities celebrate their versions of carnival.
In "Always For Pleasure" independent filmmaker Les Blank takes a loving look at the sights and sounds of New Orleans, where masquerade is embraced in the city's way through Mardi Gras. "Always For Pleasure" is 58 minutes long and is rated B.
Following "Always For Pleasure" will be Maria Govan's "Junkanoo: The Heartbeat of a People." Through a tapestry of interviews with a diverse body of characters, the film explores Junkanoo's historical, social, political, cultural and spiritual impact on Bahamian life. Govan's film is 62 minutes long.
On August 11, Academy Award-nominated "Beasts of the Southern Wild, a film offering a dream-like look at a unique six-year-old, Hushpuppy, who is trying to find her mother against the backdrop of nature coming undone. The film will be related to the NAGB's planned exhibition, Sustainable Exuma, which examines themes of poverty, the environment, sustainability and what it means to be a child in difficult circumstances. "Beasts of the Southern Wild" is rated T for viewers who are 15 and older.
The summer film series concludes on August 25 with the Cannes Award-Winning "Rosetta," by the Dardenne brothers. "Rosetta" is a powerful film that follows a poor young woman who is fighting to hold on to a job to support herself and her alcoholic mother. Despite the film's European setting, the themes it presents are universal and speak to the pain and struggles that come along with the day-to-day experience of many here in The Bahamas.
The film series will continue through the fall with a monthly screening. All films are free and open to the general public. Films during the summer program will begin at 8 p.m. and take place at the NAGB's outdoor screening area. Soft drinks and popcorn will be available for purchase and Litzinger will be on hand to address questions or concerns following each screening. Parental advisory and discretion is advised regarding young attendees and attendees are encouraged to bring insect repellent.
For more information, call the NAGB at 328-5800 or visit the gallery online at nagb.org.bs.
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