19 YEARS AND STILL GOING STRONG
BLACK INTERNATIONAL CINEMA BERLIN 2004
The 1st edition of the BERLIN film-video festival begun in 1986, as part of a three week Black Cultural Festival, has been presented in the Klick Film Theater May 6-9 and followed by a second presentation in the Nickelodeon Kino, May 13-16.
The opening ceremonies in Berlin Charlottenburg, were attended this year by the Berlin press, cinema goers from Berlin, other European cities and the U.S.A..
As the producers of the festival, also produce a weekly cable television program, THE COLLEGIUM, a portable telecast ensemble was assembled in the Klick Foyer, which permitted 3 hour daily telecasts for 8 days on German television in Berlin, Trier, Wolfsburg, Kaiserslautern and Magdeburg.
Interviews with filmmakers, guests and excerpts from film submissions were featured during the frequent telecasts.
The opening ceremonies were presided over by Prof. Donald Muldrow Griffith and the keynote speaker was Günter Piening, the Commissioner of the Senate of Berlin for Integration and Migration. Commissioner Piening had written a letter of greetings and congratulations to the festival for its emphasis upon cinema and contributions to Berlin history for many years. This contribution to Berlin history emphasized the humanity of all humankind and sought to designate cinema and the festival as a source of information, inspiration and images fostering improving communication and hence, understanding between the communities in Berlin and elsewhere.
A number of filmmakers attended the XIX. Black International Cinema Berlin 2004, among them Frédéric Baillif/Switzerland, Steven J. Foley/U.S.A., Julius I. Key/U.S.A., Celeste Vargas/Brazil, Randall Wilson/U.S.A., Abdel Rahman Satti/Berlin, Darnell S. Summers/Berlin-U.S.A., Marsha Terry and Suyen Mosely/U.S.A. and Youssef Rabbaoui/Berlin. A representative from the Global Cinema and Urban Music Initiative and the Global Film Festivals Initiative, Rashid Bahati/U.S.A. was also a festival observer.
The festival was presented in association with the Humboldt-University of Berlin and the John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies.
Dr. Thomas Greven and Dr. Albert Scharenberg represented the John F. Kennedy Institute in their seminar presentations entitled, “Don’t Forget Lincoln And Don’t Forget Florida – African Americans And The Republican Party and Black Nationalism In U.S. History – An Overview Of The Main Streams And Issues Of Black Nationalism In The 19th And 20th Century”.
Additional seminars were,
“Bloodline – A Historical Overview Of European-African Relationships From: Past – 1884-1885 Berlin Conference – Present – Future?”, presented by Desiree Zwanck, Danielle Lanyard and Prof. Donald Muldrow Griffith,
“1884-1885 Berlin Conference – “Benefits” To The World As A Result Of This…?”: Darnell S. Summers,
“American Voices Abroad, American Democrats Abroad and Global Film Festivals Initiative – Progress Through Cooperation, World Power And The Forthcoming U.S.A. Election”, moderator: Prof. Donald Muldrow Griffith,
“Multicultural/Intercultural Society: The Changing Faces Of Germany And Europe – Which Way Is Up”: Cem Özdemir,
“Bloodline – An Oral And Cinematic Presentation Of German Colonialism In Africa”: Martin Baer and
“Jazz – A Gift To The World From A Work In Progress, Melting Pot Of America”: Mark C. Donfried/Director, Institute for Cultural Diplomacy and Gary “Detroit” Wiggins.
The festival venues were well attended and the Berlin press offered publicity regarding the film festival and the producers, Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre, in a number of newspapers, magazines and television spots.
As the festival is competitive, the following film submissions were awarded just recognition:
XIX. Black International Cinema Berlin Film Awards 2004:
1. Best film/video by a Black filmmaker.
THE FIRST WORLD FESTIVAL OF NEGRO ARTS, Director: William Greaves, U.S.A. 1968, Documentary; BLUES IS MY MIDDLE NAME, Director: Winta Yohannes, U.K. 1999, Narrative
2. Best film/video on matters relating to the Black Experience/Marginalized People.
STONE MANSION, Director: JJ Goldberger, U.S.A., Narrative; REBEL IN THE SOUL, Director: Marie-Françoise Theodore, U.S.A. 2003, Narrative/Experimental; BEWARE OF TIME, Director: Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, U.S.A./Uganda 2003, Documentary; WHEELS OF SOUL, Director: Randall Wilson, U.S.A. 2002, Documentary; NORFORCE, Director: Dorian Swies, Australia 2003, Documentary
3. Best film/video by a German filmmaker or a filmmaker residing in Germany.
YOLO, Director: Youssef Rabbaoui, Germany 2003, Narrative; CALL 911-2003, Director: Darnell Stephen Summers, Germany 2003, Documentary; OMULAULE HEISST SCHWARZ / OMULAULE MEANS BLACK, Directors: Beatrice Möller, Nicola Hens & Susanne Radelhof, Germany 2003, Documentary
4. Best children's film/video.
BRINCANDO COM O SOL/PLAYING WITH THE SUN, Director: Celeste Vargas, Brazil 2003, Experimental
5. Best film/video in the Fine Arts Discipline.
SWAN LAKE...ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW, Director: Francesca Harper, U.S.A. 2003, Experimental; E PLURIBUS UNUM, Director: Maxence Denis, Haiti 2002, Documentary; I DREAM A WORLD, Producer: Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre & Polish Television, Director: Tomas Lewinski, Poland/Germany 1988-1990, Documentary; TRILOGY #1. FREEDOM, Director: Seokhan Ryu, U.S.A. 2003, Experimental
6. Best film/video documentary production.
GLORY ROAD, Director: Randall Wilson, U.S.A. 2002, Documentary; SIDEMAN , Director: Frédéric Baillif, Switzerland 2003, Documentary; BORINBORESI, Director: Gertraud Schwarz, Ghana/Austria 2003, Documentary; RAGA – COLORING OF MIND/FÄRBUNG DES GEISTES, Directors: Kanwal Sethi & Sandra Kulbach, India/Germany 2003, Documentary; BLACK PEOPLE, BLACK BERLIN, Producer & Director: Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre, Germany 1994, Documentary
The films were a collage of feature, documentary and animation material.
The audience response to the 46 short and full length films, screened during the XIX. Black International Cinema Berlin 2004, was very receptive.
Among the festival presentations were an art and photographic exhibition in the Klick Film Theater Foyer. Vibrant colors and interesting compositions were provided by Ricky Reiser/Berlin, Frédéric Koenig/France, Handicap International, Peter Gorwin/U.S.A. and Fountainhead® Tanz Theatre.
The “Footprints In The Sand?” – A Visual Documentation Exhibition was presented from April 14 – May 9 and was frequently visited prior to and during the XIX. Black International Cinema Berlin 2004.
The international gathering of cinema goers, films and artist exhibitions conveyed a warm, friendly, thought provoking and convivial atmosphere, which is a hallmark of this well-organized and far-reaching film-video festival.
Preparations are underway for the 20th anniversary celebration of the Black International Cinema Berlin in May 2005.
For information regarding the XIX. Black International Cinema Berlin 2004, please consult:
http://www.black-international-cinema.com/XIX.BlackInternationalCinema20...
For entry form information regarding the XX. Black International Cinema Berlin 2005, please consult:
http://www.black-international-cinema.com/BIC05/XX.BIC2005/HTML/bic05_fr...
Mottoes:
"I may not make it if I try, but I damn sure won't if I don't..." - 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.
Chatelin Bruno 
