African Studies


EAT BITTER
EAT BITTER

2024  African Studies  Asian Studies  Business  Economics  Environmental Studies  Family Relations  Political Science  Urban Studies  Sociology 

An eye-opening documentary filmed in the Central African Republic follows a native sand diver and a Chinese national developing the land.  As we follow the hardships and struggle, the film raises the question of what are we prepared to sacrifice for a better tomorrow, without a promise that it will ever arrive.


DAUGHTERS OF FIRE
DAUGHTERS OF FIRE

2024  African Studies  Cinema Studies  Cultural Studies 

A new short from acclaimed direcctor Pedro Costa (Horse Money).  Three young sisters are set apart by the eruption of Fogo.

A VERY FRAGILE THING
A VERY FRAGILE THING

African Studies  Peace & Conflict  Political Science  World History  Short Films  2024 

What happens when we choose to define ourselves according to our differences? "A Very Fragile Thing" offers a cautionary tale for any society wracked with distrust and division via a first-person journey into the origins of a civil war that has claimed the
lives of half a million Ethiopians since 2020. 


WHIPPING ZOMBIE
WHIPPING ZOMBIE

2018  African Studies  Anthropology  Dance  Music  Short Films  Cinema Studies 

In a remote Haitian village there is a dance with slaves and masters: the whipping zombie ritual. To trance-inducing music played by rara bands, men whip and fight until they die and are reborn in the infinite cycle.



GHOSTS OF OUR FOREST
GHOSTS OF OUR FOREST

African Studies  Music  Anthropology  Indigenous Studies  2017  Dance  Environmental Studies  Performing Arts  Loud Roar Productions 

Forcefully removed from their ancestral home by the Ugandan government to protect the endangered gorilla population, the indigenous Batwa people start a music club in hopes to preserve their culture through song and story.

BASHIR'S VISION
BASHIR'S VISION

Cultural Studies  African Studies  Disabilities  Loud Roar Productions  2017  Short Films 

Bashir Ramathan worked as a laborer until losing his sight. Destitute and depressed, boxing saved Bashir, now an advocate for the rights of people living with disabilities around Uganda. This uplifting short documentary will remind audiences that if there’s something you want to achieve in life, nothing should stop you.

FINDING HILLYWOOD
FINDING HILLYWOOD

African Studies  Cinema Studies  Peace & Conflict  2014  Directed by Women 

A stirring documentary about the very beginning of Rwanda's film industry, Finding Hillywood looks at the people - the filmmakers, festival organizers, and audience - that are part of this blossoming film community and shows how it has become a beacon of hope and healing for a country still grappling with its past.

IN THE SHADOW OF THE SUN
IN THE SHADOW OF THE SUN

African Studies  Health  Anthropology  2014 

Like many instances of discrimination faced by people with disabilities around the world, the troubling escalation of violence against people with Albinism in Tanzania has been fueled by societal prejudices, lack of education and deep-rooted superstition. In The Shadow of the Sun follows the efforts of two individuals who are risking their lives to combat this virulent prejudice.

WAVUMBA: THEY WHO SMELL OF FISH
WAVUMBA: THEY WHO SMELL OF FISH

Anthropology  Indigenous Studies  African Studies  Environmental Studies  Cultural Studies  Religion & Spirituality  Literature  Aging / Gerontology  2013 

A gorgeously filmed ethnographic portrait of an elderly Kenyan shark fisherman who has a primeval bond with the ocean and its creatures, Wavumba: They Who Smell of Fish delivers an enchanting depiction of Africa's storytelling tradition, where fantasy, dreams, belief and reality blend.

ROUGE PAROLE
ROUGE PAROLE

Middle Eastern Studies  Political Science  African Studies  World History  2012  The Arab Spring 

On December 17, 2010, 26-year-old Mohamed Bouazizi set fire to himself on the streets of Tunis sparking a popular uprising that toppled a dictator and developed into the Arab Spring. With remarkable never-before-seen footage of the demonstrations and celebrations, Rouge Parole chronicles the revolution in Tunisia and its immediate aftermath.

TERRA BLIGHT
TERRA BLIGHT

Environmental Studies  American Studies  African Studies  Technology  2012 

In 1983, Time magazine bestowed its coveted person-of-the-year award to the computer. Since then, technology has advanced at an amazing speed, and people have been replacing their old machines at the same rate, creating a cyclical stream of hazardous e-waste. Terra Blight is an eye-opening documentary that examines the environmental implications of this global problem.

ROBERT MUGABE... WHAT HAPPENED?
ROBERT MUGABE... WHAT HAPPENED?

African Studies  Political Science  Peace & Conflict  World History  2012 

Once hailed as a national hero, Robert Mugabe - Zimbabwe's first and only elected political leader - is today widely considered one of Africa's most brutal dictators. What happened? This illuminating documentary offers an in-depth examination of Mugabe's life, policies and staggering transformation.

NIGER '66: A PEACE CORPS DIARY
NIGER '66: A PEACE CORPS DIARY

African Studies  Political Science  American Studies  2011  Directed by Women 

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2011, the Peace Corps has inspired generations of young people into service around the world. Directed by one of its early volunteers, this exceptional documentary offers a fascinating first-person account of the organization's founding, early days and lasting influence. It also engenders greater understanding and a much-needed positive appreciation of Africa.

THE LAZARUS EFFECT
THE LAZARUS EFFECT

African Studies  AIDS  Health  2010 

Produced by (RED) and executive produced by Spike Jonze, The Lazarus Effect documents the real impact that large-scale AIDS programs and affordable access to antiretroviral medication can have on people, families and communities in sub-Saharan Africa.

SWEET CRUDE
SWEET CRUDE

African Studies  Environmental Studies  Political Science  Media Studies  Peace & Conflict  Terrorism Studies  2010  Directed by Women 

An award-winning documentary, Sweet Crude examines the humanitarian, environmental and economic devastation caused by 50 years of oil extraction in Nigeria's Niger Delta. Filmmaker Sandy Cioffi - imprisoned by the Nigerian military during the shoot and released only after an international outcry - uncovers an international web of oil politics, big business and media manipulation.

ME BRONI BA (MY WHITE BABY)
ME BRONI BA (MY WHITE BABY)

African Studies  Women's Studies  African-American Studies  Anthropology  Sociology  2009  Directed by Women 

Weaving together sequences of hair-braiding salons in Ghana, voice-over of Oprah rhapsodizing brown-skinned dolls and animated clips of signature hairstyles, Me Broni Ba (My White Baby) is an artfully composed, thought-provoking work that investigates the fraught relationship between images of beauty and power.

THROW DOWN YOUR HEART
THROW DOWN YOUR HEART

African Studies  African-American Studies  Music  Anthropology  2009 

Throw Down Your Heart follows American banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck on his journey to Africa to explore the little known African roots of the banjo. This exuberant musical adventure provides a glimpse of the beauty and complexity of Africa - a picture that is very different from what is often shown in the media.

THE HILLSIDE CROWD
THE HILLSIDE CROWD

African Studies  Sociology  Anthropology  2009 

When gold was discovered on a remote hillside in Burkina Faso, a bustling city quickly sprung up around it, replete with gold-diggers, prospectors, merchants, holy men, gamblers and prostitutes. The Hillside Crowd profiles the inhabitants of this improvised gold town and their efforts to escape the surrounding poverty.

THE NEW AMERICANS
THE NEW AMERICANS

2009  Chicano Studies  Kartemquin Films  Political Science  Latino Studies  Latin-American Studies  Anthropology  American Studies  African Studies  African-American Studies  Immigration 

A landmark seven-hour documentary series, The New Americans follows the lives of a diverse group of contemporary immigrants - from the Dominican Republic, Mexico, India, Nigeria and Palestine - to offer a kaleidoscopic picture of immigrant life in the U.S. Available for the first time in its entirety on DVD.

IRON LADIES OF LIBERIA
IRON LADIES OF LIBERIA

African Studies  Political Science  Cultural Studies  Peace & Conflict  Criminal & Law  2009  Directed by Women 

On January 16, 2006, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was inaugurated President of Liberia, the first elected female head of state in Africa. With unprecedented access, Iron Ladies of Liberia follows her historic first year in office.

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