Come Thursday, January 29 the movie ‘Disco Afrika: A Malagasy Story’ by Luck Razanajaona (2023, 81m) will be screened at The Africa Center, New York.The film draws on the spirit of Africa’s 1970s civil rights movements while reflecting on resistance, colonial legacies, and contemporary realities. The screening will be followed by a live virtual Q&A with director Luck Razanajaona!
In Madagascar, 20-year-old Kwame struggles to make a living in the clandestine sapphire mines. An unexpected event takes him back to his hometown. There, as he is reunited with his mother and old friends, he is also confronted by the rampant corruption that plagues his country. Kwame is forced to choose between easy money and loyalty; between individualism and a political awakening.
The young protagonist Kwame seems to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders but he always finds the strength to search for answers and a way to a better future. The film echoes the African civil rights movements of the 1970s – an era which marked an artistic and musical awakening as a continuation of the struggle for independence. In Kwame’s personal story, the film also addresses the legacy of colonialism and the history of resistance and throws a spotlight on the contemporary situation.
Since 1990, African Film Festival has bridged the divide between post-colonial African and the American public through the medium of film. AFF’s unique place in the international arts community is distinguished not only by leadership in festival management but by a comprehensive approach to the advocacy of African and diaspora film and culture.
Launched in 1993, the New York African Film Festival is presented annually by African Film Festival, Inc. and Film at Lincoln Centre, in association with Brooklyn Academy of Music. AFF also produces a series of local, national and international programmes throughout the year.
