Author: Andrea Leland

The remarkable Fez Festival of World Sacred Music in Morocco SOUND OF THE SOUL by Stephen Olsson (70 min) 2005 “Imagine the feeling of arriving in North Africa without ever stepping on a plane.” This striking documentary is set in Fez, the ancient Moroccan city known for its tolerance of all inhabitants, whether Muslim, Christian or Jew. The film highlights the historic city itself, as well as the annual music festival staged there. Musicians travel from around the world to perform in Fez. A chorus of African Berber women, players and vocalists from Afghanistan, England, France, Portugal, Russia, Ireland, Mauritania, Turkey and a gospel band from Harlem intermingle with a group of amazing Sufi whirling dervishes. “In a world increasingly polarized by religious conflicts and fundamentalist forces, Sound of the Soul reverberates with unity, understanding, and most of all, hope.”

“The best film ever made about Calypso” CALYPSO DREAMS – a documentary by Geoffrey Dunn & Michael Horne (85 min) 2004 Winner of the Best Caribbean Documentary Film at the 2002 Jamerican Film Festival; also screened at the 2003 Mill Valley Film Festival. This award-winning film documents the history of Calypso in Trinidad and Tobago. Features performances by Mighty Sparrow, Calypso Rose, Lord Superior, Brother Valentino, Regeneration Now, and Mystic Prowler. “…brings the amazing history of this music and its culture to life, showing us the roots of modern day reggae, hip hop and rap. Fantastic!” – Bonnie Raitt

The Lost Boys of the Sudan GOD GREW TIRED OF US – a documentary by Christopher Dillon Quinn 2005 (89 min) Winner of both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival This touching and inspiring film traces the journey of three of the thousands of Sudan’s Lost Boys who trek barefoot for five years across barren desert to reach the UN refugee camp in Kenya. Over 3000 of them are then resettled in the US. They experience the modern world with the eyes of innocence as they grow accustomed to a new way of life, yet they never lose sight of those who were left behind and their desire to help them as well. “…a must-see, if only to remind viewers of the courage, enterprise and integrity that are so often obscured in discussions about immigration.” The Washington Post

ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD – a documentary by Werner Herzog (99 min) 2007 “Off the map, things get strange” Herzog explores the landscape and the dreams of people who live and work in the Antarctic. Breathtaking underwater scenes, images of deep tunnels carved beneath the snow and ice and more are intermixed with interviews with scientists and other souls who choose to live for a time at the ends of the earth. “… this is very much Werner Herzog’s story of the Antarctic and not, as he intimates right up front, a heartfelt tale of ‘fluffy’ penguins…” The New York Times Special Guest Kari Nester Kari Nester lived for over a year in Antarctica. She will talk about her experiences and share photographs. Kari’s words: “It was a great experience to be at the bottom of the world for over a year.  I saw one sunset and one sunrise in the course of a year.  Six months of sunlight and six months of darkness.  We were able to see amazing austral lights!  It was an unforgettable time, and I will always be humbled by it.”

The Struggle of Illegal Immigrants GOLDEN VENTURE – a documentary by Peter Cohn 2006 (70 min) “We feel for these immigrants, we want them to stay and find satisfying lives here…” The Golden Venture is an immigrant smuggling ship that ran aground near New York City in 1993. The film follows the fate of the passengers who had paid thousands of dollars to leave China for what they thought would be a golden future in the US. Their fate gets entangled with the confusing objectives of US immigration policy, which is set in stark contrast with the heartwarming concern of everyday US citizens.