Author: Andrea Leland

Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2013  7:30 pm St. John School of the Arts in Cruz Bay SEARCHING FOR SUGARMAN 86 minute documentary directed by Malik Bendjelloul Searching for Sugar Man details the efforts of two Cape Town fans in the late 1990s, Stephen ‘Sugar’ Segerman and Craig Bartholomew Strydom, to find out whether the rumoured death of American musician Sixto Rodriguez was true, and, if not, to discover what had become of him. Rodriguez’s music, which never took off in the United States, had become wildly popular in South Africa, but little was known about him there. On 10 February 2013, the film won the BAFTA Award for Best Documentary at the 66th British Academy Film Awards in London, and two weeks later it won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 85th Academy Awards in Hollywood.  Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film a glowing four-star review, writing “I hope you’re able to see this film…and yes, it exists because we need for it to.”[6] The New York Times critic Manohla Dargis also wrote a positive review, calling the film “… a hugely appealing documentary about fans, faith and an enigmatic Age of Aquarius musician who burned bright and hopeful before disappearing. Critic Dargis subsequently named Searching for Sugar Man one of the 10 best films of 2012. website: https://www.sonyclassics.com/searchingforsugarman/

Daughters of Dust playing at St. John School of the Arts Tuesday Nov. 5th at 7:30 Daughters of the Dust is a 1991 independent film written, directed and produced by Julie Dash; it is the first feature film by an African-American woman distributed theatrically in the United States. It tells the story of three generations of Gullah women in the Peazant family on St. Helena Island in 1902, as they prepare to migrate to the North.  Featuring an unusual narrative device, the film is told by the Unborn Child. Ancestors are part of the movie, as the Peazant family has lived on the island since their first people were brought as slaves centuries before. The movie gained critical praise, for its rich language and use of song, and lyrical use of visual imagery. It won  the Cinematography Award and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.

The End of the Line Directed by Rupert Murray:  85 minutes, 2009, Documentary Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013 / 7:30 pm / Cases by the Sea, Coral Bay The world’s first major documentary about the effects commercial overfishing has had on the world’s fish populations!  Along the lines of An Inconvenient Truth, this film is important – especially here in the Caribbean where fishing is a way of life for so many. Filmed at global locations from the Straits of Gibraltar to the coasts of Senegal and Alaska to the Tokyo fish market, and featuring top scientists, indigenous fishermen, and fisheries’ enforcement officials, The End of the Line premiered, and competed for best World Cinema Documentary, at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival. The End of the Line will be the  first film presented by SJFS in Coral Bay after our summer break.  We’d love to see the community come out for the first film of the season.   Thanks to our members, contributors, and sponsors!

Marley Directed by Kevin MacDonald:  144 minutes, 2012, Documentary June 4, 2013 / 7:30 pm / St. John School of the Arts, Cruz Bay JOIN US FOR ANOTHER INSPIRING EVENING OF FILM ! A feature-length documentary on the life, music, and legacy of Bob Marley, this exhaustive, even-handed portrait of reggae’s greatest star offers electrifying concert footage and fascinating insights.   Whether you are a reggae aficionado who has already seen and heard everything there is about Marley or whether you know nothing about the musical genre of reggae but would like an introduction, you won’t be disappointed by the latest documentary – it even touches on the unique and unparalleled social and political impact Marley had, and continues to have today. Made with the support of the Marley family, this definitive life story of musician, revolutionary, and legend — from early days to international superstardom– features rare footage, incredible performances, and revelatory interviews with the people that knew him best. July 17, 2013 / 7:30 pm / Cases by the Sea, Coral Bay BY POPULAR DEMAND! The screening in Cruz Bay was so popular and the residents of Coral Bay so passionate about having this film screened on their end of the island too, we are happy to reprise Marley, in Coral Bay!  Sponsored by Bamboula.  Be sure to buy a raffle ticket (raffle prizes from Bamboula) and enjoy some of Boozie’s BBQ at Cases by the Sea!

jflkasdfjasdofijsdlfkjasdflkjsdf Films from the 4th TRAVELLING CARIBBEAN SHOWCASE OF FILMS  Spotlight on FAMILY May 22, 2013/ 7:30 pm / Cases by the Sea, Coral Bay   Join us for two stories about the mysteries  of life on Guadeloupe and the realities — and dreams — of life in the Bahamas, and beyond!  Mature themes suitable for teens and parents.                     RAIN : 85–min, dramatic feature length, directed by Maria Govan (2008) Teen-aged Rain lives a sheltered and quiet life with her grandmother on the tiny rural Ragged Island in the Bahamas.  When her grandmother dies, Rain travels to the city to find the mother she never knew.  Rain is surprised to discover her mother living in the poverty-stricken “Graveyard” neighborhood of Nassau where regular school attendance and a uniform are beyond reach.  Encouraged by her coach, Rain’s extraordinary talent running track spells relief from her home life, reveals inner strength, and inspires dreams of life beyond Nassau.  Featuring performances by award-winning, veteran American-Guyanese actress CCH Pounder and the first-time, fourteen-year-old actress Renel Brown.     The Guardian: 8-min, short fiction by Fabrice Pierre (2006) A visit to Grandfather’s seaside home is Mahalia’s favorite thing in the world – while mother cooks, Mahalia listens to him weave his oral stories made up about magic, courage, and survival.  Or are they made up?  A compelling 8 minutes of action-packed magical realism.               Thanks to Elaine Ione Sprauve Public Library, home to the St. John Film Society film collection.