Author: Andrea Leland

Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2013      7: 30pm Pickles in Coral Bay WHEN THE DRUM IS BEATING 84 minute documentary directed by Whitney Dow A rhythmic meeting of music and history, WHEN THE DRUM IS BEATING  brilliantly interweaves the stories of Haiti and its most celebrated band, Septentrional. With its distinctive fusion of Cuban big band rhythms and Haitian vodou beats, the 20-piece band has been around for more than six decades. The constant thread through this documentary is not just the music, but the fact that Septentrional has survived for so long in a country that has endured dictatorships, natural disasters, and coups d’état is a reflection of the resilience of the Haitian people. Archival footage and historical context seamlessly work with the stories of the band members, who reflect on their memories, dreams, and hopes. Director Whitney Dow skillfully parallels the two stories and keeps the pace going with live concert footage and intimate rehearsal moments. The spirit of the members of Septentrional and the Haitian people is palpable. Dow turns this deserving tribute into a celebratory story of amazing musicians who, through it all, have kept their passion alive.

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!