AFI FEST TRAVELS TO NEBRASKA FINDS HALF OF A YELLOW SUN MEETS AN INVISIBLE WOMAN and has CONVERSATION with DIRECTOR STEVE MCQUEEN

This year’s AFI Fest banked on a direct deposit of diversity when they offered media photo opts on the Red Carpet. The fest is set to run from November [youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YTeDQOK3CE’]7-November 14. Although, opening night focused on Tom Hank’s, “Captain Phillips”, there was a chance to check out the real films of interest on AFI’s list of screenings including the opening of Bruce Dern’s “Nebraska” A vibrant line-up of Hollywood stars hit the carpet with eyes a glow, teeth showing and giving some true Hollywood Celebrity vibe. First up to step onto the red for “Nebraska” were Bruce Dern and darling daughter, Laura, June Squibb, Will Forte, Bob Odenkirk, Stacy Keach, Rance Howard, and Angela McEwan, just so you know. Without question “Nebraska,” takes us back to an all-American adaptation of how life happens to us as we come to grips with our own truth. Directed by Alexander Payne, “Nebraska” is a reminder of things yet to come if we continue to behave in the same manner and follow the same patterns. Along with his son David Grant, played by Will Forte, Woody Grant, played by Dern, takes a trip from Montana to Nebraska as a way to bring solvency to his uneventful life except for his constant state of drunkenness. The film is in black and white for landscape authenticity and is a timely and refreshing break from color. The use of Panasonic C-series anamorphic lenses and Arri Alexa digital cameras proved that nothing takes the place of solid professional experience. Considered an American dramedy, composer Mark Horton of “Tin Hat” provides just the right sound and mood for this particular project. “Nebraska” opens in theaters on November 13, 2013 and has a 133-minute running time.

Never before has there been an independent movie like “Half of A Yellow Sun.” With an all-star cast, Director Biyi Bandele’s hip adaptation of the novel by Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, is certainly not far from scoring a top star rating. Plan to plug up your ears, as the movies use of fire and explosives is a popular adrenalin rush that clearly shows the film’s historic accountability of the 1967-1970 Nigerian-Biafra War aka the “Nigerian Civil War.” Chiwetel Ejiofor plays a Nigerian well-bred hot head and educated doctor of literary books. Olanna played by Thandie Newton gives up the good life to go and live with the social revolutionary Odenigbo whose character Ejiofor makes eloquent and charming. Odenigbo hires house servant, Ugwu who is inexperienced as a cook and tells him to clean like never before, for this very special guest, Olanna who Odenigbo plans to marry. When outsiders like Odenigbo’s mother make executive decisions, a rift in the normal order of things gets Odenigbo in a mess. The hot head sleeps with Amala, a village girl who then has his baby. Odegnibo’s mother personally delivers the baby, who they call “baby,” to the home of the engaged couple. The newborn denied care by Amala, who is embarrassed and already promised to a boy of her own age. Olanna seemingly gives Odenigbo a taste of his own medicine when she decides to sleep with her twin sister Kainene’s ( Anika Noni Rose) British boyfriend Richard who frequently travels to Nigeria from London to study the arts. Anika gives a superb performance and can add to her credits that she can act with the best of them. Further trouble ensues during the height of civil unrest, as the four lives must work together to bring freedom to the people of Nigeria. Odenigbo, Ugwa, Olanna, and baby watch their family and friends murdered. When they strongly encourage Odenigbo’s mother to go with them to safer area, at least for the time being, their mother refuses to leave her home. “Half of A Yellow Sun” should be a required reading for all government officials or persons in authority, in order to show how ugly the atrocities of war truly are. Watch the movie, please, it is history and frankly could happen anywhere wherein the social infrastructure has completely collapsed. “Half of A Yellow Sun”, thus far, is slated as Nigeria’s most expensive film to make costing a cool 1.27 Naira which is around 0.0080 US dollars. Nigeria is third largest in influential movie making followed by Hollywood in first place and Bollywood in second. “Half of A Yellow Sun” hit the American market on November 11 and considered to be leading the stretch of great films to come out of Nollywood.www.facebook.com/halfofayellowsun.

Certainly not the last of the bright stars was the unimaginably funny, and fine, Ralph Fiennes. Fiennes was the final actor, director to see red, in support of his second directorial debut screening of, “Invisible Woman.” As you might imagine, Fiennes leaves no room for error and portrays an astute and vibrant Charles Dickens. Felicity Jones plays Nelly Ternan, the love interest and mistress of Dickens who meets the lovely woman at the height of his career. The plot thickens as we take a closer look at all of the rash remarks and the tugging’s at the heart when wife Catherine Dickens played by Joanna Scanlan, has to endure gossip that surrounds the affair of Charles and young Nelly. The book by Claire Tomalin never once lets the two lovers off the hook as Dickens life, which is delightful although layered with deceit and eroticism. The book like the movie leaves a hunger for true love to prevail. However limited by social standards of the time, the troubled affair continues under the nose, however away from the direct gaze of Catherine Dickens. If you are a hard-core fan of Ralph Fiennes who seemed honestly playful and genuine when speaking with the media, then “The Invisible Woman” is sure to be a great late night watch. “The Invisible Woman” has its theatrical release in December. www.ralphfiennes-corner.net.

 AUDI the big sponsor of AFI this year, hosted an evening full of elevated truth as spoken by film director, Steve McQueen as he discussed the makings and many moods of “12 Years A Slave”. The moderator was “The Blackhouse Foundation’s” chairman, Brickson Diamond”. When asked the question, about the movies racial divide McQueen’s voice was both eloquent and spellbinding, as he expressed the difference in the mentality of his thinking as a British Nigerian, versus that of an African American. The director, who garnered a copy of Northrup’s book from his wife, mentioned that he is human first, and does not walk the streets of London, thinking of his color. Rather, he channels his thinking into how to reach an audience with his film. His stated that his mind is, focused on projects and not on a perception of a color. “12 Years a Slave” take’s a bite out of the very annals of a sullied history that we all endure as Americans. The book, written by Solomon Northrup himself is a personal list of characters and mishaps that could happen when a free man is kidnapped and imprisoned. [youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzDEVvDjPQc’]With the constant mind-set of a raging bull, Northrup’s disturbing recognition that he is enslaved is a lot to bear. Should you find yourself cringing with disgust while watching the inhumane act of slavery, come prepared with a clear clean and open mind. Again, Chiwetel Ejiofor, is forthcoming in his delivery and expresses the exact emotion in each scene of a well-trained actor. No wonder these Nigerian Brits have taken Hollywood by surprise. With their broad interpretation of life and their well researched information on slavery during this particular time, perhaps directors like McQueen can assist with helping to bring balance between the emotional scarring that enslavement has left on the history of America and the healing that is slowly taking place. “12 Years A Slave” is now showing in selected theaters throughout the country.  “The Blackhouse Foundation”, was created in 2006 and acts an incubator to provide work and education for those interested in the preservation of Black Cinema and to help to expand and bring attention to a global market of filmmakers across the diaspora. www.12yearsaslave.com. www.theblackhousefoundation.org.