Open CallOpen Call: Rough Cuts
Reparation Blues (Rough Cut) (4:10)
Alfred Santana | Brooklyn, NY
In 2001, the United Nations held a World Conference Against Racism, Xenophobia and Related Intolerances in Durban, South Africa. Over three thousand NGO delegates, numerous government representatives, and Indigenous people of color from across the globe converged in Durban to make their struggles and injustices afflicting their countries know to the world. The question of Reparations for the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade was a key concern for Africans in Africa and throughout the Diaspora. It was a highly contentious issue that ultimately motivated a dramatic walk-out of the United Nations meeting by the U.S. delegation.
My proposed three-minute video is a performance piece that revolves around a poem, written by poet, singer and performance artist Ghail Rhodes-Benjamin titled “Reparation Blues”. The poem, performed in a black box theater, will juxtapose dynamic visual highlights from WCAR, including verite´ footage of the U.S. walk-out and the response of African-America activists. This three-minute digital video will be a nuanced, hybrid compilation that highlights the struggle of political activists to have the issues of reparation heard around the world.
Alfred J. Santana is an independent filmmaker who, over the past thirty years has directed eight independent films and photographed over twenty documentaries, public affairs promotional films and videos that have aired on both network and public television.
Al’s current works include Reparation Blues, 2008, a hybrid performance documentary short, WGBH Lab; Merchant Marine, a feature length documentary (work in progress) that looks at merchant marines of color, post WWII; One People, 2007, a hybrid narrative/documentary film about two sisters and their quest to discover a politicized Lorraine Hansberry; Military Option, 2005, a documentary short about military recruiting of our youth, Military Option screened at BAM Rose Cinemas, Anthology Film Archives, N.Y. and The Museum of Modern Art; Journey 1000, 2004, an experimental documentary which chronicles Al’s 1973 trip to The People’s Republic of China; Durban 400, 2003, a documentary about the 2001 U.N. World Conference Against Racism and the call for Reparations for African Slavery. Durban 400 screened at Anthology Film Archives, N.Y., The Langston Hughes Library, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and FESPACO film festival in Burkina Faso, WA; In The Spirit of Peace, 2002, documentary short aired on PBS Channel 13’s Reel New York and The Museum of Modern Art.
Al is the founder and executive producer of Al Santana Productions, a Brooklyn-based film and video production company. He has taught film and video production courses at The City College of New York, Pratt Institute and has lectured at Sarah Lawrence College, Pace University, The Borough of Manhattan Community College, and Adelphi University. Al is a member of the Black Documentary Collective, the Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers, and The Independent Feature Project.
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Nice Work
Al, since being a follower/fan of your work I think this piece in its rough cut stage is heading in the right direction. I particulary liked how you added a non African American in the piece, I think it would be great if you had more of that in the piece - i.e. maybe more differing view points, no matter if they disagree with reparations or not. It would give your piece an exceptional variety of depth. Nice Start.
Reparation Blues
Good start! Like the look and feel of the performance art... I look forward to seeing more heavy-hitter voices in addition to Baraka as project develops further. Best wishes with this!
More
As someone who knows very little about the movement and the issues, it left me wanting definitions and more!
I love the musical tone that is throughout, you lose it in some places and I think it's crucial to the "heart" beat of the piece. Maybe it should be longer?
There are no mistakes in art, only variations.
Keep it Tender~Alecia
Reparations
Hey Al, I submitted a pitch for this subject, but it didn't get selected. Congrats on your selection. I like where the piece is going. I can't wait to see the final version.
Reparation Blues
Al, "Reparation Blues" is a great piece. I hope that in the final mix the vocal and voice of the young lady reciting and singing the poem will shine through clearly, I found myself rising the volume every time she spoke. It wasn't her fault. It was the mix! I found no problem with the length of the piece. It said all it had to say and said it deeply. It forced me to want to see it over and over. My first time I saw it at least seven (7) times. I will continue to see it!!! It's a great tribute to all of our ancestors that made that crossing.
Heartfelt Thanks,
Pablo Figueroa
reparations performance work in progress
I appreciate the intention of the work, however, feel that 3 mins isn't sufficient. It appears to have some great out takes and commentary by artists, intellectuals, activists and political voices...I like that part most. I think you will have to revamp some of the images of the performance artist. Right now it looks too staged. The first shot of her with the cape coast slave castle in the background... got my attention...the other shots that followed, specifically the one of her in shackles is a little too perfect a shot and not realistic enough. Those wrists would have been bloody, and bruised and her body would have been exposed. Remember, there was no humanity or dignity in the transporting of slaves across the Atlantic. So these performed images you have probably could stand some imagining that isn't so romantic.
Addressing this topic will be met with resistance and challenge, my hat is off to you.
good effort and good luck to you.
I saw your clip
Hi Al, I just viewed your movie clip I enjoyed it a lot. Do you plan to make it into a full feature? I love it.
Reparations Blues
In a nutshell, this rough cut touches some of the many issues surrounding the idea of reparations for people of African descent. Though tough to wrap up an unprecedented history in 3 minutes, it does quite well in capturing a spectrum of voices, both artistically and politically, which are not commonly heard in polite company, but need to be in order to challenge some serious illusions. Looking forward to the finished piece!
Reparations
A very thought provoking work on a very difficult topic for most people to address. The terse form of the work demands that the viewer open their mind to the breadth of the issue(s)and learn more about the horrors born by the people who played such an important role in the buildng of america...Certainly a critical thinking introduction to a topic that deserves a broad audience for the long form work... Miles to go before we sleep...