MPENZI: Black Women’s International Film and Video Festival ®
A celebration of work by Black and Queer Black women writers, producers and directors
3rd Annual

Friday, February 16th, 2007 6:30 - 9:00pm
(Doors open at 5:30pm)
Medical Sciences Building Auditorium at the University of Toronto
1 King’s College Circle
Toronto, Ontario

Festival Program

Desperate for Love, Angel L. Brown, Director / Producer / Writer (USA 2005, DV 22 min.)Toronto Premiere.
A Black lesbian woman who’s been out of the dating scene for quite some time explores ways to find love in all the wrong places. Desperate for love, she goes through all the drama that comes along with finding true love only to realize she needs to love herself first.

Sticks and Stones, Rehema Imani Trimiew, Writer/Producer/Director (USA 2006, Video 9:13 min.) Toronto Premiere.
This experimental fiction deals with a kindergarten student in an “urban” school and her parents’ attempts to convince her teacher to improve the curriculum. Based on experiences by the filmmaker.

Ndim Ndim (Its me, Its me), Martha Qumba, Director (South Africa 2005, Video 8 min.) Canadian Premiere.
This is a fascinating portrait of brave, quietly persistent Funeka Soldaat who is an out lesbian and anti-abuse activist. Living in the controlled homophobia of her Xhosa-dominated community in Khyalitsha, Funeka’s single-handed education of those around her progresses slowly but surely.

Post Paradise, Erika Morris, Director/Writer (CAN 2006, Video 6:57 min.) World Premiere.
Kyle discovers that he is the author of his own worst fate.

Call me Daisy, Natalie Wood, Director / Writer (CAN 2006, Video 3 min)
This video explores the race and sexual politics involved in the making of King Kong, the movie. King Kong calls a press conference in Toronto to renounce his American citizenship and to come out as a lesbian.

The Hijab, Rubina Shalkh, Josneara Mojumder, Naura Camora, Fahima Begum, Sohana Begum, Rahima Hagi, Directors & Producers (CAN 2006, Video, 6 min.)
Through a series of on the street interviews The Hijab explores the girl’s beliefs and values about the Hijab and its significance to their religion. In doing so, they raise fundamental questions about Canada's commitment to multiculturalism and diversity.

Sarang Song, Tamika Miller Director/Writer (USA 2006, Video 23 min.) Canadian Premiere.
Sarong Song is a love story about two women set amidst the socially and politically turbulent times of the 1970s. Their love is tested when one is thrust into the student protest movement and is forced to make a choice – will she choose their love or will she choose the movement?

Literature Alive Series, M. NourbeSe Philip: Word Hammers, Lana Lovell, Director, Frances-Anne Solomon, Producer (CAN 2005, Beta SP 24 min.)
Word Hammers profiles M. NourbeSe Philip. A poet, novelist, and former lawyer, NourbeSe is not one to sit still, and takes us on a power walk through the park. Accompanied by her friend Dr. Patricia Saunders of the University of Miami, the two explore NourbeSe Philip’s use of language as a weapon in her powerful and courageous work.

Intermission
Reading by NourbeSe Philip

"Best" Short Film Award (audience selected)
Silent Auction results

2007 MEDIA INFO

2007 Mpenzi was a great success. The following newspapers published reviews and articles about the festival:

To view the Mpenzi 2007 media release, click here: WORD or PDF