BAMAKO PRESS RELEASE/toronto
North American debut of the highly-anticipated political drama “Bamako”

The Toronto International Film Festival, September 7th, 2006

The Toronto International Film Festival has unveiled ten films from 12 countries to be a part of the event’s line up of African and African Diaspora cinema.

Among the films set to make its North American debut is the highly-anticipated political drama “Bamako” directed by Abderrahmane Sissako (pictured here) and executive produced by Danny Glover’s company Louverture Films.

Following “Bamako’s” September 9 screening, Danny Glover and Abderrahmane Sissako will lead a panel discussion on the African Debt.

“Rabbit-Proof-Fence” director Phillip Noyce’s “Catch a Fire” with Derek Luke and Tim Robbins, as well as “The Last King of Scotland” by Kevin Macdonald, set in Idi Amin’s Uganda, starring Forrest Whitaker and Spike Lee’s Katrina documentary are some of the other films premiering in the line-up.

BAMAKO

Set in the courtyard of a mud walled house in Bamako, the capital city of Mali, the film voices Africa’s grievances in an original and profoundly moving way: educating, and at the same time, entertaining the audience. The intimate personal story of an African couple on the verge of breaking up is told alongside very public political proceedings. The country’s civil society is taking action against the international financial institutions whom they directly blame for Africa’s woes.

With humor and rhythm, everyday life goes on in the midst of the powerful testimonials and pleas made at the trial. A lush mix of warm colors and inspirational music, “Bamako” is a unique opportunity for a worldwide audience to become familiar with contemporary Africa.

“We’re at a stage where people are being marginalized and uprooted by economic globalization, a process which has created enormous wealth disparities both between countries and within countries, says Danny Glover, one of Bamako’s executive producers. “The structural violence of this new global economy has been has been foisted upon the South and has broken families and communities which have had a long tradition of sustainability. Bamako is important because it attempts to present the reality of what is happening to people, while at the same time clarifying the macroeconomic context that creates that reality. It’s a landmark film, in that it brings us closer to the truth in the lives of others without strident polemics.”

What drove director Abderrahmane Sissako to make Bamako “was the gravity of the African situation. Faced with that, I felt a sense of urgency to evoke the hypocrisy of the North towards the countries of the South.”

"I was very aware that from my small position, and because I make films, I have to try to be the voice of millions of people. Because of this position of unwilling spokesman, I have had to get involved in something that seems imperative to me: the need to give a voice to those who need it most, to those who need to cry out against this form of injustice."

Danny Glover & Abderrahmane Sissako will attend the festival
September 9 - 12

DIRECTOR ABDERRAHMANE SISSAKO
(phonetically: Ab der a mann, See sako)

Born in Kiffa, Mauritania, in 1961 and raised in Mali, his father_s homeland. When he returned to Mauritania in 1980, the emotional and financial difficulties of adjustment made him turn to literature and film. A study grant allowed him to attend the Institute of the University of Moscow. Le Jeu (1990), first presented as a graduation assignment, won the prize for best short at the Giornate del Cinema Africano of Perugia in 1991. In 1993, his film October was shown at Locarno and won prizes the world over. In 1998 he made Life on Earth (aka La vie sur terre). Waiting for Happiness (aka Heremakono) was screened at Cannes 2002 and was winner of the FIPRESCI award for best film in the Un Certain Regard section. It was also shown at the New York Film Festival in 2002 and won the Grand Prize at FESPACO in 2003. He spent many years living in France but Africa is always at the heart of his films. His work is both fiction and documentary, political and poetic. Sissako is one of the most highly regarded directors from Africa.

DANNY GLOVER and JOSLYN BARNES - EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS

LOUVERTURE FILMS

Dedicated to the development and production of films of historical relevance and social purpose, Louverture Films is also passionate about nurturing artistic creativity and integrity. The New York based company has a slate of progressive features and documentaries, which include most notably TOUSSAINT. The action-epic is based on the Haitian Revolution and the heroic life of Toussaint Louverture, who led one of the only successful slave uprisings in history and defeated the French, Spanish and British imperial armies, establishing the first independent black Republic: Haiti. The film will be shot in South Africa and directed by Danny Glover.

DANNY GLOVER,
CO-FOUNDER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

In addition to being one of the most acclaimed actors of our time, with a career spanning 25 years, Danny Glover has also produced, executive produced and financed numerous projects for film, television and theatre. Among these are Bamako, Good Fences, 3 AM, Freedom Song, Get on the Bus, Deadly Voyage, Buffalo Soldiers, The Saint of Fort Washington and To Sleep with Anger, as well as the series Courage and America's Dream.

The recipient of countless awards for his humanitarian and advocacy efforts on behalf of economic and social justice causes, Glover is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from Amnesty International.



JOSLYN BARNES,
CO-FOUNDER AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Joslyn Barnes is a writer and producer with experience in several fields. She is the author or co-author of twelve commissioned screenplays for feature films including the upcoming epic TOUSSAINT, and the award-winning film Bàttu, directed by Cheikh Oumar Sissoko (Mali), which she associate produced with British Screen and EMET Films. In 2005, Barnes executive produced the award-winning film Bamako by Abderrahmane Sissako (Mali).

Prior to co-founding Louverture Films, Barnes served as an expert consultant and programme officer at the United Nations for eight years. She has lived and traveled widely in Africa and Asia.


BAMAKO SCREENING SCHEDULE

Thursday, September 7

Press & Industry Screening

12:30pm at the Varsity 2

Friday, September 8

Premiere

6:00pm at Paramount 4

Saturday, September 9

Public Screening

12:30pm at the Al Green Theater


Saturday, September 9

Panel Discussion on the African Debt Crisis

2:30pm directly following the 12:30pm screening at the Al Green Theater

Participants include

Bamako Director Abderrahmane Sissako
Executive Producer Danny Glover
Additional guests to be announced shortly
Press and photography opportunities will be conducted during this time period.

Sunday, September 10

Press and Industry Screening
9:15am at the Varsity 1

Friday, September 15

Public Screening
2pm at the Varsity 2

Please contact us for additional information.
We look forward to hearing from you!

Teri Kane
EVP Motion Picture Division
212-445-8415
917 692 1076
tkane@rogersandcowan.com

Joanne Schioppi
Senior Account Executive
212 445-8416
917 853 7484
jschioppi@rogersandcowan.com

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