bamako press release/new york
the highly-anticipated political drama “Bamako” screens in New York

New York Film Festival, September 30th, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

September 26, 2006

This autumn actor, producer, humanitarian Danny Glover has a bountiful personal and professional harvest of his own to celebrate. On October 12, in New York, Glover will be honored by The Directors Guild of America for his humanitarian “efforts to improve health care and education in the U.S. and Africa”, announced DGA National VP Steven Soderbergh. Other DGA honorees to receive esteem at the DGA Theater in New York that night are: Mayor Michael Bloomberg, “Sopranos" exec producer David Chase, filmmaker Arthur Penn and the Anthology Film Archives.

Glover is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from Amnesty International.

October 2 and 3rd brings Glover another personal and professional honor when he presents the highly-anticipated political drama “Bamako” directed by Abderrahmane Sissako at the 44th New York Film Festival. Glover executive produced the film through his New York based company Louverture Films, which is dedicated to the development and production of films of historical relevance, social purpose, commercial value and artistic integrity. “Bamako” made its North American debut at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

Most recently, Glover completed filming the highly-anticipated feature Dreamgirls for director Bill Condon, and Shooter for director Antoine Fuqua. He is currently working in New York on Be Kind, Rewind for director Michel Gondry. Glover is also about to make his directorial debut with his film "Toussaint," an action epic that will star Don Cheadle, Wesley Snipes and Angela Bassett, among other luminaries. "Toussaint," is based on the Haitian Revolution (1791-1804) and its charismatic leader Toussaint Louverture. With pre-production already in swing, production is set for South Africa in 2007.

.Along with his Louverture Films partner, writer/producer Joslyn Barnes, Glover’s upcoming projects include Ghanaian helmer John Akomfrah's music-driven comedy "Touti in Harlem," about an African woman who finds her voice in Harlem, and "Tropic of Angels," Kevin McCarey's portrait of a young boy who meets with magic, evil and redemptive love in tropical Puerto Rico.

BAMAKO
www.bamako-film.com

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.

NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL BAMAKO SCREENING SCHEDULE

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

What: Press Screening
Time: 3pm
Where: Walter Reade Theater

During construction at Lincoln Center access to the Walter Reade Theater plaza level is on 65th Street West of Broadway (towards Amsterdam Avenue).

MONDAY, OCTOBER 2

What: Public Screening
Time: 6pm
Who: Director Abderrahmane Sissako, Executive Producers Danny Glover and Joslyn Barnes on hand for questions following the screening.

Moderator: Kent Jones
Where: Alice Tully Hall, 65th Street & Broadway

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3

What: Picturing Development: The Case of BAMAKO
A Panel Discussion (prior the evening’s public screening)
Time: 6:30pm

Who: Director Abderrahmane Sissako, Harry Belafonte, Joseph Stiglitz,
Jeffrey Sachs. Moderated by Mahmood Mamdani
Where: Gallery at the Walter Reade Theatre

(Scroll down for panelist’s bios)

ALSO, ON OCTOBER 3

What: Public Screening
Time: 9pm
Who: Director Abderrahmane Sissako, Executive Producers Danny Glover and Joslyn Barnes on hand for questions following the screening.

Moderator: Phillip Lopate
Where: Alice Tully Hall, 65th Street & Broadway

Language: Bambara/French with English subtitles Running Time: 115 minutes

LOUVERTURE FILMS
www.louverturefilms.com

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 and Joslyn Barnes served as Executive Producers on Bamako.

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, from Places in the Heart, The Color Purple, the Lethal Weapon series, Danny Glover has been the recipient of countless awards for his humanitarian and advocacy efforts on behalf of economic and social justice causes. Regarding Bamako, he has this to say:

“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 Glover. “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.”

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 program officer at the United Nations for eight years. She has lived and traveled widely in Africa and Asia.

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For Further Information Contact Rogers & Cowan:


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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