bamako at new york film festival
New York premiere of Bamako

New York Film Festival, September 30th, 2006

Film Society of Lincoln Center
The 44th New York Film Festival

Invites You to Attend a Panel Discussion
PICTURING DEVELOPMENT: THE CASE OF BAMAKO

FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION:

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.

"'Bamako' brilliantly rises to the challenge of presenting a serious discussion of globalization, African debt and the World Bank in a lively, entertaining feature film... Talented Mauritanian director Abderrahmane Sissako ("Life on Earth," "Waiting for Happiness") hits a high note with this warm winner." Variety

WHEN:
Tuesday, October 3 at 6:30pm

WHAT:

A Panel Conversation
“Picturing Development: The Case of Bamako”

WHERE:
Gallery at the Walter Reade Theatre

During Lincoln Center construction access to the Walter Reade plaza level is on 65th Street, West of B’Way (towards Amsterdam Avenue).

WHO:

Abderrahmane Sissako: (Life on Earth, Waiting for Happiness) one of the most highly regarded directors from Africa. “Faced with the gravity of the African situation I felt a sense of urgency to tell this story” of Bamako.

Harry Belafonte: one of the most successful American musicians in history, as well as an actor and social activist.

Jeffrey David Sachs: an American economist and the only academic on Earth to have been repeatedly ranked among the world's most influential people by Time magazine.

Joseph Stiglitz: Nobel laureate in economics and former SVP and Chief Economist of the World Bank.

Mahmood Mamdani: President of the Council for Development of Social Research in Africa (CODESRIA) an important voice in contemporary debates about Africa.

BAMAKO NYFF SCREENING SCHEDULE

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

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

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: 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

ADDITIONAL PANELISTS BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION:

DIRECTOR ABDERRAHMANE SISSAKO

Born in Kiffa, Mauritania, in 1961 and raised in Mali. 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.

HARRY BELAFONTE – is one of the most successful American musicians in history, as well as an actor and social activist. Throughout his expansive career, he has been an advocate for civil rights and humanitarian causes. Belafonte was an early supporter of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s, causing him to be blacklisted during the McCarthy era; he was also one of Martin Luther King's confidants. He received an appointment to UNICEF as a goodwill ambassador in 1987, and later hosted former South African President Nelson Mandela on his visit to the United States.

JEFFREY DAVID SACHS - is an American economist known for his work as an economic advisor to governments in Latin America, Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, Asia, and Africa. He is currently a professor and director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University and the is the only academic on Earth to have been repeatedly ranked among the world's most influential people by Time magazine.

JOSEPH STIGLITZ - A Nobel laureate in economics and former Senior Vice President and Chief Economist of the World Bank, he is famous for his critical view of globalization and international institutions like the International Monetary Fund or the World Bank. Stiglitz founded the Initiative for Policy Dialogue (IPD), a think tank on international development.

MAHMOOD MAMDANI - President of the Council for Development of Social Research in Africa (CODESRIA) Dakar, Senegal, is a well respected expert in African history, politics and international relations which has made him an important voice in contemporary debates about Africa. One of his best known books is ' When Victims Become Killers: Colonialism, Nativism and the Genocide in Rwanda'. (Princeton University Press, 2002).

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.

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.

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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