February 4, 2015
The
Portland Observer Black
History Month
Page 5
The film ‘Half of a Yellow Sun,’ follows the upheaval of civil war in
Nigeria and opens the 25th annual Cascade Festival of African
Films on Friday, Feb. 6 at the Hollywood Theater. Portland Com-
munity College’s Cascade Campus in north Portland hosts the
other 34 films in the series, which runs through March 8.
Lessons
in Conflict
continued
from front
More than 5,000 people attend
the festival annually. All films will
be shown in the Moriarty Arts and
Humanities Building on the Cas-
cade Campus., with the opening
night and the centerpiece film
screenings at the Hollywood The-
atre. The festival is free and open to
the public.
"The Cascade Festival of Afri-
can Films is one of the most exciting
and treasured educational and cul-
tural events in Portland," said long-
time film festival organizer Mary
Holmstrom, who is a native of South
Africa.
The series not only enlightens
and educates Americans about Af-
rica through films by Africans, but
it also provides Portland-area Afri-
can immigrants and refugees with
the opportunity to be represented
and understood when their respec-
tive cultures are brought to life on
the big screen, Holmstrom said.
This year, the Cascade Festival
of African Films offers a Retrospec-
tive Series of the festival's top-10
films through its 25-year history on
each Sunday of the schedule. In
addition, there will be a Student Fest
for high school and college-age stu-
dents, and a Family Fest featuring
films for children. Women Filmmak-
ers Week will welcome four female
directors to PCC for panel discus-
sions about their films.
Another highlight from this year
festival takes place on opening night
with a screening of "Half of a Yellow
Sun" at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., Friday,
Feb. 6, at the Hollywood Theatre.
Based on the award-winning
novel by Chimamanda Ngozi
Adichie, the film balances deep per-
sonal drama against a broad canvas
of national upheaval. Beginning
with Nigeria's independence in 1960,
the film centers on twin sisters from
a prominent Lagos family who make
very different life choices. The film's
showing is followed by a discus-
sion with director Biyi Bandele.
Family Fest Matinee will be
hosted by Baba Wagué Diakité of
Mali and features the film "Felix" at
11 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 28, at the
Moriarty Auditorium. The film cen-
ters on 13-year-old Felix's dreams of
becoming a saxophonist like his late
father, but his mother thinks jazz is
the devil's music. When Felix is
awarded a scholarship for grade
eight at an elitist private school, he
defies his mother and turns to two
aging members of his father's old
band to help him prepare for the
school jazz concert.
For a complete Cascade Festival
of African Films schedule and run-
down
of
films,
visit
africanfilmfestival.org.
A small group of girls from war-torn Somalia are the subject of a poignant local film about Somali
girls form southeast Portland that come together to play basketball in a local recreation league.
“Lessons of Basketball and War,” examines the roots of conflict between Somali ethnic groups and
the challenges faced by those who attempt to resolve it here in Portland.