Summer 2011 in Baltimore - A Photo Expose

Photos by Titilayo Akanke

The African American Heritage Festival

The Baltimore Summer Opera Workshop

at Morgan State University

     Under the supervision of founder and artistic director, Vincent D. Stinger, and Masetro Julien Benichou, the Baltimore Summer Opera Workshop is a four-week program in which a diverse group of young musicians are trained by outstanding artists from around the country. The program culminates with the production of five operas including Highway One USA by William Grant Still, Little Red Riding Hood by Seymore Barab, Beauty and the Beast by Vittorio Giannini, The Medium by Gian-Carlo Menottie, and Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Pucinni. The photos below are scenes from The Medium and Gianni Schicchi.

     The Medium is a tragic story of a woman, Madam Flora, who deceives people into thinking she has the power to communicate with the dead by conducting seances. She is actually a drunk who, with the help of her daughter, Monica, uses theatrical gimmicks to convince her clients that they are in contact with their loved one in the spirit world. She is also terribly abusive to their mute servant, Toby; and unbeknownst to her mother, Monica and Toby are is in love. Madam Flora's schemes backfire when she "feels a phantom hand clutching her throat" and she begins to hear voices. She tries to convince her patrons that "the whole thing was a sham," but they do not believe her. She becomes more violent, abusive and unstable as she searches for the origin of the mysterious presence that continues to torment her.

Scenes from The Medium on stage at

Morgan State University's Murphy Fine Arts Theatre

     Gianni Schicchi is a tale of greed and deception as the family of a wealthy, dying man connive to receive that have not necessarily been bequeathed to them. Relatives gather at the deathbed of Buosco Donati to "mourn his passing and investigate the details of his will." It turns out that he has left the bulk of his estate to a monastery. However, the will has not been filed with a notary and no one outside the room knows about Donati's death. With the help of Gianni Schicchi, a ruthless businessman in Florence, Italy who has risen from peasantry, the family devises a scheme to create a new will that includes them. Schicchi warns them that if the fraud is ever discovered, they face punishment of having a hand cut off and banishment from Florence. They remove Donati's body and call a notary to the home so that Schicchi, while impersonating Donati, can dictate a new will. In an ultimate betrayal to the family, he stipulates in the new will, that the majority of the estate is should go to his good friend Gianni Schicchi, which of course, in actuality is himself. He had convinced the family that he was going to help them and he actually swindles them.

 

Scenes from Gianni Shicchi on stage at

 Morgan State University's Murphy Fine Arts Theatre

Artscape, Downtown Baltimore

The Light Box

     On exhibit at Artscape, the Light Box is a design and build project completed by students earning their Bachelors of Science in Architecture and Environmental Design in the Morgan State University School of Architecture and Planning, under the direction of Professor Michael Zembrowski. The structure incorporates "passive solar design," and is composed of 85 percent recycled and reclaimed materials obtained from The Loading Dock, a non-profit materials reuse center. For further details log on to: http://www.morgan.edu/ and search School of Architecture and Planning.

 Artscape Parade

Artscape Vendors and Activities

The Baltimore International Festival

Mayor Stephanie Rawlins-Blake gives recognition to the winners of the international soccer tournament

 which was one of the festival activities.

MC, Papa Wabe, Host of "Reggae Roots and Culture"

 (Saturdays 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM, WEAA, 88.9 FM), introduces Third World

Third World, on Stage at The International Festival

Ledisi on stage at the International Festival

International Film - The Source

    

A Look at the

Politics of Water in a Desert Community

     Empowerment of women to facilitate change in a struggling community is the theme of the film, The Source. Co-written by Alain-Michael Blanc and Radu Milhaileanu (also the director), the film is set in a contemporary Arabian village that still adheres to traditional values and culture. The community has no running water, and it is the task of the women to walk through miles of rough terrain to obtain water from their local source, a remote well, and then carry it back in large containers to their village. Even pregnant women are expected to engage in this arduous task. When one of the young women, in the later stages of pregnancy, falls while taking water back for her family, and as a result, has a miscarriage, Leila (played by Leila Bekht), one of the young educated women in the village, calls upon the women to demand a change.

     With assistance from Fatima (actess, Hiam Abass), one of the matriarchs of the village, the women embark upon a "love strike" and decide to withhold sex from their husbands until they take action to make the necessary provisions to have water piped into the village. The men say two years have passed since they applied to the state for running water, but to date, nothing has been done toward it development. Many of the women do not want to get involved in the strike because they say it has been the tradition for women to bring water to the village since the beginning of time. The cries of one of the young women are heard throughout the village when she is beaten nightly by her husband as he attempts to force her to have relations with him. News about the women's demand spread around the country and beyond, and it eventually gains international attention.

 The Source premiered at the Cannes Film Festival

 and is scheduled for international release in November 2011.

    
     A sub-plot revolves around Leila's relationship with the village, her husband, Sami (actor Saleh Bakri) and her former fiancee, a journalist who has returned to his native land under the guise of doing research for a magazine article. However, he has actually returned to the village to find Leila, a matter about which Leila is troubled because her husband knows nothing about her former relationship, and in fact, believes she was a virgin when they married. As the women's strike gains momentum and the community becomes more polarized, the journalist, because of his love for Leila, reluctantly begins to chronicle the story.

     Despite some of Sami's liberal views and apparent rejections of certain traditional values, he as earned a position of high esteem with the elder men and he Shiek because he is a college educated man who has returned home to teach, and he has developed positive relationships with the children of the village. The men have tried to accept Leila as Sami's wife, but her refusal to embrace the traditional role prescribed for women, and her position as the outspoken leader of the women's strike have negatively impacted their views of her. Sami is conflicted because he feels the women are advocating for a just cause and he wants to support his wife, but he does not want to directly oppose the men. Their marriage is further tested once he learns of Leila's former relationship.

    Set against the backdrop of the rugged terrain of the Arabian Desert, The Source has a tighly woven plot revolving around the political, social, and cultural issues impacting a arid community's struggle to acquire water . It compels viewers to examine the affects of poverty in underdeveloped areas of the world and the resulting lack of infrastructure. It brings to the forefront, problems compounded by the growing need for potable water.

     According to the April 2010 issue of National Geographic, entitled Water, Our Thirsty World, "46 percent of people on earth do not have water piped to their homes..." "Women in developing countries walk an average of 3.7 miles to get water.

     In northern Kenya, women may spend as much as five hours a day transporting heavy containers of water on foot. Currently, ten million people in the East African countries Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti, and Somalia are affected by the worst drought the area has experienced in 60 years, though there has  been a steady decrease in rainfall over the past ten years. Crop failures and food shortages have caused many Somalians to seek Sanctuary in the Kenyan refugee camp, Dadaab, where more than 380,000 people are depending on resources intended for 90,000 (CNN World Report, July 8, 2011).

    
     Water, referred to in National Geographic as "the earth's most vital resource," without which no living thing can survive, is becoming increasingly less abundant. "In 15 years, 1.8 billion people will live in regions of severe water scarcity." The way in which water is used on planet earth will have to undergo change because right now, aquifers are being drained more rapidly than they are being replenished.

      For more information about what you can do to help in drought-stricken ares consult: http://www.worldvision.org/. Following are global organizations working to provide clean water in developing countries and drought stricken areas: http://www.waterforpeople.org/; http://www.wateradvocates.org/; http://www.globalwaterchallenge.org/; http://www.globalwaterinitiative.com/; and http://www.psi.org/ (Population Services International, involved in combating waterborne diseases).

    

International Film - Michael - Kidnapping and Pedophilia on the Big Screen

     Written and directed by Markus Schleinzer, Michael is a disturbing drama about a pedophile who has kidnapped ten year old Wolfgang, played by David Rauchenberger, and is holding him as a sex slave. Michael Krall, the protagonist, played by Michael Fueth, has fortified and sound proofed his home, located in a middle class community in Austria, so that the boy, without risk of escaping, is able to leave his room in the basement and go into other areas of the house. To maintain emotional control, Michael feeds the boy the usual propaganda about his family not loving or wanting him anymore.

     Krall does not allow anyone to come to his, and for five months, managaes to keep up the facade at work, and with his family and associates, and even earns a promotion at work. As Wolfgang's contempt for his captor heightens, the story draws to a climax when the boy contrives a daring escape by throwing boiling hot water in Michael's face. However, he is unsuccessful in his effort, and after a struggle, Michael forces him back into the basement.

     Not wanting to call an ambulance to his home, Michael sets out to drive himself to the hospitl. He is killed in a car accident when he veers off a winding road because he has difficulty seeing and navigating the vehicle as a result of damage to his eyes caused by the hot water. The film reaches the denouement with the family having Michaels funeral, going through a brief period of mourning, and finally going to his home to pack his belongings. Michael's brother-in-law (Victor Tremmel) is sorting through clothing in the bedroom while his mother (Christine Kain) inspects other areas of the home. The film ends with her investigating the control planel that opens the door to the basement in which the boy is locked.

     The story, told primarily from the perspective of the pedophile, reveals the bazaar inner workings of a mind that compels the abuser to seek the affection of the victim, and is then frustrated to the point of tears by the constant rejection. There is no overt violence or explicit sexuality in the film, and the plot develops in a manner that clearly establishes a relationship between Michael and Wolfgang before it is revealed that the child is a kidnap and sexual abuse victim.

     From a technical standpoint, the film, which debuted af the Cannes Film Festival and is scheduled for international relelase in November 2011, adheres to a well-developed three-act structure that is easy to follow. Action is subtle and nuanced, but purposeful. Characters, storyline, and dialogue are engaging and convincing. The setting includes various areas of Michael's home, his job, and various activities in which he engages. There are no particular gimmicks, novel uses of technology, special effects, or spectacular cinematographic images. It is simply a well-told story that evokes intense emotion in viewers and sheds light on an issue that continues to plague humankind.

     Michael is clearly a tale seized from current news stories about the horrific experiences of missing and exploited children. A prime example is the recently exposed ordeal of Jaycee Lee Dugard, the young female victim stolen at age 11, and held captive for 18 years by her kidnappers, a married couple. She was forced into a sexual relationship with her captor and gave birth to two children before she finally escaped. The film, Michael, and Dugard's situation bring to the forefront, the issue of pedophilia and exploited children, and perhaps will compel viewers to save a child's life.

     For information or to report cases of children who are possible victims of exploitation, abuse or kidnapping, contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at http://www.missingkid.com/.
Call the 24-hour hotline at 1-800-the Lost (1-800-843-5678).

International Film - Volcano - Grapples with Practice of Euthanasia

     The film, Volcano, forces viewers to grapple with the heart wrenching issue of whether to place loved ones in nursing homes when they are totally incapacitated by illness, and whether euthanasia is a viable option when life has deteriorated to nothing but pain and suffering. Fisherman and school janitor, Hannes Grimstottir, the protagonist, played by Theodor Juliusson, has reached retirement age and is frustrated and alienated from his family, and emotionally detached from wife, Anna, actress, Margret Helga Johannsdottir, to whom he has been married for decades. Consumed by sadness, Hannes attempts suicide, but changes his mind. He escapes death again when his battered, but beloved family boat begins taking on water and he nearly drowns. The second near death experience compels him to bond with his grandson, and reestablish a relationship with his wife, depicted in a tender love scene. Shortly after their reconncection, she suffers a massive stroke which leaves her completely paralyzed and speechless.

     Hannes decides to care for Anna at home, against the wishes of his son, Ari (Porsteinn Bachmann), and his daughter Telma (Elma Lisa Gunnarsdottir), who both say he is only doing it because of guilt for treating her badly for so many years. As her condition deteriorates and she requires more and more drugs to calm her endless wailing which prevents her from sleeping and torments Hannes, he ends her life. Viewers empathize with Hanne's decision because his wife appears to be suffering tremendously, but also have to reconcile that he has essentially committed first degree murder. He is not able to take his own life, but makes the decision to end his wife's.


Hannes lies in bed alone after ending his wife's life
after she suffers a massive, debilitating stroke.

        Written and directed by Runar Runarrson, the movie employs the use of Mise en Scene cinematography to reinforce the melancholy tone of the story. It includes prolonged close-ups with no dialogue, blues and grays as the primary colors, and a few splashes of bright reds and yellows that attract the eye and signal changes in mood. Set in the Eldfjall volcanic region of Iceland, the movies uses the beauty of nature to symbolize Hanne's acceptance of his life and irrevocable decision as he stands atop a mountain  overlooking the   Atlantic Ocean, and in a closing scene, embraces his grandson.

     The film Volcano, is particularly relevant in view of the recent death of 83 year-old Dr. Jack Kevorkian, who spent eight years in prison because of his practice of euthanasia in which he assisted approximately 130 terminally ill patients in ending their lives. He was originally sentenced to 25 years, but was released early because of his own poor health and assurance to authorities that he would cease conducting assisted suicides. Dr. Kevorkian's story was showcased in the 2010 HBO movie, You Don't Know Jack, with Al Pacino in the lead role as the doctor.

     Euthanasia will surely remain a contentious issue for decades to come, and whether or not ending a person's life who is enduring unbearable pain and suffering is murder or compassion will be the driving question. Additionally, controversy will be generated around exactly how the practice should be carried out. Should it be a private matter as in the case of the character Hanne, and should a loved one be the one to actually end the life, or should it be done publicly under the guidance of someone else, perhaps a doctor or health care professional such as Dr. Kevorkian. The film leaves viewers with much to consider.

The Cannes Experience

Photos by Titilayo Akanke (except where pictured)





The very first day as Creative Minds in Cannes participants gather in front of Villa Maupaussant, (our place of residence) to prepare for
 a walking tour of Cannes, France and learn how the festival operates.


      The Cannes Film Festival, one of the world's oldest and most prestigious, is an international marketplace where people from around the globe conduct business in various aspects of the film industry. From 8:00 AM until after midnight, hundreds of movies are screened daily at theatres all over the city, by producers, distributors, buyers, the press, talent agencies, celebrities, and film lovers.

     Potential viewers are allowed into venues based on levels of festival accreditation evidenced in badges which must be purchased upon registering, and presented at each screening and other festival activities. The Marche badge is held primarily by buyers, and it allows them first and unlimited access to each event. The press and special passes are given next consideration, then the general festival accreditation badge, and finally the Cinephile Badge, which offers limited access. The general festival accreditation identification provides unlimited access to activities, but entrance is not always guaranteed for smaller venues once the others who given first priority are allowed entrance. Attending the Cannes Film Festival without a badge is unproductive as access to most activities, including screenings, will be denied.

     As an intern, I am working for International Creative Management (ICM), one of the world's largest talent and literary agencies. The company has offices in Los Angeles, New York and London, and has been in existence for more than thirty years. Under the direction of chairman and CEO, Jeffrey Berg, and president, Chris Silberman, the company represents clients in film, television, music, publishing, theatre, and more.




The Carlton Hotel, Cannes headquarters for ICM.

 

     Daily, I report to the Jeffrey Berg Suite (renamed last week) of the Carlton to receive my assignments for the day from David Gonzales, assistant to the CEO, and supervisor for interns.      

    




View of Le Croisette, lined with palm trees, and the Mediterranean Sea in the background.

 



View of the Riviera from the balcony of the Carlton.



       





Early morning in front of The Palais, the main building with several
 large theatres, and headquarters for the festival, before activities begin.



           



Titilayo Picking up tickets at the Palais for ICM

 
     My job is to run errands, assist in the office, source tickets, and provide coverage for films. The errands have primarily been shopping for refreshments for meetings scheduled every thirty minutes with Berg and his team, or for supplies for the office. Sourcing tickets means sometimes picking them up from the festival office, production companies, or agencies and delivering them to the ICM office, clients, or staff. I have walked a great deal of the city, particularly the area surrounding the Palais, the building housing festival offices, and the larger theatres where nightly premiers are held.  

 



Titilayo running errands, picking up items from the
Monoprix department store and Fnac electronic store.

 
    


                                                                        


The Monoprix and Fnac are daily errands. The Monoprix is equivalent
 to Target, and Fnac is an electronic store, similar to Radio Shack.

      Providing film coverage requires me to watch a movie and write a critique. Based on the assessment of the person providing coverage and analysis, ICM team members may be influenced as to whether they will watch the film themselves to make decisions about investments, distribution deals, and other matters. The ramifications of this task is daunting. My opinion about a film could possibly be the catalyst that propels some one's career forward or destroys their dreams. Based on my expertise as a screenwriter and my experience as a film lover who has a good understanding of what makes a good product, I have also offered sincere and hopefully constructive comments on the films I have screened thus far. Those include Volcano, The Fairy, and My Last Valentine in Beirut. (Coverage of my screenings will appear in upcoming blogs and will include more films).

      My visit to France has been productive and has helped me gain an even greater understanding of the film industry, but it has also provided an opportunity to travel abroad again, which is perhaps the best way to gain understanding of the language and culture of other ethnic groups and countries.  In that regard, I have made some observations about the French. When they greet, they really do kiss each other on both cheeks (just like in the movies). They love their pets, particularly small dogs, and they take them everywhere, even to markets and restaurants. At a cafe last week, a gentleman poured water from his glass into a small (clean) ashtray and held it for his dog while the tiny animal lapped it up. It is not uncommon to see pet owners pushing their animals around in baby strollers. The French drink wine for breakfast, lunch, and of course, dinner. Attitudes about the human body are liberal, and nudity (or partial nudity) is an acceptable aspect of the culture. Exposed breast on the beach and on posters throughout the city are common and without stigma. There are street musicians playing what seems to be traditional French music.

Street violinist playing French music.

         



View from the balcony of the Villa Maupaussant, home for Creative Minds participants.

 


Artwork on the side of a building depicting French life.

 





 The Olympia Theatre

  


The Star and Olympia Theatres also showcase films though
 they are located away from the main festival area. 





Cafes are the norm in Cannes. Most (if not all) restaurants offer outdoor dining.
On most, the whole front of the building is a large sliding door
 that allows patrons and passers-by to see inside the restaurant. 





Media coverage of festival activities and celebrity appearances is constant.





Reception on the Terrace of "The College" before the premiere
of the short films by Creative Minds film producers.

 



Reception on the terrace of "The College," before the premier
showcasing of the work of Creative Minds filmmakers 

Howard University students gather for a photo during the reception on the terrace
of "The College" before the premier of short films by Creative Minds producers.







Audience during the Creative Minds filmmakers premier.

 
 



Premier night for Creative Minds filmmakers.


Producer, director and founder of Creative Minds, Rob Ford,
addresses the audience during the filmmakers premier evening.





Scenic view from the Belles Rives Restaurant on the Riviera.







Lunch at the Belles Rives Restaurant on the Riviera with
David Gonzales (front right) ICM staff in charge of interns.



Lunch at the Belles Rives on the Riviera.

Lunch at the Belle Rives Restaurant.

Striking employees in front of the Marriott Hotel on the first day of the film festival.






Marriott Employees striking for better wages.



Marriott employees striking.



      Marriott employees demonstrate in front of the Marriott Hotel on Le Croisette.  According to driver, Samir Touam, who is not a Marriott employee, the staff was striking because of poor wages. "A lot of money is made during the festival, but the workers see none of it. It's all for the bosses," he says. The work stoppage lasted only one day. It is not clear how issues were resolved.



Large outdoor television screen showcasing activities on the red carpet.



People gather in front of The Palais during premiers to watch
activities on the red carpet on the large outdoor screen.




The floor of one of the vendors inside The Palais

 


A poster collage featuring images from various
movies debuting during the festival.

 


Creative Minds gentlement out in the evening for a premiere.

 

     Attending the Cannes Film Festival is an extraordinary journey and learning experience. It is an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful city of Cannes, to experience the hospitality of the French,  to network, and learn more about the powerful and artistic medium of expression and communication that we call film.