NYWIFT Blog

AfriAmerican Immigrant Screening: Local Stories, Global Themes

By Madeline Johnson

In Astoria’s historic Kaufman Studios, filmmakers from the African diaspora shared local stories that reverberated deep into universal themes and questions as part of New York Women in Film & Television’s Women Filmmakers: Immigrant Stories screening on May 31, 2018.

Featured in the fourth season of this NYWIFT series highlighting narrative and documentary films about the New York immigrant experience, these short films tackled issues ranging from the #MeToo movement, to President Trump’s travel ban, to the immigrant experience, to what it means to be American, among many more.

Take for instance director Iquo B. Essien’s Aissa’s Story – a proof of concept short film about an African housekeeper who was sexually assaulted by a powerful hotel guest.

“It’s a David and Goliath story,” Essien noted, “[her story] split a lot of communities.”

Nominated for the 2013 Student Academy Awards, Aissa’s Story is a multi-layered exploration, delving deep into the emotional terrain Aissa navigates and questions as she seeks to regain control of her life. In a world and industry reeling from the #MeToo movement, fumbling for a way forward after dark truths are laid bare, Aissa’s Story has a lot of wisdom to share.

Immigrant Screening Series 5_31_18

Series producer Easmanie Michel (left) with screening participants Wunmi Fowora (star of Addie & Addy), Adenike Thomas (Addie & Addy director and star), Iquo B. Essien (director, Aissa’s Story) and James Boo (producer, America Heard: Refuge of Hope)

Also showcased was America Heard: Refuge of Hope. Part of a series of short films produced from every U.S. district directly after the 2016 presidential election, this five minute film explores what it means to be a refugee living in Syracuse in Trump’s America.

What does Trump’s presidency mean for refugees who have already resettled in the U.S.? For the varied communities and people shaping America, how does this presidency change who we are and how we understand ourselves?

America Heard: Refuge of Hope was released the day after Trump’s travel ban was announced. At the screening, producer James Boo speculated aloud – how does the meaning of this film change as America changes?

“Feelings may change about what the film is here to do and what it means,” Boo wondered.

Finally, Addie & Addy, a collection of sketches of “two weirdo Nigerian-American roommates living their best life in Brooklyn, NY” explores finding your way, honoring your past, and understanding yourself. Through comedy that pokes fun at life’s absurdities, it gently explores what it means to be Nigerian, American, black, young and 20 years old, and all of the intersections in between. As producer and actor Wunmi Fowora noted that black women are often seen as “combative” in the media, Addie & Addy sought to explore how these characters can “get as many nuances.”

Additionally, director and actor Adenike Thomas specified that in order to bring their project to life, they sought creators who connected with the subject matter. “You get more subtleties,” Thomas highlighted.

Each film screened contained a strong and distinct point of view, not often readily found in mainstream media. But in the words of Essien, being a director means “holding true to your vision, even if no one will support you. I have that.”

 

NYWIFT’s Women Filmmakers: Immigrant Stories series continues through June. For more information about upcoming screenings, please check out NYWIFT’s events calendar.

PUBLISHED BY

Madeline Johnson

Madeline Johnson Madeline Johnson is an award-winning screenwriter and director who has written three feature and ten short scripts. Her debut short film “Juneteenth” was an official selection of the Prague Independent Film Festival, the Budapest Short Film Festival, and the Crown Heights Film Festival – as well as winning a Platinum Reel Award at the Nevada International Film Festival in the student competition. She holds two B.A. degrees from Yale University. In 2016, she graduated from FAMU International’s Academic Preparation Program in Directing. Madeline is currently finishing final drafts of two feature scripts and developing an interactive episodic series.

View all posts by Madeline Johnson

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

*

*

Related Posts

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Rita Marcocci

Welcome to NYWIFT, Rita Marcocci! Rita Marcocci is founder of Verus Studios, LLC a female-owned, award-winning production studio based in Westport, CT. She is a former executive at FOX Television with an accomplished background in revenue growth and strategic partnerships. Her most recent project, the Oscar and BAFTA shortlisted film The One Note Man, is currently available on Amazon Prime. Next up is a short film collaboration with award winning director, Daniel Deville and the Oscar-winning team at Slick Films. Rita brings a strategic perspective to projects, offering a full understanding of successful operational knowledge as well as diverse, hands-on experience in the entertainment industry. In our interview, Rita discusses her current projects and the process of running Versus Studios!

READ MORE

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Cassie Rubio

Welcome to NYWIFT, Cassie Rubio! Cassie Rubio is a Brooklyn-based screenwriter, educator, and community organizer. Whether it’s running free art labs for QTBIPOC youth or teaching guerrilla filmmaking workshops aimed at documenting climate change, Cassie believes in the transformative power each of our creative voices have. A recent graduate of Stony Brook’s MFA in Television Writing program and a 2024 Television Academy Drama Writing Fellowship Finalist, they use their voice to author stories about the harm and healing found in collective spaces. In our interview, Cassie discusses the intersections between activism and filmmaking, their writing inspiration, and an upcoming project!

READ MORE

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Ellie Nix

Welcome to NYWIFT, Ellie Nix! Ellie Nix is a recent graduate from the University of Texas at Austin, where she played key roles in over 25 short films during the three years it took her to complete her degree. With a growing passion for assistant directing, Ellie brings a unique blend of efficiency and diplomacy to the fast-paced, ever-evolving world of media production. Ellie is most inspired when surrounded by people who challenge their perspective and a passion for those perspectives, and hopes to spend a lifetime pushing boundaries and helping bring bold visions to life. In our interview, Ellie discusses her experience as an assistant director, finding film community, and her short film Barreling Down!

READ MORE

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Veanne Cao

Welcome to NYWIFT, Veanne Cao! We had the opportunity to interview Veanne Cao, a Vietnamese-Chinese writer and director whose work spans both the personal and the playful. Her short films—ranging from intimate dramas that explore memory, identity, and the Asian diaspora to comedies inspired by life’s absurdities—have screened at festivals around the world. Beyond the indie film space, she brings her storytelling sensibilities to the commercial and editorial world, producing content for global brands and publications. Veanne currently lives in Brooklyn with her partner and two shih-tzus.

READ MORE
JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER
css.php