French Films in Harlem Parks
Following the success of Cinéma sur l’Herbe / Films on the Green in June, the Cultural Service
s of the French Embassy and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation are proud to present a new series of French films for the month of July (July 11-25). ’Dancing Together’ will feature three critically acclaimed and award-winning films showcasing dance and music, from tango to hip hop, an electrifying mixture sure to appeal to West Harlem’s diverse residents.
The Mount Morris historical district in West Harlem, at the crossroads between the traditional Harlem of 125th street, new immigrant communities—such as Little Senegal on 116th street—and the student neighborhoods near City College and Columbia University, provides an ideal setting for a festival that seeks to bring neighbors closer together, to create new connections, and to contribute to New York’s remarkable melting pot (or dancing pot, as it were!).
The first movie, Je ne suis pas là pour être aimé (Not Here to be Loved), by Stéphane Brizé, is an intimate, profoundly endearing portrait of a worn-out police officer who rediscovers his taste for life when he begins to learn the tango. The screening will (naturellement!) be followed by a tango session in the park, so that the audience can truly get into the spirit of things!
Flora Gomes’s Nha Fala is an exuberant, high-spirited celebration of the power to defy destiny. According to an ancestral Cape Verde legend, any girl in Vita’s family who attempts to sing will soon perish. But when Vita falls in love with a musician in Paris, she discovers she has a beautiful voice, and she resolves to confront her fate back in Cape Verde by… throwing a huge party! Festival-goers will also be able to join in the fun during a BBQ following the screening.
In On n’est pas des marques de vélo (We Aren’t Cheap Brands) , director Jean-Pierre Thorn tells the story of Bouda, one of France’s most popular hip hop dancers, who grew up just as hip hop was taking hold in the banlieues. Thirty-year old Bouda—along with his friends and family and the most recognized and talented Hip Hop artists of his generation—goes over the 80s and 90s and how they formed a new generation. After the movie, audience members will be invited to drink a toast to hip hop in France.
July Schedule
| July 11 | Saint Nicholas Park | Je ne suis pas là pour être aimé |
| July 18 | Morning Side Park | Nha Fala – My Voice, My Life, My Destiny |
| July 25 | Herb Garden | On n’est pas des marques de vélo |
*Please note that each screening will be followed by a party.
These movies have only been screened once before in New York. The prints have been flown in from Paris.
For more information, please write to cinema-ny@frenchculture.org.
Link: ’Films on the Green’ on Facebook
The sub-titled screenings will continue to take place outdoors every Friday at sunset (around 8.30pm), and will be free of charge. All three movies will be followed by parties!
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hey!
Im glad you posted this, it seems interesting. I tried to send you a link to this, but the tips@uptownflavor.com email gets bounced back. maybe thats a prob on my end? I dunno jus wanted to let you know. I cant send you tips!
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Re: Nha Fala
Bet you didn’t know that Marcus Garvey (Mount Morris)Park was once the location of the Cape Verde Mens Club. My father was a member and my mother was in the Ladies Auxilliary. The members owned a brownstone, which was used as a clubhouse for meetings, dances, etc. They sold the building in the early ’70’s as most members were elderly by then or had died. Marcus Garvey Park would actually be a more fitting place for that movie to be shown.